Scores of similar cases might be cited, all of which are matters of public record, but those above given, serve to show, that the Order of the Ku Klux Klan, is inimical to religion and education, as well as to the politics of those differing with them in their avowed opposition to Republicanism, and their adherence to the Democratic party. These gallant defenders of the white man’s race were determined that no Government but the white man’s should live in the country, and these results they hoped to obtain through the banishment, scourging and killing of negroes, Radicals and Republicans, by which means also, with the aid of their sympathizers at the North, they expected to have a Democratic Administration.
Warnings and Edicts of the Klan.
It would seem to have been the design of the leaders of the Ku Klux Klans, in issuing their warnings, to play as much as possible upon the superstitions of the people. These documents were written in a disguised hand, sometimes in coarse language, and contained sentiments intended to inspire terror in the minds of the recipients.
They were usually bordered with designs, representing daggers piercing bleeding hearts, death’s heads and cross bones, and various grotesque devices. Some of them had a spice of grim humor, which, although fun to the Klan who issued these missives, meant banishment, scourging or death to those who received them. Specimens of these, the originals of which fell into the hands of the United States Officials during their attempts to break up the Ku Klux organization are here given verbatim et literatim.
Five persons residing in White County, Georgia, having made themselves politically obnoxious to the Klan, received the following:—
“Read the Contents, K. K. K.
O ye, horsemen of Manassas. Bounce, ye dead men that is now living on earth. We are the men that I am talking about. We are of K. K. K. Now Sandy Holcumb, Green Holcumb, Daniel McCollum, and E. Dickson, your days are numbered. We shot the old Belt weather[2] a little too low. We aimed to shoot him through the heart; and if you don’t all get away from this country very soon, your Radical hearts will be shot out of you, and we had just as leave shoot you as for you to get away.
K. K. K.”
The parties named in the above warning did not leave, as the United States Officials came into the county about that time and arrested nearly one hundred members of the Camp from which the document was issued.
At Irwington, Ga., the colored people determined upon holding a “protracted meeting,” and colored preachers assembled there from all quarters. The meetings are described as having been most orderly, but they were deemed inimical to the interests of the Ku Klux, and the following warning was issued and posted near the place of meeting.