e as loyal as any
citizens in the land. The South, subjected to a second conquest after
having laid down its arms, felt outraged and grew sullen. To most people
in that section, as well as to very many at the North, this dictation by
Congress to acknowledged States in time of peace seemed high-handed and
guilty usurpation. Northern Congressmen incessantly called slavery
barbarism, and yet combined to transmute to-day into electors and
law-makers those who but yesterday had been slaves. Black legislatures
inevitably abused their power, becoming the instruments of base
carpetbag leaders and rings in robbing white property-holders.

[Illustration: Political cartoon. Two men labeled "Ohio" hanging from
a tree.]
A Facsimile put in Evidence before the Congressional Committee.
"[From the Independent Monitor, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, September 1, 1868.]"
"A PROSPECTIVE SCENE IN THE CITY OF OAKS, 4TH OF MARCH, 1869."
"Hang, curs, hang! * * * * * Their complexion is perfect gallows,
Stand fast, good fate, to their hanging! * * * * *
If they be not born to be hanged, our case is miserable."
"The above cut represents the fate in store for those great pests of
Southern society--the carpet-bagger and scalawag--if found in Dixie's
land after the break of day on the 4th of March next."

Nor could any except doctrinaires or the stupid have expected that the
whites would long submit to such a regime. If the South was to become
again genuine part and parcel of this Union, it could not, nor would the
North consent that it should, be permanently under bayonet rule; and so
soon as bayonets were gone, fair means or foul would speedily remove the
sceptre from colored hands. Precisely this happened. In State after
State, the whites, without the slightest formal change of constitution
or law, recovered their ancient ascendency. Where their aims could not
be realized by persuasion or other mild means, resort was had to
merciless intimidation and violence.

The Ku-Klux Klan, a great secret society, was organized for this rough
business, numbering at first, among either its members or its abettors,
citizens of the highest respectability. Its local lodges were called
"dens," its members "ghouls," " Giants," "goblins," "titans," "furies,"
"dragons," and "hydras," were names of different classes among its
officers. Usually the very existence of a "den" in the vicinity was
sufficient to render every negro docile. If more was required, a
half-dozen