Report of the Joint select committee appointed to inquire into the condition of affairs in the late insurrectionary states, so far as regards the execution of laws, and the safety of the lives and property of the citizens of the United States and Testimony taken.

ALABAMA-SUB-COMMITTEE. 1757
Atsw, r. They have done it, and would do it again.
Qtestion. Bad Ien take it up of their own accord to punish offenders against the
law?
Answer. Yes; I know that to be the fact, and I judge from this: inl my own county,
at one time last spring, they held a public meeting there, and all the respectable
citizens denounced this thing, and for some time there were no demonstrations, no acts
iof violence perpetrated; but it has recently, within the last month or so, I understand,
been renewed.
Question. Why do you come to the conclusion that these bad men do it for the purpose of enforcing the law?
Answer. For the purpose of enfiorcing the law? I do not say they do'it for the purpose of enforcing the law.
Question. That isthe question I put to you. You say they are composed of bad men;
that their object is not political; but that they do it under the pretense of punishing
men who hlad committed offenses, larcenies, &c.
A,,swcr. Yes, sir.
Qucstion. Now, I ask whether tile bad men of the colmmunity have sufficient interest
in sustaining the lavw to do these things fori the sake of punishing ien who are violating the law?
Answer. They d(o not (do it for the purpose of sustaining the law. They do it to break
ti:h laxw,.and know tlhey do it.
Question. What motive have bad men in organizing themselves into these bands for
the purpose of punishing nien that are commlitting larcenies, &c.?
Answer. I do not know that they do it, for that purpose. I say that is the avowed
purpose when they commit these offenses.
Question. Do you think that is the purpose'?
Answer. No; I do not think so.
Question. What do you think is the purpose alnd object of it?
Answer. In some sections of the State there is a feeling of personal hostility to the
negro; that is one purpose; and in some portions of my circuit they will not let a negro live; that is, it is a white population, and they do not want to come in contact
with the negro. They want to cultivate the lands themselves, and they want to have
an exclusively white society, so far as possible.
Question. It is elmnit to the( negro, iln your opinion?
hAnsw1cr. es, sir; it is a ftelin' al'nailnst, tihe ilegro. I would not say it was a feeling
of lenmity, iut t is so:etltlinl itl thl' nlatlu' of dilii:e —a recoiling from contact with
the ne:To in those locial tils.!Br M1r. BUCKEiY:
Question. Does that exPl)aitn th!,e <xis4e<lc- (of bands in counties like this, where they
ae ve-ry axios o ri:ain t te nei t' roe
Ansler. No, sir; it nwould not explain tlose acts of violence in this county, or Greene
County, because here teirty desiir to retai tiheir labor. I base my opinion upon this fAct:
In one (of the prcincts of my county, all the people of which voted the republican
ticket for Presidentl, I a'sc.etan'I a short time ago, to my astonishment, that the KuKlux hlad formed an orglanizt;ztion there, consisting entirely of boys and young men
whose arents, I know, woud be as mluch opposed to it as I would be; and I can only
account fort the or;an.ization 1lhe:i oen the theory I suggested. There have been no
black m enat in tlha;.t col;.ty, ixc-PIt; fi \\, introduced, and they have been adet to leave it.
1FBy r. irJ clFt:
tCS(:ciioI. la, v;e t'e oi:'t;^.: l, 1'ol cfintied to mnil wlho voted the republican ticket?
ies-n:'fr. I cnnot say t \y i' Liave, because I do not know how those upon whom they
inllicteid plutiioierrtet vt;iitid I deo noi ktno how they voted.
Quesis,. Iia:i it:;exe t)t ilciirged that any of those who belong to those organizations were repq-l itcauys
Answer. Only'in catse of;the man wlho sued the county. lie stated that he was
whipped becau.se lie voted the radical ticket.
Question. I inamnlt to a >k, has it ever been charged that the men who belonged to this
organizattioll ere, any of them, republicans?
Asut'er.- No; I th1ink it is generally understood thlat the republican whites, as well as
the rep:tl tlia blacks, are opposed to it. I think that is the understanding.
115' t<e C'i. xAt;-kA:
Question. Have th e colored men generally been the victitms of these outrages?
Answer. Generally.
Question. I-low do you account for the existence of these combinations in counties
where the negro population is large, and where it is essential to the cultivation of the
land; what is your theory for the existence of these combinations there?
Answer. That would bring up a question about which I have studied a good deal,