The Reign of Terror in the South.
The evident certainty of the organization of a colored militia has caused a perfect howl of rage on the part of the Democracy, who see in it the death-knell to their hopes of carrying out the tactics so successfully inaugurated in Mississippi, of bringing their much vaunted Ku-Klux into the arena for the purpose of intimidating the blacks, over-awing officials at the ballot-box, and thus achieving a glorious Democratic victory. That such an intention has been calculated upon there is little doubt, and that such organizations of the Democracy are creating a reign of terror in many of the counties of West Tennessee is but too true. Colored men coming to town fifty miles on foot, leaving their little crops and possessions, and fleeing in dread of their lives, report parties of masked horsemen visiting the negro cabins in search of arms, and, in many cases, forcing the blacks to pledge themselves to vote for Seymour and Blair, or flee in terror from their homes, leaving their growing crops and their little-all behind. Nor is this by far the worst. At Huntingdon, in Carroll county, a short time since, a negro woman was taken out and so unmercifully whipped by the Ku-Klux, that for days her back bore bloody testimony to their fiendish cruelty. In the same neighborhood, at about the same time, a white man was also taken out and severely beaten at their hands. On a Sunday in the same county, a dozen or so colored men, going home from church, were stopped by a gang of such hopeful Democracy, and all whipped; the blasphemous wretches telling the negroes they were spirits of Shiloh battle-field, but five hours from h—ll. To such an extent have these outrages been carried in that county that the better class of citizens formed themselves into an armed organization, some three hundred strong, and, under control of the sheriff, patrolled the county for a week, a collision being nightly expected. Last week, at Porter's Station, in Henry county, a colored school, taught for the past six months by William Seawood, a colored minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, was broken up and the schoolhouse burned to the ground. In our own county, also, but fourteen miles from Memphis, a short time since, at a meeting of colored Methodists, the minister found on his arrival the whole congregation frightened away by threats of violence. In such counties, a militia force seems called for by dictates of common humanity, as well as to prevent such squads of zealous Democrats from taking forcible possession of the polls. As to the expediency of introducing such an apparent element of discord here in Memphis, however, there is much diversity of opinion among Republicans themselves. The more zealous Radicals favor a militia, while those more timidly disposed, those who believe in conciliation, are jointly with the Democracy signing a remonstrance against it, while Democratic ward organizations of three thousand members, under control of General Pike, who advises them “to arm and organize,” seem portentous of trouble; and several thousand blacks, watching such organizations with a jealous eye, looks like need of preparation for an outbreak that may perchance occur at any hour. It is still doubtful, whether or not, the introduction of a colored militia would gain the end sought to be attained. Whether, in fact, it would not prove a brand of fire that should produce an explosion. If regular troops can be had here in Memphis, they would doubtless be far preferable to militia, as all parties would then feel assured of the enforcement of law and order, and no outbreak could occur. If they cannot be had, then, of course, it becomes the Governor to provide us a militia.