s dimensions from this given
mean. As large as was the Klan force, it probably did not exceed the
League in numbers, and had many disadvantages to meet which the latter,
helped forward by its government patronage, did not regard as impediments.
But it had injuries to redress, burning wrongs to avenge, and cherishing
these incentives, it laughed at legislative penalties, and burned to join
battle with those dispensers of Ku-Klux halters who dealt in this and like
judicial pleasantries at their expense.

Having had its birth in the western district of the State, where the
elements of a rapid growth were found, it was quickly communicated to the
central counties and the neighborhood of the capital, and finding its way
thence over the Cumberland Mountains--before its presence was even
suspected in that loyal quarter--developed a shamrock growth on the soil
of East Tennessee. Within three months from the time the first Den was
organized on her territory, the K. K. K. had reached its highest growth in
numbers and strength of resources, and announced itself ready and anxious
to meet the army in buckram, whom it asserted represented the cause of
misgovernment on Tennessee soil. Its plans were quickly developed, and the
destruction of a half dozen or more dark-lantern societies, which lay more
on the surface of things than was thought to be polite, alarmed the State
functionaries, and called attention to their proceedings in a form quite
as disagreeable as the most ultra of the party could have desired. The
subject first came before the legislature, and steps were taken which it
was presumed would "put a head on the monster" (to literally quote one of
the Buncombe addresses before that august body), but the indescribable
nonchalance of the proceedings, which seemed directed at a child's
toy-house rather than a nest of boa constrictors, only excited the K.'s to
new activity. A Governor's proclamation was next called for; soon
afterwards secret measures were instituted looking to the employment of a
force of detectives; and finally, the militia were summoned to assemble,
but, despite all, the crooked wonder grew, and the more industrious the
efforts put forth to curtail its existence the more it grew and the
greater the occasion it saw for this exertion.

In the summer of this year, the members of the legislature of Tennessee,
in council assembled, pronounced the State a Ku-Klux barracks, and
resolved themselves unsafe in their gr