na.

Careful investigation was made, and it was ascertained that in nine
counties of that State such combinations were active and powerful,
embracing a sufficient portion of the citizens to control the local
authority, and having, among other things, the object of depriving
the emancipated class of the substantial benefits of freedom and of
preventing the free political action of those citizens who did not
sympathize with their own views. Among their operations were frequent
scourgings and occasional assassinations, generally perpetrated at night
by disguised persons, the victims in almost all cases being citizens of
different political sentiments from their own or freed persons who had
shown a disposition to claim equal rights with other citizens. Thousands
of inoffensive and well-disposed citizens were the sufferers by this
lawless violence.

Thereupon, on the 12th of October, 1871, a proclamation[49] was issued,
in terms of the law, calling upon the members of those combinations to
disperse within five days and to deliver to the marshal or military
officers of the United States all arms, ammunition, uniforms, disguises,
and other means and implements used by them for carrying out their
unlawful purposes.

This warning not having been heeded, on the 17th of October another
proclamation[50] was issued, suspending the privileges of the writ of
_habeas corpus_ in nine counties in that State.

Direction was given that within the counties so designated persons
supposed, upon creditable information, to be members of such unlawful
combinations should be arrested by the military forces of the United
States and delivered to the marshal, to be dealt with according to law.
In two of said counties, York and Spartanburg, many arrests have been
made. At the last account the number of persons thus arrested was 168.
Several hundred, whose criminality was ascertained to be of an inferior
degree, were released for the present. These have generally made
confessions of their guilt.

Great caution has been exercised in making these arrests, and,
notwithstanding the large number, it is believed that no innocent person
is now in custody. The prisoners will be held for regular trial in the
judicial tribunals of the United States.

As soon as it appeared that the authorities of the United States were
about to take vigorous measures to enforce the law, many persons
absconded, and there is good ground for supposing that all of such
pers