the sequel of appomattox-第21章

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at　Governor　Holden；　the　head　of　the　State　League；　had　ordered　it。　The　council　in　Tuscumbia；　Alabama；　received　advice　from　Memphis　to　use　the　torch　because　the　blacks　were　at　war　with　the　white　race。　The　advice　was　taken。　Three　men　went　in　front　of　the　council　as　an　advance　guard；　three　followed　with　coal　oil　and　fire；　and　others　guarded　the　rear。　The　plan　was　to　burn　the　whole　town；　but　first　one　Negro　and　then　another　insisted　on　having　some　white　man's　house　spared　because　〃he　is　a　good　man。〃　In　the　end　no　residences　were　burned；　and　a　happy　compromise　was　effected　by　burning　the　Female　Academy。　Three　of　the　leaders　were　afterwards　lynched。

The　general　belief　of　the　whites　was　that　the　ultimate　object　of　the　order　was　to　secure　political　power　and　thus　bring　about　on　a　large　scale　the　confiscation　of　the　property　of　Confederates；　and　meanwhile　to　appropriate　and　destroy　the　property　of　their　political　opponents　wherever　possible。　Chicken　houses；　pigpens；　vegetable　gardens；　and　orchards　were　visited　by　members　returning　from　the　midnight　conclaves。　During　the　presidential　campaign　of　1868；　the　North　Carolina　League　sent　out　circular　instructions　to　the　blacks　advising　them　to　drill　regularly　and　to　join　the　militia；　for　if　Grant　were　not　elected　the　Negroes　would　go　back　to　slavery；　if　he　were　elected；　the　Negroes　were　to　have　farms；　mules；　and　offices。

As　soon　as　possible　after　the　war　the　Negroes　had　supplied　themselves　with　guns　and　dogs　as　badges　of　freedom。　They　carried　their　guns　to　the　League　meetings；　often　marching　in　military　formation；　went　through　the　drill　there；　marched　home　again　along　the　roads；　shouting；　firing；　and　indulging　in　boasts　and　threats　against　persons　whom　they　disliked。　Later；　military　parades　in　the　daytime　were　much　favored。　Several　hundred　Negroes　would　march　up　and　down　the　streets；　abusing　whites；　and　shoving　them　off　the　sidewalk　or　out　of　the　road。　But　on　the　whole；　there　was　very　little　actual　violence；　though　the　whites　were　much　alarmed　at　times。　That　outrages　were　comparatively　few　was　due；　not　to　any　sensible　teachings　of　the　leaders；　but　to　the　fundamental　good　nature　of　the　blacks；　who　were　generally　content　with　mere　impudence。

The　relations　between　the　races；　indeed；　continued　on　the　whole　to　be　friendly　until　1867…68。　For　a　while；　in　some　localities　before　the　advent　of　the　League；　and　in　others　where　the　Bureau　was　conducted　by　native　magistrates；　the　Negroes　looked　to　their　old　masters　for　guidance　and　advice；　and　the　latter；　for　the　good　of　both　races；　were　most　eager　to　retain　a　moral　control　over　the　blacks。　They　arranged　barbecues　and　picnics　for　the　Negroes；　made　speeches；　gave　good　advice；　and　believed　that　everything　promised　well。　Sometimes　the　Negroes　themselves　arranged　the　festival　and　invited　prominent　whites；　for　whom　a　separate　table　attended　by　Negro　waiters　was　reserved；　and　after　dinner　there　followed　speeches　by　both　whites　and　blacks。

With　the　organization　of　the　League；　the　Negroes　grew　more　reserved；　and　finally　became　openly　unfriendly　to　the　whites。　The　League　alone；　however；　was　not　responsible　for　this　change。　The　League　and　the　Bureau　had　to　some　extent　the　same　personnel；　and　it　is　frequently　impossible　to　distinguish　clearly　between　the　influence　of　the　two。　In　many　ways　the　League　was　simply　the　political　side　of　the　Bureau。　The　preaching　and　teaching　missionaries　were　also　at　work。　And　apart　from　the　organized　influences　at　work；　the　poor　whites　never　laid　aside　their　hostility　towards　the　blacks；　bond　or　free。

When　the　campaigns　grew　exciting；　the　discipline　of　the　order　was　used　to　prevent　the　Negroes　from　attending　Democratic　meetings　and　hearing　Democratic　speakers。　The　leaders　even　went　farther　and　forbade　the　attendance　of　the　blacks　at　political　meetings　where　the　speakers　were　not　endorsed　by　the　League。　Almost　invariably　the　scalawag　disliked　the　Leaguer；　black　or　white；　and　as　a　political　teacher　often　found　himself　proscribed　by　the　League。　At　a　Republican　mass　meeting　in　Alabama；　a　white　Republican　who　wanted　to　make　a　speech　was　shouted　down　by　the　Negroes　because　he　was　〃opposed　to　the　Loyal　League。〃　He　then　went　to　another　place　to　speak　but　was　followed　by　the　crowd；　which　refused　to　allow　him　to　say　anything。　All　Republicans　in　good　standing　had　to　join　the　League　and　swear　that　secession　was　treasona　rather　stiff　dose　for　the　scalawag。　Judge　（later　Governor）　David　P。　Lewis；　of　Alabama；　was　a　member　for　a　short　while　but　he　soon　became　disgusted　and　published　a　denunciation　of　the　order。　Albion　W。　Tourgee；　the　author；　a　radical　judge；　was　the　first　chief　of　the　League　in　North　Carolina　and　was　succeeded　by　Governor　Holden。　In　Alabama；　Generals　Swayne；　Spencer；　and　Warner；　all　candidates　for　the　United　States　Senate；　hastened　to　join　the　order。

As　soon　as　a　candidate　was　nominated　by　the　League；　it　was　the　duty　of　every　member　to　support　him　actively。　Failure　to　do　so　resulted　in　a　fine　or　other　more　severe　punishment；　and　members　who　had　been　expelled　were　still　considered　under　the　control　of　the　officials。　The　League　was；　in　fact；　the　machine　of　the　radical　party；　and　all　candidates　had　to　be　governed　by　its　edicts。　As　the　Montgomery　Council　declared；　the　Union　League　was　〃the　right　arm　of　the　Union…Republican　party　in　the　United　States。〃

Every　Negro　was　ex　colore　a　member　or　under　the　control　of　the　League。　In　the　opinion　of　the　League；　white　Democrats　were　bad　enough；　but　black　Democrats　were　not　to　be　tolerated。　It　was　almost　necessary；　as　a　measure　of　personal　safety；　for　each　black　to　support　the　radical　program。　It　was　possible　in　some　cases　for　a　Negro　to　refrain　from　taking　an　active　part　in　political　affairs。　He　might　even　fail　to　vote。　But　it　was　actually　dangerous　for　a　black　to　be　a　Democrat；　that　is；　to　try　to　follow　his　old　master　in　politics。　The　whites　in　many　cases　were　forced　to　advise　their　few　faithful　black　friends　to　vote　the　radical　ticket　in　order　to　escape　mistreatment。　Those　who　showed　Democratic　leanings　were　proscribed　in　Negro　society　and　expelled　from　Negro　churches；　the　Negro　women　would　not　〃proshay〃　（appreciate）　a　black　Democrat。　Such　a　one　was　sure　to　find　that　influence　was　being　brought　to　bear　upon　his　dusky　sweetheart　or　his　wife　to　cause　him　to　see　the　error　of　his　ways；　and　persistent　adherence　to　the　white　party　would　result　in　his　losing　her。　The　women　were　converted　to　radicalism　before　the　men；　and　they　almost　invariably　used　their　influence　strongly　in　behalf　of　the　League。　If　moral　suasion　failed　to　cause　the　delinquent　to　see　the　light；　other　methods　were　used。　Threats　were　common　and　usually　sufficed。　Fines　were　levied　by　the　League　on　recalcitrant　members。　In　case　of　the　more　stubborn；　a　sound　beating　was　effective　to　bring　about　a　change　of　heart。　The　offending　party　was　〃bucked　and　gagged；〃　or　he　was　tied　by　the　thumbs　and　thrashed。　Usually　the　sufferer　was　too　afraid　to　complain　of　the　way　he　was　treated。

Some　of　the　methods　of　the　Loyal　League　were　similar　to　those　of　the　later　Ku　Klux　Klan。　Anonymous　warnings　were　sent　to　obnoxious　individuals；　houses　were　burned；　notices　were　posted　at　night　in　public　places　and　on　the　houses　of　persons　who　had　incurred　the　hostility　of　the　order。　In　order　to　destroy　the　influence　of　the　whites　where　kindly　relations　still　existed；　an　〃exodus　order〃　issued　through　the　League　directed　all　members　to　leave　their　old　homes　and　obtain　work　elsewhere。　Some　of　the　blacks　were　loath　to　comply　with　this　order；　but　to　remonstrances　from　the　whites　the　usual　reply　was：　〃De　word　done　sent　to　de　League。　We　got　to　go。〃　For　special　meetings　the　Negroes　were　in　some　regions　called　together　by　signal　guns。　In　this　way　the　call　for　a　gathering　went　out　over　a　county　in　a　few　minutes　and　a　few　hours　later　nearly　all　the　members　in　the　county　assembled　at　the　appointed　place。

Negroes　as　organizing　agents　were　inclined　to　go　to　extremes　and　for　that　reason　were　not　so　much　used。　In　Bullock　County；　Alabama；　a　council　of　the　League　was　organized　under　the　direction　of　a　Negro　emissary；　who　proceeded　to　assume　the　government　of　the　community。　A　list　of　crimes　and　punishments　was　adopted；　a　court　with　various　officials　was　established；　and　during　the　night　the　Negroes　who　opposed　the　new　regime　were　arrested。　But　the　black　sheriff　and　his　deputy　were　in　turn　arrested　by　the　civil　authorities。　The　Negroes　then　organized　for　resistance；　flocked　into　the　county　seat；　and　threatened　to　exterminate　the　whites　and　take　possession　of　the　county。　Their　agents　visited　the　plantations　and　forced　the　laborers　to　join　them　by　showing　orders　purporting　to　be　from　General　Swayne；　the　commander　in　the　state；　giving　them　the　authority　to　kill　all　who　resisted　them。　Swayne；　however；　sent　out　detachments　of　troops　and　arrested　fifteen　of　the　ringleaders；　and　the　League　government　collapsed。

After　it　was　seen　that　existing　political　institutions　were　to　be　overturned　in　the　process　of　reconstruction；　the　white　councils　of　the　League　and；　to　a　certain　extent；　the　Negro　councils　were　converted　into　training　schools　for　the　leaders　of　the　new　party　soon　to　be　formed　in　the　state　by　act　of　Congress。　The　few　whites　who　were　in　control　were　unwilling　to　admit　more　white　members　to　share　in　the　division　of　the　spoils；　terms　of　admission　became　more　stringent；　and；　especially　after　the　passage　of　the　reconstruction　acts　in　March　1867；　many　white　applicants　were　rejected。　The　alien　element　from　the　North　was　in　control　and　as　a　result；　where　the　blacks　were　numerous；　the　largest　plums　fell　to　the　carpetbaggers。　The　Negro　leadersthe　politicians；　preachers；　and　teacherstrained　in　the　League　acted　as　subordinates　to　the　whites　and　were　sent　out　to　drum　up　the　country　Negroes　when　elections　drew　near。　The　Negroes　were　given　minor　positions　when　offices　were　more　plentiful　than　carpetbaggers。　Later；　after　some　complaint；　a　larger　share　of　the　offices　fell　to　them。　The　League　counted　its　largest　white　membership　in　1865…66；　and　after　that　date　it　steadily　decreased。　The　largest　Negro　membership　was　recorded　in　1867　and　1868。　The　total　membership　was　never　made　known。　In　North　Carolina　the　order　claimed　from　seventy…five　thousand　to　one　hundred　and　twenty…five　thousand　members；　in　states　with　larger　Negro　populations　the　membership　was　probably　quite　as　large。　After　the　election　of　1868；　only　the　councils　in　the　towns　remained　active；　many　of　them　transformed　into　political　clubs；　loosely　organized　under　local　political　leaders。　The　plantation　Negro　needed　less　looking　after；　and　except　in　the　largest　towns　he　became　a　kind　of　visiting　member　of　the　council　in　the　town。　The　League　as　a　political　organization　gradually　died　out　by　1870。*

*　The　Ku　Klux　Klan　had　much　to　do　with　the　decline　of　the　organization。　The　League　as　the　ally　and　successor　of　the　Freedmen's　Bureau　was　one　of　the　causes　of　the　Ku　Klux　movement；　because　it　helped　to　create　the　conditions　which　made　such　a　movement　inevitable。　As　early　as　1870　the　radical　leaders　missed　the　support　formerly　given　by　the　League；　and　an　urgent　appeal　was　sent　out　all　over　the　South　from　headquarters　in　New　York　advocating　its　reestablishment　to　assist　in　carrying　the　elections　of　1870。


The　League　had　served　its　purpose。　It　had　enable