with the light that has recently been thrown upon its
history, to realize that even its existence has been for so
long a mooted question in the public mind. Especially is
this remarkable in view of the effects that are disclosed by
some of this documentary evidence to have been produced by
it. That it was used as a means of intimidating and
murdering negro voters during the presidential election of
1868, the testimony in the Louisiana and other
contested-election cases already referred to clearly
establishes.

Taking the results in Louisiana alone as an instance, the
purpose of the organization at that time, whatever it may
have been at its origin, could hardly be doubted.

A member of the committee which took that testimony thus
sums it up:

The testimony shows that over 2,000 persons were killed,
wounded, and otherwise injured in that State within a few
weeks prior to the presidential election; that half the
State was overrun by violence; midnight raids, secret
murders, and open riot kept the people in constant terror
until the Republicans surrendered all claims, and then the
election was carried by the Democracy. The parish of Orleans
contained 29,910 voters, 15,020 black. In the spring of 1868
that parish gave 13,973 republican votes. In the fall of
1868 it gave Grant 1,178, a falling off of 12,795 votes.
Riots prevailed for weeks, sweeping the city of New Orleans,
and filling it with scenes of blood, and Ku-Klux notices