William Hepworth Dixon, White Conquest: Volume 2

“Have you many White leaguers in Georgia?” we ask a senator in Atlanta.

“ Yes,” he answers frankly; “ you will find either Black leaguers and White leaguers in every district where you see Black and White men. A league is but the sentiment of a class trying to become the sentiment of all. We have White leaguers in Atlanta, but I must warn you against the idea, that in Georgia we have any of the rascals of whom Sheridan speaks and Republican journals write. There is a true White League, and a false White League. The true White League consists of a band of Conservatives, who wish to maintain order and preserve property; the false White League consists of a band of destructives, who desire to break the peace and ruin house and land. Which of these two sorts of league are we likely to belong to-we, who own and cultivate nearly all the land in Georgia? Leagues are a necessity of our life, and will be while a Federal army occupies our towns. Unless we are prepared to see this city and this country perish, we must unite our strength and close our ranks. The false White League is a creation of the President's private cabinet.”