The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-02-03
CFrom the Cincinnati Enquirer.l
ADVISING TIE SOUTH.

prompt, cordial and entire acceptance of the1
Presidents policy-embraein the repudia4
ton of the late war debts, and the acceptance
Of the Congressional amendment prohibiting
bring the Democratic triumph in
the recent elections to perfect fruition. Is
there Southern State that viii hesitate in
that respect ?-l Chicago Times.
Our attention is called to the foregoing
BY the Gazette of this city, which casts
it in the face of the Enquirer seemingly
in retaliation Of certain remarks of ours
touching the moral results of the late
Northern elections. What we shall have
to say will not, however, be in that con-
nection; but will be rather the express
sion of few thoughts suggested by the
Chicago paragraph,
IF there was nothing in politics but
party: if to gain and hold possession of
the offices was the sole end and object of
party organizations aud principles: if
there were no such things as principles
and no public purpose to be subseryed by
that political machinery which is legaliz-
ed by constitutions if citizens were only
puppets, and statesmen only persons skill
full IN pulling the wires, the advice Of the
Times would probably be as good as any
that could be given. Whatever is the
real stake in the game, is the thing to be
played for; and if the stake be office, to
pursue office, to the disregard of all minor
or collateral considerations, is the part Of
wisdom. We do not ,-however, take this
view of the case. We look upon party
simply as means to arrive At something
more valuable than its temporary success,
aud upon Office rather as an incident than
as a result.
What the people of the South really
need is full recognition of their rights
as men and citizens. They will not gain
these by voluntarily conceding them away,
nor by selling them for consideration.
The people Of the South-if they are such
as we esteem to bc-will not be perma-
nently content with measure of personal,
social, and political rights and powers less
than those which are conceded to the peo-
pie of the North, or than those which
they enjoyed up to the time when, as con-
quered, they were compelled to submit to
military constraint. All of these that
they voluntarily give away, and all that
they barter for advantages Of temporary
character, they viii, in the event, find it
necessary to get back again and they
will not come back ugain without trouble,
expense, and perhaps humiliation.
It's, in our view, of the utmost impor-
tance to the South that its people stand
firmly upon the platform of their, native
rights-that they defend, as well as in
them lies, the original rights of their
States and their constitutional status in
the Union. For them to do this is also
of the utmost importance to the North.
The best interests of the two sections are,
and must be, as long as they remain to-
gether, identical When the South has
been reducea-to stats of colonial depen-
5enee upon the General GaYernnaent, the
North will speedily follog, and the work
of Capitalization and consolidation will be
complete:0T The South can lose little Of
that which is forcibly taken away but
all that is voluntarily given or sold is lost
only to be recovered by processes which
will be, in their character, original and
revolutionary.
There is large body Of the people Of
the North who feel thus and who conse-
quently watch the temper and acts of the
South with extreme anxiety. They feel
that, in order to struggle hereafter for a
common liberty, there must be a common
platform. The rights Of the States, and
the people in the States, viii supply that
platform SO long as none, upon either part
have been abandoned. This large body
of the people of the North is not now in
power; yet it is not without power. Il
| is growing in moral influence and in nu-
merical strength, Day by day in the
most unexpected quarters, the old feelings
of jealousy for the rights of the States are
making their appearance and old and
true doctrines are cropping out from be,
meath the mountains of fanatical sophistry
that have been piled upon them. The
North is helping the South, and can hell
it more if it will but remain true to itself
We will not speak of sympathy, for the
word has been abused; but there is &
sense of need of mutual assistance, with
an assurance that mutual courage, patience
and constancy will, slowly perhaps, but
surely do all that can be desired
The advice of the Chicago Times to the
South is-identical with that given by Mr.
Chase in his pretty welLknown private
letter to the Democrats of the North
Accept the condition. Let Congress anc
the Administration razee the States unit
they are satisfied; arrange the Govern
ment upon the Abolitio-Republiean plan
forget all the evil, wrong, destruction anC
tyrrany that have been practiced ant
thus, having wiped out all the old issues
let parties reorganize and struggle TO
Office and power over the dilapidatet
fragments Of what once was republic
This is the plan upon which the Chic
Justice seeks to be the candidate OF tht
Democratic party for the Presidency a
the next election. 1t may have charms
for the Chicago Times, but We contes
that, for ourselves, we neither Ike th'
plan nor admire the inventor.
We may be behind the spirit of tn
age. We may be wanting IN synpath,,
with that progress which, to some, is s.
apparent and so distinctly indicated b,
our national destiny. We confess that
to us, the true line of progress lies in get
ting back our lost political rights and lib
critics. To accept the wrong is to inyit
its repetition. If we can content ourselve
with vulgar fraction of freedom, tn
next question viii be with how small
fraction viii we be content. We canno
sever the rights of the South from thos
of the North. IF the Government ma,
do with the Southern States as British
kings we're won't to do with the Colonies
amend, alter, or revoke their charters a
+ pleasure, il will soon be time for neE
Declaration of Independence.