The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-12

DcCIne OF SOuthefn LnUuc0Ce -Future
Programme of the Democracy.
In the speech delivered by Mr.. Blaine in the
House of Representatives on the 10th inst, on
the results Of the late election, he declared
that 'fhe approaching census of 1870 will dis
close the fact that the ten Rebel States, viewed
as one compact power, will no longer have
sufficient strength to offer temptation to the
Democratic party of the North to sacrifice its
loyalty and its pride for the profit of an
alliance with them" and that "the election of
1868 is the last in which the lately rebelious
section, even if it could be wholly controlled
by Rebels, will have sufficient power in the
electoral vote of the country to make it the
object either of hope or of fear on the part of
political organizations striving for the govern
ment of the nation" Politicians of all parties
should attentively consider the full force Of
the change which is thus forcibly depicted.
For many years the compaoted South held
predominsting influence in the national coun-
cils, and the custom was for long time main
tanned of refusing admission to a new free
State until a new slave State was also pre-
pared for admission, so that a balance of
power could be perpetuated in the United States
Senate. Calhoun earnestly advocated such
change in the form of the Government as
would always ensure to the Southern States
sufficient influence in the national councils
to prevent the passage of any law unani-
mously opposed by their Senators and Repre-
sentatives. He viewed with gloomy appre-
tensions the rapid growth of the free Com
monwealths, and imI ressed his followers with
the conviction that they must either secure
perpetual check upon the Union, or abandon
and destroy it. They were taught to demand
that the North should continually be subser-
Went to the South, despite disparity of pOpu-
lation, and to make the first open expression
of free and unshaclled Northern opinion on
test question the signal for the disruption of
the Republic. The nation and the world have
seen some of the results of this struggle of
desperate and retrograde minority to enchain
vigorous and progressive majority;
but the protracted discussion of ths
terms of reconstruction and temporary
uncertainty in regard to the future position of
the Rebel States, have prevented full recog
milton of the completeness of the overthrow Of
the arrogant pretensions of the secessionists.
All know that the ConIederacy was demolished.
But next to power out of the Union they
lopged for power within it; and the restric-
tions imposed by the reconstruction policy Of
Congress, joined to the rapid influx of emgra
tion in the North, and the prosperity insured
to Northern communities by liberty combined
with law, have sounded forever the death -knell
of the distinctive Southern influence which
was formerly the controlling element in Ame-
rican politics. 1t has fallen, like Lucifer,
never to rise again Men look back with
wonder at the patience of the North in sub
mittipg to the brutal dictation of the lords of
the plantation lash, and can scarcely realize
that the leaders of the Rebellion once swayei
the destinies of the entire nation. Hence
forth the South will exercise but small
share of the governing power. Whatever may
be the final result of the Congressional Efforts
to infuse loyal element into Southern poll
tics, her future statesmen can never again
become the despots of the country. This
change possesses deeper significance to the
Democrats of the Northern States than to any
other portion of the American people. They
have become SO accustomed to unquestioned
submission to Southern dctation that they
scarcely yet realzs that policy and prudence,
as we'll as patriotism, impel them to recognize
their emancipation from their ancient thral-
dom. They are slower than the slaves in
learning that they should work for themselves,
and for the immediate benefit of the commu-
mites in which they live, instead
of their old Southern masters. They
committed a fatal blunder in the last
Presidential campaign by exposing their viii
lngness to fight the battles of a lost cause
and by affording new evidence Of their con
tinued disposition to make the interests of the
loyal States subordinate to those of rebellious
districts. They can scarcely fail to gradually
learn the folly of reposing their hopes for fu-
ture triumph on an alliance with baflsd
traitors, and four years hence they will pro-
badly correct the fagrant error which contri-
buted so largely to their recent defeat. They
will not again venture to ask the people to
endorse Wade Hampton platform or to sup
port another national candidate who favors a
new rebellion.
JoHNsoN's MESSAGE is as full of absurdities
and inconsistencies as of insults to the Ame-
rican people. He says that "Our national
credit should be sacredly Observed" and hs
follows up this declaration by proposing that