The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-12
MISSISSIPPI ELECTTON-
SOUTHERN POLITICS.
THE

Southern States, and especially in Virginia,
Tennessee, and Mississippi, would indicate
that golden age had been reached, and that
mems minds had all been cast in the same
mould. As jefferson said of the political stu
alton half century ago, "We are all Fede-
ralists-we are all Republicans" so each of
tbe oontending parties in the States named
have been claiming that they are devoted
friends of the administration and Jealous sup
porters of Republican principles. The lions
and the lambs have laid down together.
P;tcb-tar-and-turpentine Parson Brownlow
stands on the same platform as the irrepres-
sible ANDY johnson. Hunnlcutt consorts
with the fiercest of fire-eaters, and even Wise
does not disdain companionship with negro
voters, provided they support conservative
candidates.
1t would be really charming if this appa-
rent millennium had been produced by
genuine change of heart and opinions; but
such news is too good to be true. An old
maxim teaches us to distrust the Greeks when
they bring us gifts and while we expect the
voters who were lately in rebellion, and those
who last year supported Seymour and Blair, to
''accept the situation, we are not prepared
to place implicit reliance upon professions of
friendship which are belied not only by old
records but by present intrigues.
Victories against the organizations to which
the bulk of the Republicans were attached
have already been won in Virginia and Ten
nessee, and though a nominal Republican has
been elected Governor in each instance, the
Democrats have taken good care to secure a
large majority in the Legislature. There was
originally color of truth in the claim of
Walker and Senter that they were the best
representatives of the views of the admins
tration, for they advocated the removal of
political disabilities, a policy which Grant
also favors; while many of the friends of
Wells and Stokes desired the continuation of
restrictions upon Rebel suffrage. But upon
this point no further struggle is to be main
tained and the only practical question con-
nected with it is whether the doctrine of uni
versal suffrage and universal amnesty is to be
fairly carried out, for the common benefit of
all classes, OF to furnish the Rebels with
stepping stone to future domination.
The forces of the contending parties are
now being marshalled in Mississippi for
another contest in that State. The most
desperate efforts have been made to surround
the issues with doubt and uncertainty, and to
divide the negro vote. Some of the newly
appointed Government officials have exerted
an influence in favor of the so-called National
Republican party, and its originators have
claimed that its triumph was desired by the
President, citing as proof Of this allegation
that one of his relatives, Judge Dent, was its
prospective candidate for Governor So
thoroughly have the Democracy of the State
in which JEFF. Davis formerly held imperious
sway lowered their banner that even the
name of their old organization is not men
toned. But by striking coincidence all its
active partisans are very Jealous friends of
the Dent movement, and very earnest in their
efforts to detach the freedmen from the regu-
lar Republican organization.
Both parties have been seeking aid and
comfort from the national administration.
and so many conflicting rumors have been
circulated in regard to its real attitude, that
the President has at last spoken in emphatic
and unmistakable terms. Hitherto he has
preferred that ''acts and results should speak
good maxim, and one that he may proftably
adhere to on all proper occasions; but mas
much as the votes of thousands of the citizens
OF Mississippi may depend upon an accurate
knowledge of his position, and as the politics
of other States may be sensibly affected by it.
we are glad that he has spoken so freely.
General Grant desires the maintenance of
the unity of the Republican party, and depre.
Gates the dissensions which have been TO-
mented in the South for the purpose of di.
viding it into feeble factions. He penetrates
the designs of the conservatives. and while
making all due allowance for the peculiar cir
cumstances which prevailed in Virginia h,
regrets that the friends of Governor Wake,
rejected the proffer of Cancellation tenderec
by the chairman of the Wells Committee. An,
he evidently desires that wherever the Re
publican ranks are broken they may be close
up, and that its organization may be pre-
served intact.
Hereafter there will be no ground for doub
in the Southern contests, and any future vic
tories which may be won must be al
tanned under full knowlege of the fact tina
the administration sympathizes with the part
which is in closest accord with the Nations
Republican organization. Future difficultit
in the South can arise only from the inord
nate and selfish ambition of the Republica
politicians of that region The freedme
rarely or never go astray in a well-defne
contest, and their instinct seems bett,
guide than the boosted wisdom of the
leaders, The administration is true to th