Litchfield enquirer., 1870-11-17
Southern Republicans


 The overthrow of the Republican party in North Carolina, West Virginia, Alabama, Florida and Missouri within the past few months is. on the whole, the most remark able feature of the elections of 1870. The small gains of the Democracy in the North do not seriously threaten the assured as. tendency of the Republican party. But at the South the overthrow of the party in five States indicates weakness which may result in g restoration of Democratic as- tendency over the late Slave States. Con- servatism in Tennessee and West Virginia, plainly owes its success to Rebel enfran- chisement. In Missouri the issue was on Tariff Reform although enfranchisement will probably be its result. To such losses Republicans must sooner or later submit, since enfranchisement could not be much longer delayed in any event. The defeat of the party in North Carolina. Florida and Alabama is. however, owing to more se- rious cause. A glance at the pay of State officers and Representatives indicates the nature of the swindles to which the people of the Southern States have been subject ed from their ''carpet-bag" governments. Their Governors are usually paid $5,OOO a year, while their representatives draw their s. or $lO. per day. We are aware that salaries have always been much higher at the South than with us. but. considering the exhausted condition of the country, such wages for representatives, many of them but lately plantation bands, are manifestly oppressive. But the irregular" swindles are not the worst. A letter in Saturday s Tribune explains very satisfactorily how the Republicans of North Carolina man. aged to secure their late defeat. Obtaining large amounts of cash on special issues of bonds for the completion of railroads, they simply embedded the funds so received, without making even pretence of apply. ing them to the purpose for which they were intended. Even Tweed would have been ashamed of so bare-faced villainy. Yet this is only sample of the ways in which Northern adventurers have used their official positions in the South to fill their own pockets. It is to such rascalitieG that we owe defeats that will extend to ev cry Southern State if there is not speedy amendment We hope the Southern Re publican party has virtue enough to re. form itself if not, its temporary overthrow isas sure as it will be deserved.
 Above all things, every effort should be made for the speedy education and eleva. tion of the Southern democracy of both cOlors. The ignorant Southern constituen' cy as surely becomes the prey of the cor Fupt Republican demagogue, as the igno rant Northern constituency becomes tho prey of the corrupt Democratic demagogue The same causes which demoralizt almost every Northern city have demoral ized almost every Southern legislature. I is useless to deny the facts, and it is equal ly useless to expect any reform in tht representative without reform in his con stituency. Make the majority.of the voters of New York city industrious and intelli gent.and there is no further risk of the as tendency of the Woods, Tweeas, and Swee neys. Make the Southern voter industriou. and intelligent and the ''carpet-baggers' and 'tscalawags" will disappear.