The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-04-08

-'".''""s"ess oI etrength, Will ncces
seri'y create reaction, under the
influence Of which they, too, will BE-
overwhelmed In national politios, o.
the Jackson pnrty was overw helme cd
in 1910 in tho contest between Mr.
Van Burcn and Gen. Harrison, when
tho election was won not so much BY
the popularity of Whig principles a.
by tho nnpopulsrity of the Jackson
and Van Buren, administration. High
taxes, the consequent stringenoy Of
the finances, and official corruption, is
the roek upon which the SRepublicsn
party will be wrecked. From the
the debris, another party will arise
composed of tho progressive men OF
the country, whose leaders will be
real statesmen and economists, and
pnter their administration the Union
will advance in true greatness and
solid prosperity. Doubtless tho next
census will change the base Of power.
More relative strength will be- given
to the South. and West, which will
result in weakening the influence of
the New England States, and trans
ferri"g the control Of the country to
the agricultural sections. s..s .,
Q. Do you think the coin try would
be better off under a Democratic 3D.
mlnlstration than it is ut the present
time?
A. I can only answer that ,aucstjon
with Qualifications. In my Judgment
the election of General Grant avoided
Vi 'ncc and bloodshcd throughout the
South. Under the administration of
Mr.. Seymour, efforts would unoucs-
t'onably have been made TO- overturn
existing Safe governments, even BE-
fore his Inauguration, because the
people were stimulated by the dclu.
sIve representations of ardent parti-
sans, who believed be couId undo the
cntirs work of reconstruction. The
,trutG ie, however, that had Mr. sey-
mour been elected he would bavo
been as-impotent Ms Andrew johnson.
in every cndeavor to rendcr assistance
to the South. The majority of the
Senate would have been against him
for at least two years, and he could
not have removed or appointed post.
nnstcr. The House was in the same
opposition, and none of the party
would have felt amiablyr inclined to.
ward onc'that had defeated their can.
didate. '...s
GRANTS ELECTION A BLESSING.
In. this. view, therefore, it was q
blessing to the South that General
Grant was elected. Some of the re.
suits to Us, politically may not be
agreeable; some of the Congressional
legislation that has followed has been
based upon misapprehepsion of the
real public sentiment Of the South
but the end will prove the wisdom OF
the election. Of General Grant. 1t
must be remembered that the war
did not close with tho termination OF
hostilities. It required time.to make
the people fully realize the fact that
they ~erearonqaered,s and to- adapt
themselves to the new situation. The
principles for which they had Tough,
were, so to spenk, hereditary, and it
would be marvel in history or in
human nature for them to have even
theoretically submitted TO a stronger
power at once. }.@i.'..ss >"s 's's az .ss
81 80, c".s'. =.
w." TEE TEMPER OF TIE PEOPLE.
Q. Suppose On the theory that the
Southern States were. never out . Of
the Union, their, representatives had
been admitted to Congress without the
restrictions which have been imposed
BY thesepactpspts of thakboiy, vim,
tesaa sgos MsshsYe been the rsanjts 8,
A. In my Judgment, one-third Of
the States of the Union would have
been hostile %, every leading ' feature
Of the policy Of the copqaering pasty
They would not haze sympatbised
with the power by which they had
1'been ,defeated. They would not have
given universal suffagssto, ,ths negro
they would not have permitteds ,he
soafh, I'd hedssrrun by irresponsible
and in mapy instances corrupt mem
lIImere. Iln|a?e. ie adventures, having in view
solely their owp elevation, In fact
such-was the temper of the people
that they wouldspes have rscognizee
the right&of AIdSd sGiara1 70 tbt
colored man R tie TfmgE Vas y nrof
fered. Of course at the present time
they would be glad enough to max,
saoh. 2 2 eo,nproBise.! II HathBs lhHosda
SfagSS9f2 & tBlk {aet Rhissh ,aeeoa1sp5ts acc % ,ai
tba Persistanc sof: yRsnablieanism;, q,
shs Rortha aud foro shey adoptionof .
plan of reconstruction wMaRI V3nr
rePPfeyA PfA tehs; ofsthamsspsss b,
which that section abed9 been atpne
Still / do not wish to be -understeot
du ar Io,as~x,< Ill ~ AZ, . =, -