The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-02
ALABAMA REDEEMED.

1t is first with feelings of profound graft
tude to o wise Providence, and next with
sentiment of sincere admiration for the |
dauntless courage aud enduring fortitude of
of our people through years of defeat and de- |
preston, that we tender them our warmest
congratulations on the triumph they have
achieved in this State. 1t was their cause aud
it is tier victory. The struggle which has
Just closed in the success of the Democratic
Conservative party should not be compared
with ordinary political contests, actually in
volving, as it has done, considerations vital
to the constitution of society itself, to law,
to liberty, and to religion. The
supremely wicked effort of the radical
Congress to practically denationalize the
native white population of the South has
been defeated in Alabama; and this was the
intense and absorbing issue determined in
our favor by the recent election. On yester-
day the people ruling Alabama were the vica-
rious representatives of a radical caucus at
Washington; new creation fashioned by the
hands of Congress within the.past four years,
and imposed on the State for purposes alien
to her honor and true interests, and by
which it was designed to substitute the old
population, first in o political-afterward
in material sense-by u radical
brood of mixed and inferior character.
To-day the native white race have
recovered their inheritance once again have
a right to the possession of their Govern
ment; once again are clothed with the power
to make and administer the laws; once again
are the real masters of the soil they cultivate;
and once again stand in their corporate per-
sonality freed from all badges of inferiority
resting upon them, and the equal and peer of
any other people in the whole country.
They are no longer to be governed-they are
once more to govern. They will no longer
visit their Capitol as strangers in strange
loy hut 70 anita 10
tive apd Legislative Chambers, the
legitimate owners of the seats of authority,
and to shape the policy of the State. The
men whom the radical party leaders have So
mercilessly and vindictively sought to make
the slaves of their disorganiRing and degrad-
ing power have permanently emancipated
themselves. For this we return our grateful
thanks to God, and for this we desire to ex-
press our sincere respect for the resolution,
trusting patience, and sustained devotion of
our countrymen.
We learn from the accomplished officer
in command of the Federal troops in the
State, General Crawford, that in the whole
course of his experience he has never known
more peaceful election There was not a
single instance of violence so far as is known
to us, in any part of the commonwealth. As
a matter of course, there were many fraudu-
lent votes cast, but the Democrats suffered
these to pass rather than to provoke or ex-
cuse the employment of force or to afford an
opportunity for disorders around the polls.
The result in our peculiar situation has vindi-
Gated their wisdom in this particular, but it
must not be supposed that such forbearance
will ever again be exhibited.
In the presence of our grand triumph we
have not one vindictive or proscriptive
thought. While the contest was in progress
| and the event of our deliverance doubtful;
| while the right of our friends and fellow
citizens and the honor and life of Alabama
hung suspended upon the issue, We felt our
! blood boiling in our veins with fierce and
! passionate emotions; but we hope that We
| feel as the great body of our citizens now
feel, too manly and magnanimous to be in
fuenced by any mean and paltry passions.
The duties and obligation of government
are high and holy trust confded to our
keeping for the welfare of the Commonwealth,
and it is not the oppression punishment of
any, but the good of all, to which it becomes
us in our high qualities as a race of Southern
men to look. We will purge the Government
Of foreign and impure elements, but there
shall be law and peace and tolerance in Ala
bama.
To those colored citizens who voted the
Democratic ticket in the midst of the almost
irresistible pressure brought to bear upon
them to divert them from the protective
alliance of their old friends and guardians,
| We WlSn 10 give bne assurance tnaC not only
their rights and best interests, but those of
their race, without exception, will be scrupu-
lously respected by the Democratic and con-
servative party. It is the genius of Demo
cracy to be liberal and generous, while always
at the same time rational and just.
In conclusion, it is a source of natural
pride and qualification to us that the seeds
which we're sown nearly three years ago at
| the Exchange Hotel Conference in this city
have borne their fruitful and noble harvest.
In the dark and perileus days when that
patriotic assemblage was debating the line of
policy which has since constituted the basis
of Democratic organization in the State, the
Ad0ertiSer raised the flag of the National De-
mocracy, since covering that organiza-
tion, and which now waves over our
triumphant party in Alabama 1t is
the same flag that floats over the National
Democracy in all parts of the United States,
and whose folds gleam with the light of vie
tory lately achieved in New York, Pennsyl-
vania, and Indiana, and which is destined
two years hence to stream in its starry splen-
dors from the dome of the Capitol at Wash
ington. The work that we then sketchod in
our hopes, and have since sought so persist
emily to accomplish, is now contaminated
To our comrades Except three who have
marked themselves with the curse of apos-
tacy) in the prosecution of that work all
praise is due. Some like the wise and faith
full Fitzpatrick, have gone to their honored
rest. Others still live to enjoy, as we hope,
all the honors of political elevation in the
future and all the blessings of worldly pros
perity. They have labored long and un-
selfshly in a cause oftentimes shadowed with
gloom and despair, and they deserve their