The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-04-27
THE REAL ISSUE.

Frank Blair does not blink it. The
Democratic leaders of this State or
city do not disguise it from themselves.
But to their present success it is neces-
sary that they now hide it, if possible,
from the people Shall the Fifteenth
Amendent live? Or shall it be first an
nulled by force of Democratic election
triumphs, and then exterpated from the
Constitution? We have filed column
with corroborate extracts from the South
ern Democratic press, showing that this
is the issue. We have published Blail s
ringing declarations to this effect, with
his accompanying exhortation of those
Democrats who for policy try to conceal
or qualify the issue No intelligent
reading man doubts the animus and in
tent of the Democracy Ii he is a Re-
publican he condemns. if Democrat,
he approves, but mlsupprehend he can
not.
When did the Democratic party fail to
seek to conceal it's principles and policy
from the masses in the presence of an
election? From the days of bleeding
Kansas through the Kansas-Nebraska
bill agitation, the first Lincoln cam
paign, the rebellion and the reconstruc-
eioA LII NV ito w 81 db Vic pOiiS Ids Gil
phatlcaly been war with facts Only a
relentless Nemesis has perpetuaIly torn
off the mask. uncovered the intent, con-
victed the hypocricy, and exposed the
criminal to popular Indignation. There
was meyer any pro-slavery interference in
Kansas; never any intolerance of free
speech or free press at the South never
any abrldgenent worth mentioning Of
any valuable right of the so-called slave
never any treason in secession; never
any truth in the victories of the boys in
blue; never anything but patriotism in
the rebel breast, especially after the cap
ltulatlon OF Lee; never any occasion for
4 Thirteenth, Fourteenth or Fifteenth
amendment, still less for the least legis-
lation to enforce either of these amend
ments ard there is now nothing
in the whole South that should
cause the slightest apprehension, that
all the rights of the humblest citizen are
not sacredly respected! Every inteli-
gent person of candor will admit that,
but for the Republican masses of the
country, the freedom would be disfran-
chlsed and RENTED to condition equiv
alent to slavery, the Amendments would
be struck from the Constitution, the
Union debt repudiated or the Southern
Vel oCOL dsSutuCu, dHu GiiC D0UuDCIdllC
dogma of ''the Constitutional Union of
Sovereign and Independent States,
any one of which states might secede at
pleasure, would-sooner or later-disin-
tegrate the Natiorf and destroy the Re-
public.
Never was fairer test made of the
Intention of Democrats than at the late
opening of the Missouri Legislature,
when, led by Blair, they refused to Join
in dIscountenanclng the annulling or set
ting OF the Reconstruction Amendments
Blair has since himself raised the war
whoop against these amendments. and
the worst but ruling elements of the
Democratic party are joining in the cho-
rus. tie declares in championing the
Indiana resolution. 49,
The Missouri Republican thinks that any
other question is now in order but Blair t
main and paramount question. and AYERS
that the condition throughout the
South land is altogether tranquil. On
this head the Gew Orleans Republican,
of the 18th ult., replies to its ST. Louis
namesake as follows:
From the New Orleans Republican March 2sth.l
AFEw WORDS OF COUNCIL.
The St. Louis Republican declares
that Mississippi is In condition of tie
utmost love and peacefulneSs, and that
all reports as to disorders in that State,
are merely sensational stories circulated
in the interest of the Republican party.
There is test that will do to apply in
this case, and we propose to let our St.
Louis contemporary apply it. But as a
condition precedent, an admission must
be made. Is it not the right and duty
of every citizen to express his opinion on
any public subject as freely in MissisSip-
pi as it is in Missouri? Ifthis question i,
answered in the Affirmative. we may g
on; lfnot, we shall stop and hear the
reason why speech and public duty are
not the same in one community as in an
other. Fit is obligatory upon man,
and a right that he should use. to crit
else all public actions, will the Republic
An pretend TO declare that this duty and
right are allowed in Mississippi as they
are in Missouri? Let the editor try i
if he thinks SO. Let him go into tht
midst of Mississippi and declare that the
negro is free man, and that his abso
Lutte rights are as sacred to him as arr
those of any other man, and wait for the
result Let him go into Mississippi ans
denounce the Drunken rowdies who dis
turo the peace of communities let him
pretend to be an out and out Repubic
an. in favor of educating the Negroe.
and ofelevating them in every respect
let him, in fact, be man with large anc
manly utterances. and then see what tn,
consequence to himself would be. W,
ask the editor of the Republican to visi
Mississippi and talk in that state as he
heard men talk in Missouri, and as h
comedies that men have perfect RICH
to talk. just for the fun of the thing
let old man Knapp tour it about it'll
while in Mississippi and learn some
thing about the country. lie will find
new sensation at almost every turn. San
Hlldebrandi as known in Missouri, ex
.sts all over Mississippi Revolvers an,
benzlne are his Adjutant Generals. An,
this, too in spite of the will of the PEG
pie 1t is not the desire of the majorit
that rowdyism should prevail, but it
the force of the rowdies that al preseu
maintains their supremacy. And broth
er Knapp would 6 nclude with us whe
he went home that. in defending lawles,
ness in Mississippi. he would be doin
his conscience and the State an injury
Missouri Democrat