Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-05-19
The Unity of the Republican Party.

THE signs of the times betoken the re-
turn of unity and harmony to the Repub-
lican ranks. The immediate source of
this is the malignant determination of the
Democratic party to adhere to the creed
and policy which have formed its basis of
action heretofore. The depravity of the
leaders of that party is such that they
have not the foresight to perceive, nor
the patriotism to desire, an abandonment
of the basis on which that political organ
ization has rested in the past In politi-
cal, as in martial contests, good cause Is
often treated to victory because of the
blunders or blindness of the common
enemy.
The Democratic party is obliged to look
for its strength from the South, and from
among the very men who ten years ago
betrayed its confidence as basely and as
cruelty as they afterwards betrayed the
national constitution, which they had so
often sworn to uphold and cherish So
bitter and wicked has been the course OF
that party toward the colored people in
this country that it can never hope to gain
any votes from that quarter 1t can never
convince them that their cour will be
safe in their hands. Hence their reliance
is in the defeated oligarchy of the South.
That oligarchy has never been character
lied by wisdom or moderation in their de-
mands upon their Northern allies. Ac-
cordingly that party threatens the over
throw of the amendments abOlishing
slavery and defining the terms of citizen
ship, and investing the colored people with
the elective franchise. So long as the de.
feated oligarchy demands the abrogation
of these safeguards of our national unity
and liberty, SO long the Northern Demo.
cracy will not dare to accept them as
political facts, which it will be treason to
disturb
The organized guerrilla warfare now
being carried on by the Ku. Klux in the
South reveals the tyranny and malice
which we must expect from that quarter
From the lips of many a Southern rebel
during the war, were we assured that il
the Federal armies should conquer those
OF the confederacy a guerilla warfare
would be carried on for thirty years
against the conquering power. Many were
disposed to regard this as an unmeaning
bravado-a threat growing out of the NOR.
tificatiOn of def at, which would soon be
forgotten. For time the spirit of the
South seemed so submissive that we had
begun TO concur in the general opinion
But as the labor of the landless colore
men of the South begins to put the means
of carrying on bloody crusade into the
hands of their old oprressors, we find the
old spirit uprising. The land pirates are
given impunity to rob, plunder and kill
the objects of their malice at will. With
returning prosperity the old malignity
burns as fiercely as of old.
In the destitution of the South, North
ern emigration was for a time welcomed
as if new spirit had come over the South
with the new era of freedom. But now
the case is altogether different Men who
were attracted to the South by its genia
and productive climate, and by the ricf
natural wealth in which it abounds, are
rudely repulsed and driven away. ThC
cause Of education is derided, and those
who carry 1t forward are prosecuted ever
unto death. In this condition of thing
we are compelled to believe that ther'
was deeper meaning than we had appre
hended in the threat that the South would
follow our victory over it with a harrass
ing guerrilla warfare. That is what they
are now doing.
Another fact is apparent. The NOR
concessions the Federal Government ha
made to the rebel States, the more tyran
nical, proscriptive and prosecuting tn
temper of rebeldom becomes towards th
government and loyal people Generosit,
embitters and magnanimity madGens tn
traitors whom we have once subdued
There remains, therefore, but one cours
to pursue on the part of the patriotic mel
who formed the Union Republican part,
to resist the aggressions of slavery and tn
assaults of traitors ON the constitution
and Union. They must remain firml,
united until our work is done. The UnioI
is not yet safe. Treason is not yet dead
The villains who now kill men in tn
South for being Republicans only wait tn
return of the Democracy to power t
drive every Southern Republican vote
into exile, or send them to that bourn
from whence no traveller returns"
We must, therefore, unite together i
tirmest bonds to secure victory to tn
loyal cause. This is as much a duty i
1871 as it was 1861. The victory we hav
gained we must now preserve. One NOR
national victory for the Republican caus
will be the death-blow of treason, and th
assurance that the republic will never sui
NIT to another uprising of traitors 1t wi
be final triumph of law, order and fre
civilization. Let us all unite to gain tha
final and complete victOry.-10led0 Blad