The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-09-24

It higher principle than that of choosin!
, between two evils. I cannot vote 70
Grant, and thus aid in per2etuating
faction that sets all constitutional limi
: tations at defiance; -overthrows the mos
It sacred safeguards of liberty; puts tn,
v military above the civil power lends al
t its influence TO uphold tie infamous ru
I lers, who maltreat, plunder and impov
n erish the South; seeks to maintain it
: ascendency by keeping ever alive th'
S animositics of the war: and uses the
f bayonet and the patronage of the Gov
ernment to control conventions and car
e ry elections. say nothing of Genera
Grant, personally; but l know, or a
5 least s l think / know, that he is an in
: strument in the hands of faction, sucf
: as | have described and ] cannot helE
| to keep that faction in power / canno
. do so directly by voting for Grant, mol
can / do so indirectly BY voting fol
: some third candidate, who has no posi-
BILE chance of election, or by refusing to
vote at all. My duty. therefore, become:
, plain. AS we must have either Grant OF
; Greeley, every consideration of patriot.
ism and common sense calls upon us to
choose the latter. --...-
!, b. Ipropose now to consider briefly some
of the points to which l have referred
!, First, the subject of reconciliation and
: the restoration of good government and
prosperity of the South. No one will
J deny the importance Of this subject. 1t
concerns the welfare, not of the South
alone, but of the whole country. Mis-
government, mi,rule and impoterish.
ment cannot exist in one section of a
republic without affecting the other Sec
tions Our interests are so closely inter.
woven that if one part suffers, all suffer
in a greater or less degree. That the
South is oppressed by misrule as few
people have ever been oppressed is an
undeniahle fact; that it is laden with
debt for which it has received no consid
Grafton, and never will receive any that
it is hurdened with taxation that would
oppress the wealthiest people on earth
that the value of its property has been
greatly reduced since the close Of the
war; that poverty stares the people eve
rywhere in the face, are facts proved by
official documents and incontestible evi.
dence
| could occupy your time for hours
with reading these proofs, but it is unne-
cessary to do So A few undeniable facts
will enable you to realize the truth. The
income tax levied by the General Gov
eminent enables to judge approximately
of the prosperity of the different parts
of the country now have before me
the last report of the Commissioner of
Internal Revenue for the fiscal years
1S70-7l, by which it appears that the in.
come tax paid by Ohio alone about
equaled that paid by the nine States OF
Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana. Mississip-
pi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ten
nessee, Texas and Florida The single
county of Hamilton, in our State, paid
more than the FIVE States of Alabama,
Arkansas, Mississippi, North and South
Carolina Just think of it. So impov-
erished are these Southern States that
the incomes of people Of single
county in Ohio exceed those Of the peo-
pie of five States Official documents
show that the value of the real estste of
| the South has deprecated more than one
half, while the local taxes have been in.
creased more than one hundred and fifty
per cent beyond what they were in 1860.
Then there is the appalling fact that the
debts of the reconstructed States have
been increased since the close of the
war more than $200O0O,0 900, and that
there is scarcely d vestige of improve
ment to be seen sor ali this vast sum of
money. These are the fruits of carpet
Ibag rule in the South, and yet with these
facts staring him in the face, the whole
4 influence OF Grants administration is
given to the support Of these carpet bag.
gers, aud by that influence they are ena-
bled to keep their places and continue
their plundar of helpless and impov-
erished people.
Withdraw that Federal influence ;cease
to menace quiet and law abiding citizens
with the bayoIet; cease making arrests,
not to prevent crime, but to carry elec-
tions cease to make profigate and scan
dalous use of the public patronage for
the same purpose ;.turn out the Federal
officers who violate the law, and abuse
their trusts, and put honest men in their
places Do these things, and the people
of the South, by the peaceable agency of
the ballot box, will soon rid themselves
of the wretches who use their official
power to tyrannize over;harass and plum.
der the community. Then good govern
ment viii again he established, and pros.
perity revisit that lovely land Then at
tachment for the Union and the flag will
again spring up in hearts that have lately
been estranged; then good will between
the people North and South, ,and between
the races, white and black, will take the
place of suspicion, distrust and dislike,
and the Republic will begin career of
power and prosperity il has never yet
known, e. 4, ss-7r7.s ss.sa
1t is, among other reasons, because l
firmly believe that the election of Gree
ley would powerfully tend to bring this
about, and that, on the other hand, the
lre election of Grant would indefinitely
i, postpone it, that l am anxious for the
success of the former. There are men
so blinded by passion or prejudice as to
say: "What if the South does suffer p
Let her suffer; she deserves it," To
reason. with such men is simply impos
sitle, for they will not listen to reason
! The dreadful punishment the South has
received in no wise affects them. But
what reason cannot, a sense of shame
: may do, and therefore l put these ques
tions to every such man: Are you II
| favor of punishiag the Southern people
by upholding larceny, extortion and ty
, ranny? In order to punish them, ar'
you willing to ally yourself with thieves
, corruptionists and tyfahts? That Gov,
t ernors and Legislatures in the SoutherI
! States have robbed them of millon
} upon millions of dollars cannot be truth
: fully denied Do You sanction and ap
prove such robbery? That bribery II
: many of those Legislatures is fragrant
: shameless and of daily occurrence is no