The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-09-28
OUR SOUTHERN DISABILITIES.

OUR SOUTHERN DISABILITIES.
The supporters of Mr.. Greeley in the
South have good deal to say about the
political and other disabilities of this Sec
| ton of the country, and one would really
think to hear these gentlemen hold forth in
Faneuil Hall and from the Tammany ros-
trum, that no people were ever 50 villain
ously abused and outrageously maltreated
since the great food. Next to their cali
umnies upon General Grant, this hue and
cry about disabilities" constitutes the
chief staple of all their political harangues.
Right here in the South this thing is pretty
effectually played out; for their own party
journals have repeatedly given utterance
to facts and statements that would shame
this charge of harsh and proscriptiye poll
icy entirely out Of sight. 1t is only few
months since that the Enquirer, as
reliable political mouth-piece as the
South can have anywhere, frankly con-
! fessed that the hand Of Federal power
rested so lightly on the neck of Virginia,
that it was as feathers weight compared
with local abuses. But while this charge
Of Federal oppression falls without avail
here, a great handle is made Of it at the
North in order to frighten weak Republi-
cans into support of Mr.. Greeley, who is
SO eager to shake hands across what he is
pleased to designate as !" bloody chasm."
In fact, this charge Of harsh and proscrip-
tive policy on the part Of the -Administra-
ton is made the chief burden Of Mr.. Gree
ley's speeches wherever he can get the ear
Of crowd to disburden his loving heart
Of its siren complaint. 1t is the poor
South ground down under the heels of the
Federal government" which distresscs the
good DR.. Greeley beyond measure.
Now what are the facts? Not a single
man as ground doma or distraachized any
aoiere, and only about t,co hundred all told,
embrac ing simply JET Darts and The gull
tier leaders Of the rebellion are preOented
from holding office. This is the truth and
the whole truth. Every man who partici-
pated in the rebellion can vote just as freely
as the staunchest loyalst. jeff. Davis
himself has precisely the same rights and
privileges in this respect as Gen. Grant or
any other defender OF the Union. All the
disability of which SO much is said consists
simply in the fact that Davis, Toombs,
Breckenridge and few other prominent
chiefs of the rebellion are disqualified from
holding Office.
This is the extent of all the Republican
harshness and prescription in the South,
and Mr.. Greeley knows it as well as the
next man, and ought to know it good deal
better than most Of the men he addresses |;
for he clamored at one time for the speedy
punishment of these men, under the pains
and penalties of treason. If Mr.. Greeley
has any special desire that the way should
be opened for the return OF JEFF Davis to
the United States Senate, let him frankly
say so to the people of the North, and let
his friends and supporters in Virginia say
the same here. We believe Mr.. Davis has
too much good sense TO ask for such pri-
vilege, or to deem his deprivation Of tany
such groaning hardship" as the friends
of Mr.. Greeley would have us believe it to
be. The fact is, the people of the South,
to say nothing Of those in the North, do
not regard this disqualification Of a
few rebel chiefs as any special wrong or
hardship in the least. The men now
excepted from the benefit of a full and
free relief from disabilities, are those who
have persistently refused to ask for such q
favor at the hands of the Federal govern
ment. Every Confederate General and
officer who has asked to have his disabili-
ties removed, has had his request granted.
Do the friends of Mr.. Greeley demand
that the Federal government shall humbly
and apologetically beg these gentlemen to
come back to the seats i'll Congress which
they defiantly vacated in 1S60-6l and still
: more defiantly except to in 1872? Is this
: the Illuminating step we are asked to take
by the Greeleyites Of Virginia? If so, the
good sense and loyalty of the people OF
this State will effectually stamp it out in
the coming election. a. a r.-..-
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