The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-10-24
a)oliiital sffairs.
Nina Years y Hiatory.


II instead og ending the war in 1865,
when their great armies surrendered, the
Southern people had continued to struggle
with desperation, obasinacy aud faroeiiy
if they had shown a spirit Of ancompro-
missing hostility, ID guerrilla warfare, In
local outbreaks and other demonstrations
of'animosily individuals among them would
have been put 10 death for treason, aud
Others would have suffered IN proportion /;
but as a body they would have been far
better treated than they have been, and
would Be today infinitely better of than
they are.
Had they continued in arms and in hos
tility, their conquest by military force
would undoubtedly have been signal and
severe; but after twas accomplished, they
could not have been in any worse ecndi-
ton than chat Of suhjugated provinces
held under military government, admins
tered BY military men according to mill
tary rules. Armies would have been
maintained among them to preserve order
and reprass sedision, but while they would
have been governed sternly, i would have
been an honest government. Ayarice
would not have been its one inspiring pas
sion, and is victims would have had 70
endure tyranny, but not robbery or fraud.
They would have been subjected to the
operation Of regular system regularly
administered. They would have had
no tnl;fina1 exisience Int there would
have been no pilisiering addition 70 their
public dstt, and the taxes they would have
been compelled 70 pay would not nave
gone into private pockets OF Governors,
Legislators, and Judges, holding ONCE
through cheating elections and exercising
power for the ono sole purpose OF robbery.
lrstead of keeping up the war, they
submitted patiently and sincerely 70 the
Government against which they had reyol-
ted. They had been beaten IN the pro
ionged struggle and they honestly desired
TO live as citizens, and not as enemies, IN
the land where they were born. During
the war their efforts had been so tremen-
dous and 50 unanimous that It Is not too
much 70 say that they remain without
precedent In history. Their pactfication
was equally astonishing and unparalleled
The war disappeared as II by magic. It's
spirit as well Is its manifestation utterly
ceased 50 that we who were eonquer0fs
were enabled at once to disband our own
armies, and Of the million men that We
had enrolled for their subjugation hardly
corporals guard was retained under the
stanjrTds to defend our conquest through
the whole enormous area Of the Canfeder
aey. vi.
With the submission OF the South begar
new drama as inhuinaa and reuoiiirg a
slavery, and more subtly terrible than thu
worst evils of war. Peace was asked AMI
promised, and the forms Of civil govern
ment; but while this promise was kept t
the ear i was broken to the sense. w
did not call them conquered provinces
but States; and we proceeded to let loos
upon them an Unsuitable siearm Of Ptaa
derers whose like was never seen. Thu
carnival Of speculation, fraud, and publ
plumber which has prevailed in Norti
Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama
Mississippi, Arkansas, aud Louisiana foE
these eight years anPasses belief, a'lt
enaaof Be Justly appreciated at the Pscsea
day. Georgia and Texas have been saved
by the early overthrow Of the Republican
party within their limits and the transfer
Of their Governments into honest hands
but in the other States viltaiay has run
an incredible riot, and legislators, Cover
nors, Judges, have outdone all previous
conceptions respecting the Potentially o.
THEFT. The people are stripped then