The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-10-06

| In discussing the unhappy condition OF
the South, the Sentinel has not cared to go
behind the rumors of riot and outrage that
are brought to us to investigate the respon-
sibility of particular individuals or classes.
Neither has this journal considered it worth
while to endeavor to sift the truth from the
lies and get at the exact state of the case in
regard to every reported Violence. Where
partisan feeling is so strong, and the con-
tradiction of testimony so direct, the former
task leads only to unpleasant and unprofit-
able controversy The latter task involves the
measurement of the quantity of blood shed,
has the appearance of palliating crime, and
is, therefore, an ungrateful one to undertake.
For these reasons the Sentinel has preferred
to take for granted the truth of the tales of
outrage that come to us, and hold to the
main issue in this Southern question,
namely, the complete responsibility of the
party in power for the condition of the re-
constructed states. Had peace and PROS
perity followed their absolute reign, the
leaders of the administration would have
assumed the honor and glory OF that result
as the just due of their craftsmanship. Now
that beggary and barbarism have attended
their rule, let them assume the shame and
infamy of the misery that their policy has
brought about. If they failed to foresee the
evil which has come to pass, they were fools;
il they foressw and deliberately planned it,
mey were villains.
Without losing sight of this central point
in regard to the responsibility of the admin
istration for the good or evil results of it's
work of reconstruction, it may 90 worth
while to consider for a moment one OF the
issues which the Sentinel has not heretofore
touched upon, namely, the probable truth or
falsehood OF the charge, that the white peo-
pie of the South alone are guilty of the
outrages against law and order that are laid
at their door.
In forming an opinion on such a subject,
where evidence is contradictory and judg
ment difficult, it is often well to fall back
upon the consideration OF motive
or interest. What parties profit by
the recurrence OF Southern outrages,
and e what parties have invariably
suffered by them?b There can be but one
answer to this question. The result of a
series OF murders and riots is unvarying.
The carpet baggers appeal to Washington
for aid, troops are put at their disposal and
they get new lease Of power. The reports
of outrages are spread throughout the north,
the embers of old prejudice and hatred
against the South are rekindled, and the re-
publican party Is again put into power to
carry out the work of subduing the rebel
spirit which seems like the camomile, to
use Shakspearian simile, to grow the faster
the more it is trodden on. The conserve
tives, on the contrary, are dashed back by
the use made of these outrages, from the
til shold of self-government and set at the
mercy of the plunderer once more, while
Northern democrats under the shadow of
Southern crime ara beaten again in their
struggle for the control of the nation. This
plain statement of the consequences of the
crimes of which we have heard so much
within the past few weeks, suggests grave
doubts as to their true origin, which doubts
are strengthened by the curious fact that
these stories of violence and murder always
startle the public on the eve of an election.
1t is hard to suppose that the Southerners,
even if inheriting fierce desire
to slaughter colored people, would in
dulge in the cruelty when aware of
the consequences to themselves. At
least we would suppose that if they had to
satisfy their cravings for murder, they would
choose more suitable season for the brutal
qualification The inference is, that few
deeds of bloodshed in the South take place
out of mere wantonness; and that many of
them are provoked by the men VINO have ev-
erything to gain by them. The carpet bag
gers aud scalawags would not. of course, pro-
cure their own slaughter for the sake OF po-
litical triumph, but they have very little
computations about spending the lives OF q
few of their negro followers in the good
cause This is cruel course of reasoning
and yet sometimes one cannot help pursu-
ing il.
| This argument from interest has another
application. 1t should be considered with
reference to the future, as we'll as to the
past The common opinion among repub-
licans is that the party should remain in
power until the work of reconstruction is
finished. They say that it is unsafe to
trust the completion of the task to the de-
mocracy. Not few members Of the.organi-
zation who differ with the majority on flnan-
cial and industrial issues will cling to the
party until the era of peace and prosperity
is restored at the south. They would then
consider the mission of republicanism end
ed. 1t is certain that the party
could never last a day beyond the
end of the sectional issue. The fact of the
matter is that the republican organization
fl pds itself in the position of a physician
| with patient lying dangerously III. SO