New-York tribune., 1874-10-31
TUR REREL YELL.

1
porubl;can managers are wisely bringing out
all their reserves upon the platform Inc
80. 20 New.York arc sure of hearing at
onv Kenublican meeting, good and eloquent
srooohns from men of high character and
.,pt;oroI ropntation. But the fatal defect In
oil their talk is what the French Journalists
call "lack of actuality." Little which they
cav has reference to the immediate needs OF
the hour. We make one exception, anu tnat
ia an unfortunate one. No speech Is complete
without q reference to the Southern outrages,
which it is difficult to regard as sincere. We
have given more attention to this matter than
any of these gentlemen. We have sent an able
and honest representative to examine and report
| upon the truth of the charges made by Hays
and Spencer His word Is better than theirs;
his only interest is to tell the truth his SYM
pathes are all with the Union Republican
party which saved the nation and abolished
| Slavery. He has shown in these columns how
recklessly false have been the allegations OF
the carpet-bag Congressman. Ii his testimony
| needed confederation, what stronger confirma-
ton could be imagined than this statement OF
| Chancellor McCraw, also Republican, OF
Alabama, published few days agOf Refer
ring to the extent of his chancery division, he
SAYS: "I am rejOiced to say that do not
"know of a single case of outrage or personal
." violence for opinions sake in all the length
L" and breadth of this division, nor have heard
" of even one authenticated case. The outside
"word is deceived by the terrible passion into
(which letter-wrters and political editors
I" have lashed themselves. There Is not c0un-
"ty in East Alabama in which any man
Democrat, Republican, Conservative, or
Radical-may not publicly declare his senti-
"ments with as little fear of molestation as in
"any State in all the broad UniOn."
In the face of these facts, the Republican
speakers continue their attempt to fire the
hearts of their hearers by talking OF the reign OF
terror in the South. We do not refer to the bascr
sort, who know of nothing else to talk about.
Mr.. George William Curtis, than whom no
better representative of the culture and con-
science of the best class of Republicans still
adhering to the party organization can be
found, adopted this worn and weary strain on
Thursday night. Embarrassed by the neces-
sity of supporting party whose President
nomnates such men as Williams for Chief
Justice, whose leaders in New-YOrk drove
Mr.. Curtis out of the Civil Service COmmis-
sion, and whose Senators cOnspired with the
President and Mr. Butler to bury the reform
under tho disgrace of Simmons, it must be
admitted that the orators position was hard
one. But it is deeply to be regretted that
man so respected and so influential should
have thought of nothing better to relieve his
embarrassment and catch the applause of his
audience than denunciations of Mr.. Tilden as
Secessonist, and "wearer of Tweed's COL
| Ill, 10 60 In ahal
"yell.na "The Rebel yell" said Mr.. Curtis, sis
"the music l march to-" and this was the text
| of his speech
| The truculent phrase had its momentary
| success, but we should be sorry to think that
the applause which greeted it was anything
more than thoughtless tribute to piece OF
rhetorical violence. If it came from any deeper
source, it would be q subject of profound re-
| gret. Nearly ten years have passed since the
rebellion succumbed. During all that time the
Republican party has been in power, control
ling vast majority of Congress and most OF
the State Governments. Even Mr.. Curtis Will
admit that the Southern people have suffered
grieyous wrongs at the hands of some of the
rulers whom the war and the negro vote have
placed over them. If they have ever COM
mitted any violation of law they have been
promptly punished by the Federal Courts and
the Federal Army. They have been robbed and
plundered and imprisoned at will. In some
States the entire white population have been
reduced to poverty and the resources OF the
| State almost exhausted. In Louisiana the
| momentary insurrectiOn which was the legiti-
| mate offspring of another deliberate crime OF
| the Administration, has been made the pretext
| of a series of arbitrary arrests and lmDrSOn-
ments which seem incredible in their extent
and audacity. Yet in this time of their mis-
| fortune and misery, man 80 amable and so
| patriotic as Mr. Curtis, to save an election In
| this peaceful and prosperous State, is willing
| to excite the dying passions of hatred and re-
venge against a people already too severely
tried. His attacks upon Mr.. Tilden simply
show that bitter partisanship which makes
| GOOD men unjust. but his ungenerous appeal
to the hostiities of ten years ago shows how
the prospect of losing an election will stir up
| the hidden depths OF soul in which party is
still sovereign.
These appeals have not been so effective
with voters this year as they have been with
audiences, and we find in this fact some en-
couragement. A great many Republicans who
care nothing for politics, except as an honest
means to a righteous end, have refused to
"vote as they shot," The shooting was right
| while the war lasted, and the voting was
needed to sustain the muskets. But IT, after
the shooting has been over for so many years,
we must keep on voting all our lives for the
same set of politicians, simply to spite the
Rebels, the war which brought freedom to so
many has evidently not brought it to us. We