National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-12-21
THE SOUTHERN REPUBLICAN
CAUCUS.

THE SOUTHERN REPUBLICAN,
CAUCUS
The caucus of Southern Republican Rep
resentatives, held last Saturday night, was
a meeting of unusual significance, and fore
shadows new departure in Southern poll
tics. 1t must be admitted that the Chatta-
nooga convention failed to accomplish the
purposes for which it was called, and it is
apparent that this caucus, with those to
follow as the result Of needed organization
Of Southern Republican leaders, will to a
great extent remedy that failure. In effect
ing this organization the members Of the
caucus have laid themselves open to the
charge of sectionalism; but they meet it
manfuIly, and do not shirk the response
bility. They feel that as sectiOnalists they
have been deprived of the aid and sympa-
thy of their Northern allies at time when
they needed both, and coming fresh, as
they do, from the scenes Of a political
campaign in which both life and prop
erty were imperiled, they speak with
an earnestness calculated to attract
widespread attention. The gravity of their
situation, the dangers with which they are
surrounded and the gloomy prospect which
confronts them, need no explanation at
this time. Every one knows that the
South is overrun W it'll lawless and bigoted
assassins who go unwhipped of justice,
and no air-minded man will deny that an
imperative duty rests with the present
Congress to provide against contingencies
which are threatened by the fact that the
next House is Democratic. The 100000
Republican voters represented by the
caucus are now heard, and heard as a sig
nifcant power within the party power
which cannot and must not be ignored.
They claim that the White League Organi-
cation, embracing great majority of the
5000, coo of whites in the South, is now pre-
pairing for a separation of the country as
they conspircd for it in 1860 and 1861.
They also claim that the 100000
of blacks, enfranchlsed by the North, are
in danger of being absorbed by the supe-
rior intellectual strength of the capitalists
of the South, and that, as is always the
case the laboring element of the section
will soon pass under the control of those
capitalists. This being done, the white and
black races will combine to present to the
North an aggregate strength Of 100000
Of people demanding a separation Of the
Government. When we remember that
the war of secession was organized and
maintained by 100000 shareholders, the
magnitude of this new threatened combi-
nation becomes apparent. Could we afford
to risk another war under such circum-
stances? With q great debt, with hard
times upon us, and with the sad memories
Of the past to discourage us, it is certain
that we would hesitate before reopening
the terrible wounds Of civil strife.
But aside from this the caucus will serve
to remind the Republicans of the North
that they have pledges to fulfill which
were solemnly made when the Southern
States were reconstructed. At that time
the South had no voice in Congress, and,
as Senator Clayton remarked in the caucus,
the responsibility for reconstruction rests
with the North. Under those pledges the
blacks have attempted to exercise the rights
Of citizenship, hundreds of Northerners
have gone into the Southern States, and
the capital of thousands of citizens has
found investment, and although the leaders
of the party have failed to make the States
of heir adoption garden spots, and perhaps
have in some instances been guilty of abuse
OF power, the principles involved in the
rehabilitation of the section remain the
same now as when they were first an
nounCed. To those principles the faith of
the party and the honor of the nation are
solemnly pledged If they are overthrown
the very power of the Government will be
defed, and treason, not perhaps of the
overt kind, but treason nevertheless, will
country.
If the members of the caucus stand firmly
together; if they avoid pickering and per
sonal luminosity, and if they demand, as
they are entitled to demand, a generous
recognition Of their claims by the present
Congress, they will succeed, and will earn
for themselves the respect and gratitude of
the entire country. AS we have often re.
marked, they have preserved, as Southern
Republicans, in their platforms and in
their party discipline, more of the real in
spiratiOn Of true Republicanism than any
other class Of men in the Union. Now let
them go forward in the new path they
have chosen, and they may rest assured of
the candid sympathy of every loyal citizen.