National Republican., 1875-06-22


entertained that this mundane sphere
is divided into two grand divisions, viz:
Virginis, and the balance of the world.
The srarse population, sickly manufactures
and semi-stagnant commerce of that State
are accepted by its citizens as the per-
fection of civilized life. They know
nothing of the busy hum of millions of
spindles, of the boundless resources Of
great financial associations, or Of the CON-
pact cooperative benefits Of densely popu-
lated industrial centres. Satisfied to live
as their fathers, grandfathers and great
grandfathers have lived before them, pur-
suing the narrow and non-progressiVe paths
of dead-and-gone generations, they take
but little interest in their neighbors' well
fare; and, having had the fortune to raise
upa number of public leaders, or the misfor-
tune to be known as Commonwealth as
the Mother of Presidents, they have be-
come arrogantly self-suficient and impu-
IDENTIFY conceited. 1t will not do to answer
this charge by saying that the New Eng
landers are equally sclfsuficient or that
they are purse proud and pompously con-
ceited, because, however true the counter
charge may be, no unprejudiced man will
deny that the latter have more to boast of
and to show in support Of their pride
than a hundred such States as Virginia and
North Carolina combined could produce.
This is the unVarying verdict of English
speaking foreigners " no travel in the Uni
ted States as careful observers, and of intel
ligent men from every part Of the world
who have visited both sections of our coun-
try. But the handful of visitors to Boston
from Baltimore, Norfolk, Charleston and
other Southern cities will take back re-
ports with them to their friends at home of
the strange sights they have seen, which
may serve to leaven the decidedly bigoted
belief of their respective communities re-.
garding the Northern people. Aside
from this, we are of the opinion that no
lasting beneficial result will follow from
the sentimental gush and determination
over patriotic recollectiOns of the past
In short, we believe that as soon as the
freshness of current impressions wears
away, and political excitements occur to
arouse the enmities of political strife, the
sham Conservatives of the Southern States
will relapse into their Ku-Klux and White
League habits. 1t must be remembered,
right here, that the men who were
numbered among the visitors on the
occasion referred to are of the most intelli-
gent and truly conservative classes, and
are men who would not yield any direct rec
ognitiOn to the Ku-Klux and White
Leaguers. Those organizations are mainly
composed of citizens of the rural districts,
and Of men who are ignorant as they are
unthinking and cruelty criminal Over
them and over their acts the intelligent
and truly conservative class exert but little
influence, except to mold the general out
lines of party platforms and public resolu-
tons. They are men who do not read the
newspapers, or, if they do, read only
those which pander to their basest preju-
dices by constant attempts to keep alive
the flames of sectional discord. 1t must
be admitted that practical Cancellation will
be difficult thing to accomplish when
this turbulent element is taken into consid-
Grafton. We do not despair of it, however,
and we earnestly desire that the
effort shall not cease until each and
every one of them shall be made to under
stand that their individual welfare, as well
as the public benefit, can only be served by
a common yielding of individual prejudices.
This may be done, to some extent through
the efforts of the men who have lately en-
joyed the hospitalities of the people of Bos-
ton. IF they cannOtdoit by the persuavive
rhetoric with which they assured the
Northern people of their own return to
loyalty, let them see to it that every mid
night marauder and masked murderer is
brought 10 deserved punishment. No bet
ter evidence of the truth of their profes-
sions of friendship and brOtherly accord
with the Republicans of the North could
be offered than would be found in their eE-
forts to make the South peaceablo by bring
ing TO punishment the prosecutors and assas-
sins Of Southern Republicans. With the
exception of Texas, it is true, that the
Southern States are now remarkably quiet;
hut when the provocatiOn of political ex-
citeniS1t arises, as we have said, the thugs
of New G7Tleans, the midnight riders of
Mississippi and Tennessee, and the
cowardlY assassins of A11Lansas, North
Carolina, Alabama and Georgia, will
begin anew their horrible work OF
murder and intimidation. Then, and not
until then, will thoughtful men place much
reliance in the professions of peace and
good will which now, so to speak, are in
the air If the men who make those pro-
fessions will see to it that black men as
well SIS white men who vote the Republi-
can ticket, are protected at the polls the
same as Democrats, practical reconciliation
will be an accomplished fact. We repeat,
it can be accomplished, and it must be.