The Portland daily press., 1875-07-02
The Question of '76.
A Review of the Great Issue by Haruer.s
Weekly.

From very thoughtful article in Harper's
Weekly, we take the following suggestive re-
Elections:
No man who takes time to think Of the sub.
Ject can suppose that the tremendous conflict
OF the last half century upon the question of
slavery, whi3h was not question of labor only
out OF political convictions and sympathies, of
tneofleS or tue government and of social phil
osophy, could end in a long and terrible war
that destroyed whole Industrial system and
radically and totally changed political and So
clal relations, without leaving a situation which
Is not settled because of what is called recon-
structon. 1t does not follow that everything
is precisely as it was before, with the exception
OF slavery, merely because there are no armies
IN the held, and because the states have re.
sumed their relations in the Union, Recon-
Strnctlon IS not completed, as we sometimes
hear asserted, because in the nature of things
IL Is very gradual process. Certainly the
democratic party is not strong among the
WHITES OF the southern states because it is
party of union, of liberty and equal RIGHTS
hut because it is known to be hostile to the
party that maintaiped the Union and pro-
claimed freedom and>established Justice. And
with equal certainty the Republican party is
not opposed by the same class because of its
alleged corruDtions, but because of what is
called Its protection of the colored class If
TINS Is so-aDd as general statement it is un-
deniabie-it the policy of reconstruction, as
tue most Intelligent of the southern Demo-
~.
IS merely acquiesced in under protest then the
hostile spirit remains and reconstruction ia
still but formal, and is in no proper sense COM
pleted.
1t is not surprising that this should be so. It
IS only surprising that any one should suppose
tnat u IS not So 1t would be a most serious
mistake TO enter upon the election of 1876 with
the theory that there is the same kind of bom-
ogenelty 10 the Union that there is in the State
OF New York, and that the only question at
STAKE is one OF persons, and of the economi-
cal administration of a government in which ali
agree. 1t would be as if the English Wbips in
the beginning OF the eighteenth century had
supposed that because the Jacohtes were not
In arms, they were friendly to the revolution
and the new dynasty. The Democratic party.
as we have often SAID, will nee assariIy be con-
troiled Dy its strongest element, and that ele-
ment is not composed of the theorists of North
ern newspapers but of the Southern leaders
VINO have great and substantial purpose to
achleve That purpose is not renewal of the
rebellion nor an attempt to disso' We the Union,
but It is to perplex and defeat the policy of
equal rights; TO subordinate the colored citizens
10 the W1lte; and, to this end. to render the
amendments nugatory by obtaining control of
the national government; by refusing to pass
the necessary laws or to execute those which
are already passed; by repeating what is
called unconstitutional legislation; by chang
lng the constitutions of the states, and making
the.late slave states a political unit against
mn 1ne general policy known as Republican.
especial affection for the Union nor any strong
faith In the Republican government who are
many of them, intelligent and proud, but who
are American mainly in name and by BIRTH
not py profound conviction. Their predeces-
sors, whose theories and purposes they have
inherited, were accomplished politicians who
studied men and were trained in public affairs.
They Io1g controlled the Government through
the democratic party and when they thought
they could control it no longer they attempted
to destroy it. Many of them still survive. and
they rave educated those who are to succeed
tnem. These leaders are very patient and
wary They believe that the people of the
Northern States have no real sympathy for the
eolored race; that they are essentially tr ,ders
mercenary and tmid; that they can be easily
f,tigued, and readily divided under plausible
pre- exits OF conciliation; and these leaders
hope by apparent Difference TO the wishes of
their allies in this part of the country 10 regain
the ascendency which they lost fifteen years
ago.
Tais is the spirit and the purpose which,
under cover of Democratic charges of cor
ruption and uneonstitutionality against the
Republican Administration, hopes to return to
power in 1876. The contest is really one of
vital American principles and of political pro-
gress Ii is especially not one of men, but of
tendencies and measures. The actual situa-
ton, not its theoretical aspects, demands the
most careful reflection of every good citizen.
we freed the slaves. They had been the vic
TINS OF system which for generations had
,Nhoiuvsu Oueu. lucy Iau no naOltS or Self
help; they had no hope, no ambition, no rela-
tons TO society; they were carefully held in
abject dependence. Freed by great war,
they were without property, without education,
without skill. without habits of industry, with
out knowledge of affairs, of intercourse, or
rights. and among an imperous master class,
who saw in the freedom os their slaves the
memorial OF their own humiliation and defeat
The instant the national Government under
Andrew johnson betrayed and deserted the
Republican spirit and gave sign of Democratic
sympathy, the master class made serfs of the
freedmen. Then we gave the m the ballot as a
means of defense: the ballot TO the class we
have described among those to whom servile
Difference was a tradition, and who were the
most practiced and consummate politicians
Remember this situation; remember our system
of governmenI-the separate power of the
states and the dependence of the states upon
the Union; remember the traditions and con-
vlctions of the late master class, and then say
whether the peace, prosperity and progress of
the country will be more probably secured by
entrusting the national government to the
White League and the party which sympathizs
with it and support it,, or to the party which
has proved its fidelity to freedom, Justice and
equal rights.