National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-08-09
THE LESSON OF THE NORTH CAROLINA
CAMPAIGN,

The most unfortunate thing that could
have happened to the Southern Democracy
has happened. Just at the time when Fitz-
hugh Lee and other comparatively respect
able ex- Confederate soldiers, who are not
in politics, had made an impression upon
the Northern susceptibles to show that
the entire South is ardently intent upon
proving its loyal acceptance of the results
of the war, several provoking election cam
paigns occurred, during the progress of
which the attention of discerning public
has been attracted to the fact that the Bos-
ton Centennial Gushers either misrepre-
sented the actual condition of affairs, or are
without the influence to shape the current
of Southern opinion in accordance with the
Gush policy. We prefer to accept the
latter explanation as the true one, for we
are inclined to extend to Gen. Lee, and
scores of others of whom he is in reality an
honest representative, an earnest recogni-
ton of the manly qualities which they pos
sess and to declare our belief that if the
masses Of the Southern people were to fol-
low their example there would be no
trouble about the political condition of their
section. The election campaigns of which
we speak were those in Texas, Alabama
and North Carolina, and the issues involved
in them were revisions of the constitutions
of those States. The propositions for those
revisions originated with the Democrats
and were opposed by the Republicans. In
Texas and Alabama the Democrats had
everything their own way; but in North
Carolina the excellent management of the
campaign by an exceptionally active Re-
publican State executive committee pro-
duced different result. In all these States,
however, the Democrats pursued the same
policy, resortcd to the same kind of appeals
to bring their followers to the polls, and,
in short developed the unfortunate facts to
which we refer as proof positive that the
representations of the Gushers are without
foundation in fact. As the North Carolina
campaign was the most hotly contested of
the three, and conducted with more intelli-
gence on both sides, it will be admitted
that the incidents connected with it will
serve to furnish the most reliable evidence
regarding the anirnus which prompted both
parties.
It should be Understood, in the first place,
that the present constitution of that State
is not the product of ignorant negroes and
pet-baggers, as it has been generally as
serted and supposed. but was framed by
convention, the majority of the members
of which were natives. To some extent it
was modelled after the constitution of New
York; but Col. David Heston, since de-
ceased, a carpet Dagger from Ohio, against
whose intelligent honesty and devotion to
the State of his adoption not even the most
inveterate Democrat has ever dared to
breath word Of detraction, was q dele
gate, and, no doubt exerted some in
f1uence to secure the acceptance by the
convention of some of the features of
the Ohio constitution. The result was an
organic act more perfect in all its pro.
visions to meet the requirements of the
changes occasioned by the war than any
thing body composed entirely of native
citizens could have produced. In fact, it
was inperatively necessary that some one
having had the experience of living under
the constitution of a free State should be
called upon to aid the ex-slaveholders of
the State in its formation. The old ante.
bellum constitution was adapted to the re-
quirements Of condition of slavery, and
the emancipation Of the slaves, together
with other radical changes, made it lncum-
bent upon the people to abolish those re-
quirements and provide for the recognition
of a new element of citizenship. This
was done, and because it was done the
Democrats found fault with it. The
clamor about the township system as
q yankee innovation" about the in.
creased expense for the support of the
judiciary, about the establishment of peni-
Tertiary, about the Inauguration of free
school system and about the privileges ex-
tended to colored citizens-all had its origin
in thenatural antipathy of that party to q fires
constitution. The Democracy of the State
are Bourbons. who refuse to recognize the
demands of progress. They oppose the as
pirations of their opponents simply because
they are prompted by progressive instincts.
Underlying all this, however, rested and
still rests their incorporating hatred of
the declaration of paramount allegiance to
the General Government embraced in the
present Constitution. This 1t was, together
with consequent prejudices, that impelled
themto take the deepest interest in the ef
fort to wipe out every yestige of the over
throw of the State Rights Confectionery.
This was the situation at the beginning
of the campaign. The Republicans de-
Tended the Constitution on obvious grounds,
rs well as the legislation which followed.as
natural consequence of its existence.