The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-04-22
Senator Gordon Expresses his Views on the
PhiIosopty of the Greeley Movement.

Senator Gordon Expresses MS views Vn 'no
PHILOSOPHY of the Greeley Movement.
Senator Gordon, of Georgia, has been inter
viewed by reporter Of the Atlanta Herc<d
in the course of which he expressed himself IN
regard to the following among other topics:
PHILOSOPHY OF THE GREELEY MOVEMENT.
Now. lust at this point Mr.. Greeley, Carl
Schurz. Gratz Brown and Gov. Curtin, repre-
senting this disorganized and scattered army,
proposed platform at Cincinnati, on which it
was thought all the elements of opposition to
the corrupt administration might be united.
The movement failed just then; not because
she liberals and conservatives did not do their
part. but because there was not sufficient time
allowed to bring the democratic party to believe
that the movement was sincere and honest
effort for reconciliation and restoration.
The elections of last fall were the Legitimate
and the necessary results of that coalition.
Something like the Greeley movement was ah.
solutely necessary. The Northern people mao
become incrustated with granite formation of
passion. prejudice and hate, beneath which
their mellower and better feelings were i'm
prisoned. It seemed impossible to break
through this horrid easement that had cofined
the kindly Northern and Western heart. No
plea could penetrate it; no outrage could shlV-
er it; no argument could phase it. 1t was a
solid, unfeeiing mass, against which all i'm
pulses fell impotent But Horace Greeley,
with one stroke of his pen, as with wand,
shattered this miserable she'll, and threw the
words of truth and right and justice, like sun
besms, in upon the soul and the brain and the
heart of the people. To use his own expires.
sion, "a chasm yawned between the people OF
this Republic that must be closed or hled."
Like another Curtius, with as heroic heart
L IL I
ancient Roman, he flung himself as sacrifice
into the abyss. He gave his pen, his speech
and his life to the cause of reconciliation.
And he did not give them in vain. Through
his sacrifice the chasm vas closed, and his peo-
ple stand over his grave united and victorious
opposed the Greeley movement at first, out
am not one of those who Insist now that IL was
a mistake think that
WAS THE WIsEsT POLITICAL MOVEMENT
in our political history. 1t was the carrying
out of the policy shadowed in Lincolns MEM
orable words-"We have conquered them bv
arms; let us win them by magnanimity." l
heard Senator Bayard, who, you will remem-
ber, opposed the coalition bitterly and denoun.,
ced it on the floor of the Baltimore Conven-
tion. saw in the executive session of the Senate
just few days ago, that after seeing its fruits
he estimated the Greeley movement as wise
polite and patriotic movement. 1t gave the
South the ear of the North and West This
was all we wanted. We did not need argu-
ments, we only lacked an audience.
THE PLATFORM FOR 1875.
REpoRrER-Do you think that we should
make the next national campaign on the Gin
cinnati platform9
GEN GoRDoN-I think that we should haz-
ard nothing on account Of prejudice or partisan
opinion, for 1 believe that the perpetuation of
our free institutions depends on the issue OF
the next national campaign. On its result
hangs, in my opinion, tile safety of the Repub-
lie, which should be more estimabe than any
mere party triumph could be. There are four
leading ideas that should enter into the demo
cratic platform for 1876. These four cardinal
principles should be put in our platform to in
sure success, and then adhered to by our party
to ensure peace. The first point is, that we
shall have economy, purity and fidelity in the
administration of the government. All these
elements may be included under the one head
of honesty. If there is anything that the peo-
pie of this country-the whole people, without
distinction of party-deslre,
ITIsAN HONEST PARTY;
party that will oppose fraud and corruption,
that will throttle rings and cliques; that Will
denounce and dethrone even its own leaders
when they become corrupt; that will command
the confidence Of home taxpayers and retrieve
our reputation abroad The first and leading
principle, then, in the platform should be
promise made-not idly, but earnestly, and as
q guarantee-that we will reform the abuses OF
the present party, and fairly and honestly run
the government and dispose of its revenues.
PEACE BETWEEN THE SECTIONS.
The second point that should be incorporated
into the platform should be "a restoration of
concord" We must have an equilibrium
between the sections. We must have thor
ough good will and harmony. We must learn
ali men to love the national flag, to guard the
national honor and to further the national
prosperity. We can solve no question satistac,
torily while we are divided. While sectional
prejudice and passion rule men, it is of no use
to address them with arguments on public pol
icy or public polity it is of no use to talk to
them of injustice or dishonesty; you cannot
along by passion almost in spite of themselves.
But let them drop and forget all these ques..
tions-let them come together as brothers and
stand face to face, and looking each other fair
ly in the eyes, seek for the true and the good
and the wise, and you will see what, in view Of
our miserable hide-bound past, may be esteem
ed a political millennium. There must be
unity-a oneness of feeling and of purpose
an assertion that the people of this Republic
seeking common end, defending common
right, building up common country, shall
move onward in harmony and peace.
GIVE THE NEGRO HIS RIGHTS.
The third point in the platform sho"ld be,
think, definite and unmistakable pledge, that
we, the people of the South, will protect the
negro in all his rights of freedom and fran
after wear have seen the white employer and
his negro employee voting against each other
in peace and kindness, it is believed by great
many people in the North that the first step
with which we would mark the democratic re-
ascendancy would be to deprive the negro not
only of his right to vote, but his freedom also !;
that at any rate we would reduce him to con-