The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-03-04
From Hlrper'S Wrekly.l
Signs of the Times.


More than three months have passed
since the autumn elections 1t is time
to consider what evidence there is from
the acts and deeds of the Democratic
party since the victory in its name at the
polls that it is a party with a new spirit
and purpose, and not the same old or
ganization that sustained slavery, plung-
ed the country into war, and resisted the
guarantees of equal righ is in reconstruc-
ton. The first thing that is Observable
Is the fact OF very general alarm at the
prospect OF Il Democratic victory in 1876,
and an alarm which is not in the least
relieved, but greatly increased, by what
are seen to be mistakes OF policy upon
the part of the Republicans. The alarm
springs from the perception that. while
the Democratic party insists upon con-
ciliation, it aims only to concliate the
ate dIsaffected class in the Southern
States; that while it breaches the golden
rule and brotherly love, it sees the negro
hunted and harried without protest;
and that it chiefly honors those who were
known during the war as Copperheads or
Confederates. The fact that they may
be its ablest men is not re-assuring in
view of other facts.
The Democrats have returned ll2 eX-
Confederate soldiers to Congress The
Il,
ware and Kentucky, elect l3S members.
OF these all but 26 are from the late Con-
federate army. This fact alone dIsposes
of the Democratic assertion that the Re
publican policy is one OF hatred and re-
venge, and that the party rejects concili-
alton and insists upon tyranny. When
the war ended it was left in absolute con-
troll OF the Government. 1t could have
dictated any terms, and the country
acquiesced- But not drop of blood did
it shed in vengeance. 1t established no
system of confiscation. 1t merely made
every man free and citizen, and en-
bodied his rights in the fundamental law
This was not very iniquitous. 1t was a
magnanimity unparalleled in history;
and had it been met in the same spirit
by the Democratic party, the peace and
Happiness OF the country would have
been assured.
But that party, bent upon its own in
terest and not upon the welfare of the
country, sought in every way to perpleX
reconstruction and bring it to naught.
The recent story of the Southern States
f,z,-->ailar II the Republicans have
d Inc ea--I=s,S'vuf,fcu vtrty o, 7
rrge number OF with esses were exam
led. On Saturday, during the examina-
Ion of Yelling Westlake, Judge Hast
Iigs, principal counsel for defense, was
4ddenlY taken i'll, and the case was ad-
'Iurned over until lO} o'clock on Men
tiiE tiE
ne no secsase H4s H tqIfhfr ttIff 1f ,6JT t7dfsf o.
i6re the war is asserted in a private letter
printed in the New York Times and in
ihe state of Southern society such as Il
late number Of the Nation described,
nothing is more probable. Meanwhile,
IN other parts OF the country the Demo
cratic party sends typical Copperheads,
like Mr.. Eaton, of Connecticut, to the
Senate, and supeIsede Mr.. Schurz, the
apostle OF the Democracy as it pretenls
to be, by II gentleman of whom nothing
is known but that he was an uncompro
missing Confederate General We do not
recall such facts reproachfulIy. The
more sincere were the convictions OF
these gentlemen, the less should they be
trusted with the control OF the Govern
ment.
simultaneously events in Louisiana
have elected from the press and orators
oil the Democratic party vltuperation OF
the Administration, and especially OF
Gen. Sheridan, the ferocious tone OF
which shows that it is the outburst of II
long pent hatred of that officer, who
owes all his distinction to his illustrious
service in the war. We have certainly
not justified his "banditti" Dispatch
But we have never doubted that 1t was
the indignant outburst of an honest sol
dier plainly unfit ior civil administra
ton. But never 10y any Democratic
newspaper or orator were the treachery
of Davis and Lee, and the wretched
rwiygs or the unspeakable infamies OF
Andersonville and Belle Isle. or the mas
acres of innocent men at New Orleans
i'll 1865, at Coushatt1, and at Coltax, so
denounced as the dispatch OF Gen. Sher-
Idan. Mr.. Bayard, OF Delaware. declared
in the Senate that this gallant soldier,
who has done more than the whole Dem
ocratic party to keep this republic Tree,
was unfit to breathe the free air OF the
republic, as reported in the papers, but,
according to the Record, "Who shall say
! whether he is even fit to breathe the air
of republican government Who is
Mr.. Bayard, of Delaware, who thus de-
uounces Sheridan aud eXtols freedom
| lie is the Senator of State in which he
and his political friends maintained hu-
man slavery as long as they could, and II
leader OF the party whose sole policy for
more than a generation was 20 make
this slave republic
Meanwhile, in the session of Congress
now closing, the conduct of the Demo
Gratis, who have a majority in the next
house, shows the Old tone-the tone
| which Democratic success would restore
To the Government. The episode OF Mr..
John Young Browns performance, ior
which he received the censure OF the
louise through the Speaker, aud the
earnest efforts OF the Democratic party
10 shield him from that censnre alter has