Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-04-28
Daily Nennrbsf yournal
AUG U STA. @
wrprpspAY MORNING.. prn IS, 1875
THE SOETH.

..color line" is what the democracy that
section desire and are laboring to keep up.
The whites in the South are by no means
all democrats In many of the States the
opposition to the democracy among the
whites is strong.
Party lines are almost as marked among
the whites as before the rebellion, the old
wings and know-nothings still keeping up
the distinction between themselves and the
democracy. But when color is made the
issue. the democrats succeed in uniting
the whites against the blacks, and in this
way they succeed in controlling. This ac-
counts for the reluctance with which at
tempts at .pacifcation in the South have
been received by the democracy. Let the
division of parties on the "color line
cease, and at once the negroes and whites
opposed to the democracy would unite and
crush the latter This view of the case is
mentioned in a recent letter by Mr.. Nord-
hoff to the New York Herald from Louisi-
ana, and is more fully represented in the
following extract from letter published
in the New York Times of Monday and
written by "a Georgia Republican" The
writer says:
The leaders of the slave power are laboring, and
have for long time lsbored, to unite the white
voters in the Southern States in support Of the
democratic party, and desperate effort will un-
doubtediy be made to give the democratic candi-
date for President in 1876 the electoral vote of
every Southern State. Ku-Klux Klans and White
Leagues have been organized, and republicans
have been murdered for the purpose of crushing
the republican party in the South. To that end
the massacres in Louisiana, at Vicksburg, and in
other places, were planned and executed. No
man who has not taken an active part in . politi-
cal campaign in Southern State can fully realize
what means the democratic leaders here resort to
to accomplish their purposes. It's important that
Northern republicans shall fully comprehend the
purposes Of these men, what they expect to gain
by democratic victory in 1876, and how they car
~ elections. They believe that under democratic
rule, athe people" of the Southern States may
regulate their ewn domestic institutions" in their
own way. Then they expect to control their own
labor, and regulate their own industry. Senator
Gordon recently said to a reporter of the Atlanta
Herald: "The fourth point of cardinal impor-
lance that 1 should put in the (democratic) plat
form (of 1870 is q return to the constitutional
methods of government both in the State and in
the nation. While we must yield to the General
Government all the rights that 1t has, or all that
the Supreme Court by decisions will give to it, we
should insist upon the right of the States to man
age for themselves their own internal affairs.
Without this right were fully protected, and its
maintenance guaranteed, l wouldn't give a cent
for any victory" Hon. Alexander II. Stephens,
in . letter recently published in the Savannah
News, says that "the coming great struggle" is to
be "betwecn Constitutionalism and Centralism in
the United States" or, in other words, between
State Rights and National Supremacy. Mr.. Ben
janin II. Hill explained why these Bourbon
leaders are so anxious for State Rights when he
said 1.-THE first thing to be done is to secure
home government for home affairs. This is our
right and our necessity. We must get control Of
our own labor, and regulate our own industry.
. = With State Government for State af-
fairs, every other good will follows. Without this
every evil is inevitable" Gov. Smith more fully
explained their intentions when he said eve
may hold inviolate every law Of the Cnted States,
and still 50 legislate upon labor system as to
retain old plantation system, OIL, in lieu of that
establish baronal one."
II il undoubtedly true that a majority Of our ed
acatsd and wealthy citizens still believe in slavery
that capital should control labor, and they in.
tend that it shall. No one can truthfuy deny tn.
Senator Hammond and Mr. Stephens expressed
the views of these men upon the labor question
before the war. Mr.. Stephens, Ben Hill, Gov.
Smith, and Senator Gordon as truly represent
them now. 1t is an error to suppose that because
the war is over the contest has ended. Republi-
can leaders in the South must boldly meet and OPP
pose. step by step, the able and desperate men
who inaugurated the rebellion and fought to es-
tsblish Government built upon slavery.
It's, however, believed that large minority,
perhaps = majority, Of our white citizens deprecae
the means resorted TO p pulous leaders
Of the .,ayc power to crush out republicanism
here, but they undoubtedly watch the preparations
being made for the next Presidential campaign
with as much interest as they did great battle
during the They would not, however. give
cent for democratic victory unless the right to
manage their own internal affairs in their own
way is fully guaranteed to them that, without
violating any law Of the United States, they may
retain the old plantation system, or. in lieu of
that. establish baronial one. The truth is, the
"irrepressiblc conflict" has not ended, and the
sooner the American people fully realize it, the
sooner we shall have peace. But the contest has
been transferred TO Southern soil 1t is not true
that all who believe in slavery are scoundres.
Many of cur best citizens who are devoted CHRIS
sisns held and now hold that it was divine insti
tuition. They are wrong, it is true but they are
honestly wrong. The opinions of these men upon
this subject may be changed by argument and ex-
perience. They cannot be by denunciaton. As
said in former letter, the leaders Of the slave
power "must be fought face to face before theiI
own people. The party Of freedom must be firm
ly planted in every Southern State if public opn-
ion here is TO be changed, and the masses educs-
ted and elevated 1t will take years Of hard labor
70 accomplish this, and it will cost much blood 1t
win require leaders of courage and ability, thor
oughly imbued with the ideas that have made the
North great and prosperous; men who are willing
IN ris a. =. Al xaf