Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-03-12
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AUG u = r A,
rRInAv noRN1Nu, March IL. 1875
from the Chicago Tribune.

xrFY1yDER H. STEPHENS VOTE.
Alexander H. Stephens, by his honest
vote In favor of restoring peace and order
in Louisiana, has aroused the most malig-
nant and venomous expressions OF indlg-
nation upon the part of the ultra fire-eat-
ers of the South, who are anxious to pre-
cipitate the country into another civil war
One of this class, the New Orleans Bulle-
tin, the organ Of the White League ban
ditti of that State, which during the Jan
uary troubles, ranked with reasonable
utterances and advocated assassination,
says: His last ground and lofty tumbl-
ing act and double somersault on the Lou
isiana election report should settle MS
status hereafter as the Benedict Arnold OF
the South, as man who. physically and
morally rotten, like BrOwnlOw, has final
" succeeded in sinking deeper into the
Radical cesspool than even that fostering
specimen of malignant scalawaggery. V
Div esting this remarkable sample OF
its swagger and bombast. there is still
left a residuum Of hate and malevoience,
which is fair instance of the feelings OF
the average Southern. fire-eater towards
any man who dares to speak of comprom-
Use or dares to vote in favor OF peace, har-
inony, and good government in the South.
One cause of this abuse of Mr.. Stephens
is that he was one of the old Conservative
Wings of the South, and belonged to that
party upon HON Mr. Thurlow Weed, in
his recent letter, placed so much reliance
as the future hope for the safety and pros
perty of that section. He is at heart the
enemy of State Sovereignty" and the
friend OF the National Sovereignty, and,
consequently. the enemy of Southern fire
eaters. His action since the War has not
been any more satisfactory to this class
than it was during and before the War.
Although the Vice president of the South
ern Confederacy, he had been With the fire.
eaters upon the slavery question in the
Territories and wnen these same fire-eat
ers and State Sovereignty advocates had
forced the South into secession, against
the efforts of the Conservative Wings. OF
whom Mr. Stephens had been one. and
dragged them into it also, he determined
that the South should make an honest is
sue. that the war should be fought upon
its real merits, and that the actual charac-
ter of the struggle should not be concealed
by any plausible nonsense of State rights
or of Federal oppression. In the canvass
of 1860 he denounced those who adyocat-
ed dissolution OF the Union in the case
of Mr.. Lincoln's election, and, in an adj
dress before the Georgia State Conven-
ton, he vigorously opposed the secession
of that State. In that famous ''corner.
stone" address he fastened the RESPONSE
bility of the war upon the Southern Dem
ocrats by showing that it was war for
slavery that slavery was and would be
the corner stone of the Southern COnfed-
racy and that, under the cover of the
doctrine OF State Rights, the South would
perpetuate and extend slavery. 1t was
this speech which exposed the real mean
ing of the Southern secession movement
which prevented the South from going in
to the War of the Rebellion under falls,
pretenses; and which was used agains
the Northern Copperheads and rebellion
sympa,hizers with great effect. Th'
Southern fire. eaters have not forgotten
this. nor have they forgiven it; and. now
that the occasion has presented itself wher
once more Mr.. Stephens records himself
upon the side Of peace, order, good gov.
erpment, and national sovereignty, they
are once more emptying their walls OF
wrath upon him. 1t will not affect him,
however, old, feeble, and infirm in health
as he may be. He has been true to the
his vote in behalf of peace and
reconciliation in Louisiana, and
s hown that he is anxious that the
proflless, exhausting. and miserable
struggle should come to an end. The ma
jority OF the people of Louisiana and OF
the people of the United States will APP
p laud his maniness and sterling courage,
W hich enabled him to stand true to his
convictions of right in the face of South
ern fire-eaters and NortherR Bourbon
dough-faces. In the ordinary course of
nature, he has but short time to remain
an active participator in human events,
but that solitary vote for peace will out
live him and stand to his credit in history,
after all the miserable partisan passions
which it caused have subsidized.
A great victory is:the republican success
in New Hampshire. A gain of three
thousand in the popular vote OF New
Hampshire is equal TO at least five thou
sand gain in the popular vote of Maine
A gain like that in this State in close and
sharply defined political contest we should
call a pretty big thing, to say nothing OF
gaining a majority of the legislature and