The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-08-18
1875.

energy, if that were possible, the Fif-
| teeuth Amendment, which declared
that no man should be deprived Of the
| right of suffrage on account of his race
or color. And in 1868 they solemnly
declared in convention that the recon-
struction laws were null! and void,
thus encouraging the Southern people
reponsible for much of the blood and
violence that followed that teaching.
LONG AND CONSISTENT CAREER.
These are but the leading points of
a long and consistent career that has
endeared these distinguished leaders
to the Confederate Democracy of the
South, and placed them with anques-H
toned title at the head of the party.
Whoever aspires to lead must bring
credentials like these, or his claims
will not be considered This unbro-
ken career of fifteen years of opposi-
tion to every effort to preserve the
nation, to every measure of liberty
and humanity, points with unearing
significance and certainty to the fu
ture. 1t constitutes platform for
action, compared with which the res
bubbles blown by straws. What these
men would do in power, we know by
their course for nearly lifetime out
| of power.
/ THE TRUE PL ATFORM.
But we are told that the issues of
the war are settled, that old things
have passed away, and all things have
| become new. | would this were SO.
and that the mighty issues of the war
were settled forever, and accepted by
all. But the truth is that the unset
tlement of these questions, the restor-
alton as far as possible to things ante
bellum, the placing of the Confeder-
ate upon the same footing with the
Union soldier, the payment of the
Confederate war-claims, the abolition
of all distinctions in the law between
loyalty and disloyalty, the expulsion
of the negro from the platform of po-
litical equality, and finally payment
for their slaves. are to-day the cardi-s
nal, all absorbing, overruling pur-
poses of the Southern Democracy,
compared to which questions of cur
rency, tariffs, and banks, are but as
dust in the balance. To- day service
in the Confederate army is the only
passport to Office in the Southern
States. AS against the Confederate
soldier, the Union soldier who may
have turned Democrat has no possible
show fer an Office. Adherence to the
rebellion is the sole touchstone in the
South, not only for political, but al
most equally so for social and bust
ness recognition. Even in Kentucky,
just over the river, no Union soldier,
be he ever SO loud In his professions
&c h.>a 10
BILE if any Confederate soldier wants
the place. And in the North the men
who opposed the war ly every means
In their power, of the kind have be-
fore described. are the only accepted
and trusted leaders Of the Democratic
party. Yet, In the face of these no.
torious facts, Democratic leaders and
newspapers have the amazing ef1rontry
to ask Republicans to forget the war
and the men who fought for the Un-
ion, and to cease all distinctions be
tween the Union and Confederate SOL
diers. Such policy would be entirely
on one side, and the Union soldiers,
forgotten by the Republicans, and
abhorred and rejected by the Democ-
racy. would. to use a mild phrase, be
left out in the cold.
THE NEXT HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
TIVES.
The next House of Representatives
will contain seventy-four Democratic
members from the South who were in
the rebel army, and a number from
the North who were Confederates in
sympathies, and IN everything but the
actual bearing of arms. And these
are the men who are to legislate Tor
the loyal people of the nation. But
we are told by the gushing and sloppy
tourists that all is now peace and
quiet in the South, and the tales of
murder, oppression. and outrage upon
black and white Republicans were
weak inventions of carpet baggers for
political purposes.
THE TRUE STORY.
1t is true these tales have been es-
tablished by many thousands of depo.
sitions sworn to by men of all parties
on the spot, taken before numerous
committees of Congress, sent down
there from year to year, commencing
in 1865, including three during the
last winter, constituting vast body
of testimony too great for any man to
read in his life time, and which is
concealed from the public world by
its enormous volume. But this is all
ignored by the credulous who accept
for the truth the pompous denials and
grandiloquent statements of politi
clans, and in many cases of the muir
derers and criminals themselves. Any
one at all familiar with the evidence
that has been taken in regard to the
condition of the South during the last
nine years must not only know that
the tales told were generally true. but
have reason to believe that the halt
has not been told But, say those
who have not the hardihood to deny
the truth. whatever may have taken
place in the South, the White Leag-
uers, the Kuklux, and other disturb
ers of the peace have now disbanded,
submitted to the laws, and henceforth
there will be peace and security for
all. What reasons have We to believe
that? Just now there is no induce
ment to cut throats, burn. whip, and
drive out Thele are no important
elections on hand in those States.
They are standing on their good be-
havior, and are anxious to impress the
people of the North with their peace
able and virtuous Intentions. But
the same men are there yet, animated
with the same spirit and purpose. and
ready to resort to the same means
whenever it becomes necessary to
achieve success. They were educated
in violence by slavery and the rebel
lion, by the fierce prejudice and con-
flict OF race. most of them profoundly
ignorant and at the mercy of reckless
and desperate leaders The Confed-
crate Democracy of the South consti-
tute the body and give vitality to the