National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-02-20
A REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT FOR AR
KANSAS.

| liCan, to represent and execute the VIII OF
the majority of the people. In consonance
with these professions it attempted at the
close of the war to rehabilitate the seeding
or rebellious States by the Inauguration of
| State governments republican in form, "
such as are guaranteed to them by the Con-
stitution OF the United States. In this at
tempt the party met with a tolerable sue
cess, although it was opposed at almost
every step by the most intelligent or edu-
Gated classes of the Southern people, many
of whom, however, were unable to &C.
lively participate in political affairs, on &C
count of Acknowledgement But the thir-
teentb, fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments having been ratified and acquiesced
in, and State constitutions conforming to
them in spirit having been adopted in the
several States, it was believed that the
wealthy classes would preserve the com
pact in letter and spirit if their disabilities
were removed and they were allowed to
participate in the government of their
States and the development of their varied
resources. 1t was argued, with great
FEASIBILITY, that selfinterest would compel
this class to foster the labor of their Sec
tions in every possible manner.
They had already extended invitations
to the labor of all portions of Northern Eu-
rope to come and till the fertile soils Of
their genial climate. They had formed
immigration associations in nearly every
State, for the avowed purpose of encourag-
.ro- 60 oyI Narfhar1 labor m old in tho
development of their vast agricultural and
mineral resources. The lands of the South
were in such few hands, in the shape Of
immense plantations and huge grants Of
unimproved lands, that it was patent to
every sane and practical mind that the taxes
would soon impoverish the holders if they
were allowed to remain in an unproductive
State. 1t was so obviously the interest Of
the owners to foster, cherish, educate and
protect the labor Of the country, in order
that it in turn might improve the produc-
tons and value Of the real estate of the pro-
prietors, that Congress deemed 1t perfectly
safe to remove the disabilities of these gen.
tlemen and trust TO their parole Of honor
and personal interests 10 carry out the re-
publican forms of government which had
been innugurated and accepted. 1t Is well
known that these States were admitted TO
representation In Congress under these new
constitutions by nets which provided TINT
their fundamental principles regarding
slavery and tho education and citizenship
Of OK slaves should not be changed.
II was upon substantially such eondI.
lions that representation In Congress and
the removal Of disabilities were accorded.
II was upon these terms that tho privileges
and ImmuntIes of citizenship were nc.
cepted by DISTINGUISHED persons How
have they been complied witty Have
these re-enfranchised persons placed them
selves at the head of the laboTers for whose
welfare they profess to have such keen in
terest, and upon whose good behavior so
largely depends their own prosperity, and
by their superior education and means
guided them into the paths of political
wisdom? No; not at all. They have, on
the contrary, arrayed themselves in opposi-
ton to the labor interests of their section,
both politically and practically. They
udNC bldl lCu Oub ny dlLlldtluS Win VI VI
ganizing parties opposed to labor interests
in politics, and going upon crusades of op-
preston against labor. They have said
you must vote our ticket or starve. They
have, by crushing labor, bitten off their
own noses to spite their faces, to use
homely adage. And now their Senators
rise in Congress and plead the poverty of
their people. Why they might have
been rich if they had encouraged
their labor instead of quarreling with it.
Ten cotton crops would have set them on
their feet if they bad expended half the
time and ingenuity in its production and
sale which they have devoted to the ami
hilation of the Republican party and its
policy. There is no more profitable crop
in the world, and no spot on the face of the
earth where it grows so luxuriantly and
yields so generously as in our Southern
States, when it is well titled and cared for.
But the trouble with our Southern friends
was, that they hated the party which for
gave them with such a genuine hatred that
they would not let even their servants vote
the ticket. They demanded that they
should change their politics as they would
their coats or they would have no cotton of
their tilling. This was an unreasonable
demand. The ex-slsve knew that he owed
his liberty and enfranchisement and right
to an education to that political party which
he was called upon to quit. He declined
TO leaveit. He knew that his old master
would never of his own free will have &C
corded him these privileges and rights. He
had refused to do so for upwards of a hun
bred years, and had gone along riveting his
chains of servitude and ignorance more
closely each year. Was it reasonable to
suppose that these poor people, who had
Just begun to taste the sweets of freedom
and education and self-government, would
confide their interests to the hands of their
old masters and cast their votes for the old
Democratic party at their behests, with
such antecedents as they both had to pre-
sent as friends of the slave and the freed
man? OF course not. 1t would have been
a miracle of human nature.
Democrats of Arkansas have revolu-
tionized the State government, under
which the State was admitted to repre-
sentation in Congress, as we have re
peatedly shown, in utter violation of the
fundamental law of the State and of the
United States. The present so-called gov
eminent which Mr.. Garland wields is not
republican in form, nor was it formed by
republican method. By it and the laws
which may be constitutiOnally passed in
pursuance of it the labor of Arkansas may
be at once reduced to state of peonage.
The true, legitimate government was over
turned in night as it were, by coup
detat, through the base treachery of a