Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-12-14
NdTERI4L PECOKPENSE FOR TIE
CDTTTH

MATERIAL REC0KPENSE F0R TIE
SOUTH.
The distribution of the offices and pat
ronage in the control of the House major
ity furnishes practical demonstration of
the fact that the Confederate rebels are
the ruling element in the democratic party
and will assert their power to the utter
most. We see men who were good Union
soldiers turned out of office to make room
for men who served the cause of rebellion.
Only a Bourbon of the straitest kind can
be Speaker. For Chaplain they must have
man who refused to pray for the Presi-
dent of the United States aud was obliged
to leave Connecticut because of his intense
hatred TO the Union cause. This, how
ever, is only the beginning-opiy the fore
shadowing Of what is to be if the democ-
racy gain control of the government.
The rush of Southerners to Washington
for Office and patronage, although the
democrats have only what attaches to the
House organization, has been immense,
and loud will be the calls of the South for
recompense for the Affections of that Sec
ton brought on by its own causeless and
wicked rebellion. Even the independent
and democratic newspapers make this APP
parent. The following extract from the
Washington correspondence of the Spring
field Republican reveals a glimpse Of the
situation at Washington:
1t makes one little sick to see the crowds of
offce-seekers in and about the House wing of the
Capitol. Old democrats that saw here 20 years
ago, and who supposed were dead and buried
long ago, are around, spry as crickets, and OF
course every one Of them wants an office. Not
one of the old employees will stay, the hunger for
place is SO intense among the democrats. And
the most of those old "Confeds" will be loyal
corn-crib. They will lick the hand that feeds
them-so long as it really feeds them In 1867
81 the trouble was that the government went into
the hands of their opponents, and so they re-
belled. The southern democrats will get taste
OF the U. S. provender and it will strengthen their
loyalty amazingly-see If it doesn't.
This is the language of a paper opposed
to the republican party. What picture
it presents Of the "old Confeds," hunger
ing and thirsting to get their noses into
the public crib. Other testimony also Of
the greed and intentions of the "Confeds"
to obtain material recompense for their
losses occasioned by the rebellion is found
in the following paragraph from that lead
ing democratic paper, the New York
World. Its correspondent at Washington
says:
One Of the most impressive features Of the pres
ent gathering ofCongress Is the presence Of South
efn members and their Southern friends. The
warm Southern grasp of the hand, the charming
Southern accent, and the impulsve Southern man
ner, give new zest to Washington life to one
who has not been here since the war. All the born
Southerners who come here take an interest now
in nat ional affairs that might astonish some who
remember the bitterness Of few years ago They
hare resolred to save themselves if possible from
the reign of the caipet-baggers and TO urge GER
TAIN CLAIMS Of their own upon the attention
Of the National Government They hare been im-
porerished so long that they think il is time for
them to apply for SOME MATERIAL RECON-
PENSE. They will ask for an appropriation for
the Texas Pacific Railroad, one for the improve
ment Of the Mississippi levees, and one for the
James River and Kanawha Canal But some OF
the requests Of Representative from part Of the
country which has been so long shut out from all
the countrys common privileges ARE ENTI-
tiled TO CONSIDERATION, and will here.
after review with care their merits.
II having only control of tn" House Or
ganization will cause such swarm of
"Confeds'' TO come up from the South in
pursuit OF Office and in favor of great
schemes for material recompense," we
can Imagine what an immense caravan of
beggars and plunderers would come down
upon Washington were a democratic
President to be elected while there is the
shadow OF a possibility that the immense
claims which they hold in allegiance, those
for slaves emancipated and losses by the
war, win be paid.
The democratic papers in the. Northern
States ridiculed the idea when mentioned
in republican papers that the South
would demand in case the democracy got
the reins of government in their hands re-
endorsement from the national treasury
for the less of their slaves and ex-
penses incurred in the war. and the pen
sioning of rebel soldiers equally with