The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-02-23
The Southerners' address.

The Sentinel has more than once, hitherto,
referred to the want of able leadership in
both OF the great political parties, but it is
becoming clearer day by day, that while one
organization is rapidly lapsing into chaotic
confusion, the other is slowly gather
ing its scattered forces into a coz
centrated and powerful whole. The re-
publican part has had great leaders, and
under their guidance has wrought great
things; but they are gone and the members of
the party are left like sheep without a shep-
herd. The democracy has for years had
neither policy nor leadership, but from un-
seen sources the spirit of hope, courage and
intelligence seems to have been breathed
into It, informing it with strange vitality
In the republican organization the
forces of death are at work and dissolution
and destruction seem inevitable. In the
democratic organization the forces of life
are at work aud a great party is slowly
evolving from the political confusion that
has prevailed for the past three years.
The proof of the tendencies of the two
parties is legible in every one of their re-
cent acts 1t is not too strong
an assertion TO say that the
administration has failed to make a single
wise or polite movement since the re-
election of Gen. Grant. Under the reaction
caused by their defeat the liberal re
publicans might have been won back very
readily to the allegiance which they had re-
nounced, and the democracy might
have been shattered with one
or two judicious strokes. Strange
to say, however. everything OBJ
noxious in the party's conduct
was defended and palliated, every past
scheme of iniquity was pushed on to still
further fruition in wrong. There was no
reform in the management of public BUSH
ness. There was no effort to secure tothe
South fair and peaceful prosperity. There
was no wise precautlon taken to preserve
financial stability. The election was
mistaken for an Endorsement of all
the hlunders and villiainies of the adj
ministration, and the men in power went
on elated In the repetition of blunders and
yillainies. The natural result has been that
old deserters were confirmed in the wisdom
of their desertion, and dissension and in
of the organization. The party was left
without policy in regard to temperance,
without policy in regard to money, with
out policy in regard to commerce, without
policy in regard to the reconstructed
states. And yet upon all OF these matters it
had to act continually. The miserable record
of its crimes and follies In attempting such
action, down to the last stortive endeavor to
unite on a coercion bill, is hardly worth re
viewing. The opposition, on other hand
after series of political errors. crowned
by the grand mistake made at Gin
cinnati in 1872, seems to have
come "through night to light" Its course
for the past two years has been marked with
extreme good sense. Able and honest men
have came forward and taken Office in dit
ferent localities, and in nearly all cases
sound political principles have been enun-
| ciated.
Bat in the South. especially. the greatest
triumphs have been achieved. The men
of that section, schooled in many
misfortunes, have learned exactly
what policy it is best to pursue
in order to bring their people into line with
the Northern opposition. Aware that their
alliance has been a weakness to the democ-
racy, they have endeavored, by self-restraint
and caution, to remove every ground OF
scandal from their course. The keenness
and wisdom with which they have gained
control of the state government in Arkansas
! is stroke of political strategy worthy oi
careful consideration, while the ever varying
: readiness of invention and never falterine
courage with which they have carried on
r the struggle in Louisiana is still moro adj
mirable. The republicans have been playing
for the control of the South and at the sam.
, time aiming at retaining the North by The
: old cry of Southern ruffianism. This has
: been the fatal error in their scheme, as