The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-09-01


tonly to test the amount Of strain whic
human society can bear.
T Not the National Democracy only, nc
the Southern Conservatives only, but
large section of the Republican party
without any exceptional sympathy 70
the South, consisting of men of the yer
best class, feel this condition Of thing
D. 10 be reproacb TO American statesman
ship. [ speak of the Liberal Republi
: cans, or as they style themselves, indie
I pendent Voters" The position of thi
: section of the Republican party is 0
; the highest Importance TO tn
! whole country, but especially to US
They oppose the Republican party unde
: its present leadership, because it ha
made government mere system Of re
wards and punishments for party servic,
and disservice, regardless Of tn,
public service, because of its gross cor
ruption and because of its gross misman
agement of Southern affairs. | think
state their attitude correctly.
Now we oppose the Republican party
here and at Washington precisely for the
same reasons, and we have no other
issue. This has swallowed up all
others. We have the faith that honest
and capable government will cure our
I grievances. My conviction is that at
this juncEnre the Southern people who
agree with these Republicans on these
issues, ought to invite union with them,
and united with them cooperate with the
National Democratic party henceforth
l have more faith in this combination
than in any other. By this union
l mean a union for all purposes, re-
sponsibihties and honors A union with
the Democratic party only, will give rise
to suspicion which, though unfounded,
will be cherished. If we would have a
liberal and permanent policy as respects
ourselves, in a National administration,
we must have the assent of a majority of
the Northern people. 1t is needless to
give the reason, We all understand it.
We can obtain that majority by the aid
o. the Liberal Republicans only. All
parties trust them, and, speaking for
myself, and putting the matter forward
as a suggestion, / think it would be at
once graceful as well as wise step, if
the Southern representatives in the Ma
tional Convention would urge the recog-
milton Of the Liberal Republicans as an
| element of the combination for the cam
paign Of 1876; not recognition at the
polls only, but a recognition which will
carry with it the Acknowledgements Of a
right to share in the honors as well
as the responsibilities of the administers
ton which by their aid we hope to place
/ in power. | am sure any party or any
! com binaiiOn will be strengthened and
enriched by their accession. 1t appears
to me to be highly desirable that they
| should take part in any National admin
istration, so far as we are concerned, and
SO far as the whole country is concerned.
At time when we were in despair, when
Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama (tO
say nothing of our own peril, were about
to be subjected to military rule, and their
governments to be upset or suspended,
the active interposition of the Liberal
Republicans actually averted the danger.
Who is there here that does not feel that
he is more secure in his rights because
of the firm attitude of these Republi-
cans?
This section of the Republican party
is powerful in influence and numbers.
1t includes in It's ranks the acknowledged
head of the most powerful of the lay
professions of the United States-William
M. Evarts. 1t includes one Of the wisest,
purest and NEST eloquent statesman of his
time-Carl Schurz. 1t includes that states
man and diplomatist, the distinguished
head of the illustrious family of Adams.
Its principles and policy are expounded
and enforced by that mary elous pro-
duct of modern free thought, a great
newspaper-yes, the greatest newspaper
on this continent. There is not true
man in the South who will not gratefully
remember the New York Tribune to the
end of his life. 1t is difficult to overes-
innate the debt we owe to that powerful
Journal In the hour of our sore distress
it was as the 90 shadow of great rock in
weary land. y
T The North is reluctant to trust the set
Element of the Southern question to the
Democratic party, and the Southern
Conservatives are unwilling to trust the
South hating party, lead by such men as
Morton, of Indiana. Both are willing
to trust it to the Liberal Republicans. 1t
does seem to me that the task has legiti-
mately devolved upon them and no
more tempting field was ever offered to
liberal, patriotic ambition. To reconcile
and nationalize the South, to lead it out
of the cal de sac of sectionalism, into the
broad stream of national life, to give it
constitutional footing in the Union, to
restore peace, good will and confidence
between the members of this great family
of States, will lay the solid and durable
foundation of a party which will surely
win and long retain the hearts of the
American people This combination will
give us an impartial administration. We
want no more, for that will be followed
by better government here.
For one long to see a government at
Washington and government here, to-
ward which can feel the genuine senti-
ment of reverence and respect. 1t is a
/ dreary life We lead here, with a National
government ever suspicious and ever
! frowning, imperious and hostile, and a
/ home government feeble, furtive, false
/ and fraudulent Under such influences
| the feeling of patriotism must die out
amongst us, and this will accomplish the
ruin of a noble population. You might
as we'll destroy the sentiment of religion
as the sentiment of patriotism, for human
character is a deformity if either be
wanting.
There can be no objection to this over
( ture on our part we are as near TO the
/ Liberal Republicans as we are to Gov.
ernor Tilden and the New York Democ-
racy, so far as / can see, unless We put
into the estimate the fact that one was
anti-slavery before the war, and the other
was not, and one favored the reconstruc-
ton laws, and the other opposed them.
They both preferred war to the destruc-
ton of the Union. But We would be
| blind to make any such distinction. We
are in new world. We are moving on