National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-09-22

now. No amount of argument to show
that the crowning victory of the achieve
ments of the party the enfranchisement of
the blacks, is about TO be destroyed. seems
to arouse any fixed determination in the
North to keep the party true to its past
record. 1t is not denied that the Southern
Democrats are engaged in efforts to accom-
plish this destruction, and that in some
States and localities they have succeeded.
success has been attended by the most
revolutionary and bloody demonstrations
of hostility to the practical workings
of the war amendments to the Constitution.
When this fact is alluded to it is the fashion
to decry it as bloody-shirt exhibition, and
certain class of people turn deaf ear to
it. or encourage the Opposition in its ad-
verse criticisms upon the tendency of the
policy of the Administration. So true is
this that President Grant, in formal and
official manner, has been compelled to ad-
init the existence oil an inclination to de-
nounce interference by the General Gov
eminent in the affairs of the Southern
States. We are of the opinion, however,
that his use of words in this admission was
not fortunate. If he had explained simply
and plainly that the truth is persistently
withheld from the public regarding South
ern affairs, or, at best, only given to it in
garbled form, he would have described the
situation with more exactnsss. In other
words, we believe that the public would
have sustained him in any step he might
have taken in response to Governor Ames'
demand for aid if all the particulars leading
to that demand had been truthfully exposed.
And we further believe that with this
knowledge properly spread before the pub
lie the admission would be forced upon the
Tribune, not only that the original pur
poses of the party have not been accom-
plished. but that there are other questions,
aside from the two it mentions, before the
people.
Exactly how to accomplish the enlightea-
ment of the public regarding this matter is
the difficult problem that we are called
upon to solve. The telegraphic lines and
news agencies of the country are in the
hands of the Opposition, and the number
of truly independent journals, with suHi-
Gent boldness, intelligence and information
to speak advisedlY regarding the South, is
limited. Evidently the odds are against US.
We make this admission with the full
knowledge that it may be followed by q
dispiriting effect and that we may be
charged with dependency. But we do it
advisedly. We know that unless the North
is duly awakened from its condition of
lethargy or selfish absorption in the affairs
of It's own section, and fairly shocked into
due appreciation of the threatening South
elm aspect, there can be no safety for the
party as party, or for its Southern follow
ers as free and untrammeled partisans.
When the Administration, prompt as it
always has been to respond to the cries of
the innocent and defenseless for protection,
is forced to halt, it is time that we should
begin to think, and think seriously, of the
| future.
There is but one solution of this grave
difficulty. That solution rests with the
Southern Republicans themselves. Up to
this time they have made no concerted
effort to attract Northern attention to their
surroundings. They have never fought
the battle they have been capable of fight
ing in their own behalf. They have re-
manned quiet under the gravest misrepre-
sentation, have seen their comrades fall by
the assassin's bullet and heard the jests of
their foes over the graves of tn ose victims,
without uttering word of protest above
the muttered whispers which have found
their way into friendly ears alone. On &C.
| oasinn s,sNJ aIs-~ PIOrsd TnemsssrUs pe
capable of organizing Tor tne purpose Of
controlling the action of Congress, and are
now intent upon organizing for the control
of the next national convention. But mean
while they can aid themselves materially
by united effort to stem the tide of mis-
representation which threatens to and has
already partially engnlfed them. This may
cost both money and time; but it can be
done in an honest straightfor ward way
which will command respect and conf
dence. We do not mean by this that they
shall attempt anything like repetition of
the Chattanooga convention; but we insist
that the work Of exposing the truth, con-
templated by that body and never executed,
can and must now be effected by other
agencies. For example, in Mississippi
no authentic and complete account
of the Clinton massacre has been
given to the public, and while the accounts
printed in THE NATIONAL. REPUBLICAN
have been satisfactory in the main, much
remains to be explained regarding that af-
fair which would not only be of general
interest," but serve to accomplish the result
we speak of. The State committee of the
party can do this, and similar committees
in other States can do the same. Addresses
should be prepared for the readers of North
ern newspapers without delay, and when it
Ii found to be impossible to secure their
publication in those newspapersthey should
be circulated as documents of a political
kind are always circulated. 1t will not do
to urge as an excuse for not complying with
this suggestion that thei active politicians
of the several States interested aYetoo busy,
nor will it do to say that the effect of such
an organized effort may be discounted by
the influence of the Opposition press. The
work must be done, no matter what obsta-
cles are in the way, and it must be done
without delay. 1t will be work in the in
terest of truth and good government That
alone will be sufficient argument to COM
mend it to public favor. A few thousand
dollars spent in this way-in securing the
preparation, publication and distribution of
such documents-would be money well
spent in good cause.-The dissemination of
truth, and the consequent refutation of
falsehood.