Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-07-08
The Question Of 20.

But the reasons for opposing
the Democratic party are national rather
than local. They concern the spirit and
conduct OF the General Government in re-
gard to the vital question Of our political
situation. No man who takes time to
think OF the subject can suppose that the
tremendous conflict of the last half century
upon the question of slavery which was
not question of labor only, but Of polit.
lcal convictions and of social philosophy,
could end in a long and terrible war that
destroyed whole industrial system and
radically and totally changed political and
social relations without leaving situa.
ton which is not settled because of what
Is called reconstruction. 1t docs not fol-
low that everything is precisely as it was
before, with the exception of slavery,
merely because there are no armies
IN the field, and because the States
have resumed their relations in the
Union. Reconstruction is not completed,
as we sometimes hear asserted, because in
the nature or things 10 is a very gradual
process. Certainly the Democratic party
Is not strong among the whites OF the
Southern States because it is the partvo
union, of liberty and equal rights, but be-
cause it is known to be hostile to the par
ty that maintained the Union and pro-
claimed freedom and established Justice
And with equal certainty the Republican
party is not opposed by the same class be-
cause OF its alleged corruptions but be-
cause of what is called its unconstitutional
exercise of power, the proof being its pro-
lection Of the colored class. Ii this is So
and as u general statement it is undenahle
If the policy OF reconstruction, as the
most intelligent of the Southern Demo
cratic journals concede, is not accepted"
but is merely acquicsced in under protest,
then the hostile spirit remains and recon
struction is still but formal and is in 10
proper sense completed.
1t is not surprising that this should be
so. II is only surprising that anyone
should suppose that it is not 80, 1t would
be a most serious mistake to enter upon
the election OF 1876 with the theory that
there is the same kind Of homogsncity in
the Union that there is in the State of New
York, and that the only question at stake
is one of persons, and of the economical
administration OF government in which
all agree. 1t would be as if the English
Wings in the beginning of the eighteenth
century had supposed that because the
Jacobites were not in arms they were
friendly to the revolution and the new dy-
nasty. The Democratic party, as we have
often said will necessarily be controlled
by its strongest element, and that element
is not composed OF the theorists Of North
ern newspapers, but of the Southern lead
ers, who have a great and substantial pur-
pose to achieve That purpose is not re-
newal of the rebellion nor an attempt to
dissolve the Union, but it is 10 perpeX and
defeat the policy of equal rights; to SUBJ
ordinate the colored citizens to the white,
and TO this end to render the amendments
nugatory by obtaining control OF the Ma
tlonal Government; by refusing To pass
necessary laws or TO execute those which
are already passed; by repeating what
is called unconstitutional legislation; by
changing the Constitutions OF the States,
and making the late slave States a political
unit against the general policy known as
Republican. This is the purpose of lead.
ers who have no especial affection for the
Union nor any strong faith in republican
government; who are, many of them, intel.
iigent and proud, but who are Americans
mainly in name and by birth. not by pro.
found conviction Their predecessors.
whose theories and purposes they have in
herited, were accomplished politicians,
who studied men and were trained in pub.
lie affairs. They long controlled the GtC.
eminent through the Democratic party
and when they thought they could control
it no longer they attempted to destroy it
Many of them still survive, and they have
educated those who are to succeed them
These leaders are very patient and wary
They believe that the people of the North
ern states have no real sympathy for the
colored race; that they are essentially
traders, mercenary and timid that they
can be easily tatigued, and readily divided
under plausible preteXts of Cancellation:
and these leaders hope by apparent defer
encc To the wishes OF their allies in this
part OF the country TO regain the ascen
dency which they lost fifteen years ago.
This is the spirit and the purpose which,
under cover of the Democratic charges of
corruption and unconstitutionality against
the Republican Administration, hopes to
return TO power in 1876. The contest is
really one of vital American principles and
of political progress, 1t is especially not
one of men, but of tendencies and meas
ureS The actual situation, not its theo-
retical aspects, demands the most careful
reelection of every good citizen. We freed
the slaves They had been the victims of
system which for generations had im-
bruted thun They had no habits Of self.
help; they had no hope, no ambition, NJ
relations 10 society; they were carefully
held in abicct dependence. Freed 10y Il
great war, they were left without property,
without education, without skill, without
habits of industry, without knowledge of
affairs, OF intercourse, of rights, and
among an imperiouS master class,
who saw IN the freedom OF their
slaves the memorial of their own
humiliation and defeat. The instant
the National Government under Andrew
johnson BETRAYED and deserted the ReIub-