National Republican., 1876-09-18
is THE SOUTH PERsECUTED!

a Sunday paper, speaking of the death
Of r. Barnwell Rhett, sr., says:
Lone by one of the disciples of secession are
disappearing from the arena. A new genera
ton is growing up in the South, who do not
affiliate with the exploded doctrine Of the
State Rights fathers. Are we going to perse-
cute the innocent for the sins of the guilty,
who are dead or dying, or are we going to in
vite them to harmonic with the living and
bury the discordant past in united present
and happy future .'
1t is true the disciples of secession, as
that term may have been understood fifteen
years since, are one by one disappearing.
1t is true that "a new generation is grow
ing up in the South, who do not affil-
" late with the exploded doctrine of the
State Rights fathers"
Why do not the present generation Of
whites in the South affiliate" with the
doctrines of secession? Is it because they
are any the less tainted with the poison
which maddened the brains and nerved the
arms of their fathers for the bloody work
they did? By no means. 1t is because,
having seen the failure of the means their
fathers used, they believe they have found
a surer method of obtaining their objects
than secession. They remember that for
many years the alliance between the South
ern oligsrchy and the Northern doughfaces
enabled the former to shape and direct the
government and policy of the nation. They
trusted the Democrats of the North to as
sist them in their rebellion, and the failure
Of the Northern Democrats to do so effectu-
ally was rather due to the tremendous
pressure of the patriotism of Northern Re-
publicans than 10 any disInclination of
Northern Democrats to aid in treason.
Southern Democrats are slow to learn; but
they have learned that it is safer to expect
the countenance and aid of Northern Dem
ocrats in the Union than out of it, and they
believe they will yet be able to dictate
the national policy so soon as such man
as Tilden seats himself in the Presidential
chair. Their precipitancy and madness
In 1861 cost them the loss of their slaves
and their supremacy in the National Gov
eminent. They may not expect the resto
ration OF their slave system, just as it was,
but they still hope to be placed in posi-
ton where minority of white votes in the
South may exercise domination over ma
jority of the people of that section, and
when their influence in the councils of the
nation may avail, with the aid of minority
of Northern votes, to command supremacy
in the National policy. This is the key to
their present action. 1t remains with the
men of the North, the loyal men who
fought the battles for the defense of the
National existence, and with their loyal
sons, to determine in the coming election
whether this new and more dangerous plot
shall succeed. Let it succeed, and the
fruits of the most glorious struggle in the
history of modern times shall be ashes on
the palate.
The men and women who led in the
work Of secession and rebellion are disap-
pearing. But the spawn of the reptiles
who attacked civilization when they at
tempted the destruction of the Union has
spread over the whole South. While the
fathers we're engaged at the front in their
deadly work, the mothers were nursing sons
with milk whose virus was as deadly in