Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-03-02
The Bloody Shirt


The pres, often misrepresents the actu-
al sta alton by insisting that a certain pub
lie opinion exists which i wholly imagiu-
airy. but the existence of which the papers
may sincerely desire. Nothing Is easier
than co- newspaper writer to state his
owa wishes a. public opinion. We CON
staatly read in the papers that 1.-The peo-
pie" are all going this way or that. But
every man corrects the assertion by his
personal knowledge OF his neig hbOrs opH-
ions. rhus II might be supposed. il there
We're no other source Of knowledge Khan
the papers. That ''ihe bloody shirt" was
both au obsolete and a wicked deiusion:
tina: there were not and never had been
any "ouIra-es" upon the colored people
ia the Southern States; that nothing could
well be more beautiful than the frAternal
relations which exist setween the races
that those who have been educated to be-
lieve the black man the son Of cursed
race, designed by Heaven TO be tine slave
OF the white. have Suddenly changed their
minds. and are now anxious 10 secure 10
IAN every equality. especially upon iuries
ii Georgia; and that anybody in this Cen.
tenual year-,hiS hunGreut I'll year since tlt,
Declaration, whose great doctrine we have
so sedulously respected in this country
who does not condne himself 10 rejoicing
over our happy reunion, but locks 10 see
the facts. i All apostle of hate, delighted
10 da5be his fingers in the gore OF the
bloody shirt which he wichedy shakes in
the panied eyes OF peaceful brethren. Yet
every man knows that the newspapers 90
not represent pablic opinion upon this sub
Ject. Here Is very general convctio
that the oIienses aud the system OF HOSTILE
T. typtied by the bloody shirt are very
positive and ghastlv facts. which 10 states
man and 10 patriot can safely disregard.
l. does not necessarily fellow that force
Laws, - they are called, are desirable
laws are matters of expediency; but it does
follow that the people should be watchful
aad alert TO maintain what they won in the
war.
The papers which suppose that there is
no wide and deep interest in such facts as
Mr.. Morton states in his late speech are
wholly mistaken. They are not new, in
d eed, but they are not the less true. The
Nation remarks that nobody has any faith
il the sincerity Of anything that Mr.. Nor
ton says. But. so far as that is concerned
Mr. Morton does not ask for belief because
of his own assertion. In his receut speech
he cites official reports. And when, leay-
ing details. he speaks as follows OF GER
tain political policy, he says what vast
numbers OF people believe. not because OF
his assertion. but of their own observation
of events and knowledge OF history and
human nature.
an many of the Southern States the pol
ley IS openly avowed Of Selling all power
into The hands of the white race. and de-
priying the colored people oftheir political
and civil rights. With this policy, common
" known as the white line, Ii is believed the /
Democracy symapthize in every Southern
state. and fear 10 4 considerable extent
in the Northern States. State after State /
has been conquered from the majority .
by violence, AMI we are no longer left in .
doubt a 10 the purpose thus 10 establish a .
solid South in the Interest of the Demo- /
cratic party, aud when they shall have OBJ .
tanned the control of the National Govern I
meut. 10 reconstruct the Southern States /
upon the white mans basis. and 10 destroy .
the Republican party BY making it impossi- 4
bic Tor men of Republican principles TO 4
enjoy and express their opinions in peace /
and safety. Then. as before the rebellion. /
the Republican party will be banished 1
from the South, and il will be to them as !.
foreign country. When we consider how /
fearfully rapid the progress has been In /
that direction even under Republican ad- /
ministration. We can understand how it /
might be accelerated and consummated
with q Democratic President, elected chief /
~ by the Southern Democracy. and neces- I,
sarily sympsthiZlng with them in their as (
pratiOn. Lest il be said that | do injus-
tice to the Northern Democracy. | beg I
leave to remind the Senate that before the /
war the Northern Democracy not only 4
connivtd at the expressions upon the Re- /
publican party and its exclusion from the 1
southern States. but made merry over and /
defended the outrages committed in the .
South upon AbolitiOnsts; and that now 4
and ever since the war the Democratic 1
party either deny, justify, or excuse the /
dreadful atrocities csmmitted upon the |
white and black Republicans in the South. /
ern States"
We add an extract from a Washington
letter of the Springfield Republicans
new spaper which cannot be accused of
fondness for shaking the bloody shirt, bat
whose correspondent confirms the words of
Mr.. Mortca and the feeling of the intelll-
gent North
II protest. however. against the idea
that the issues OF the war cannot be re-
opened for discussion. This is 10 paddock
the lips. to stife discussion. Besides, here
is the South expecting to govern the coun-
rrv through its Northern allies, the Demo-
Gratis. 1t becomes absolutely necessary to
show the people what manner of men these
are, what style Of civilization they believe
in Its of vital importance that men Of |
rhe North. who are humane and refined,
should see the 'Confederates' as they are.
Tbey still despise the negro, they still de-
feni the eruelties of the war-some OF them
:, east; in short, they are totally unit to
rule the country. How is this shown bet
er than BY the speeches of men like Ben
HIP"