New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-10-03
THR SOLID SOUTH.

present presidential campaign is the
boastful claim that the South will
50 solid for Tilden. The claim is
not based upon the numerical strength
Of Democratic voters, but upon the
ability and disposition of Southern
Democrats to win local victories by
the intimidation of Republicans. The
argument is that if Mississippi, with .
resident Republican majority Of thirty
thousand, can be SO manipulated by
Democrats as to bulldoze her lawful
Governor out of Office, house and home,
and elect a Democratic ticket by allow
ing but few Republicans to vote, then
| other Southern States can be treated in
the same manner until the South is .
solid Confederate Democracy, opposed to
the North and West as in the rebellion.
A division of minds on political issues
is not bad thing. Good men will be
Republicans, and evil men, in opposition,
will be in their proper places. Discus.
sions of popular questions educate the
people in political economy. There
should always be enough differing opin-
ions to promote rational discussion of
the merits of men and measures. One
man may vote one way, and his neighbor
vote another way, as suits the opinions of
each, and the best or worst candidate
would win, according to the intelligence
of the community and the honesty
of the voters. This is Republican
doctrine, and to suffer such an elec-
ton is the only way in which true
expression of the people at the polls can
be obtained. But the bulldozer says,
my neighbor shall vote as l vote or I
will kill him." Another says, ''The new
conner who has brought money here and
made home in this parish, shall vote as
I vote, or will ostracise him, and run
him back to his Western or Yankee peo-
ple." That is Democratic doctrine, and
upon that plan the campaign in this and
adjoining States is being conducted, in the
interest of the Confederate Democracy,
though to the great injury of the internal
prosperity and progress of the States.
Men who keep corner groceries, Texas
cattle thieves, the States of Delaware,
Oregon or New Jersey may be Democratic
without danger to the general government
W. ho-o chovvr <hok I;r;c;o~o rs IND;
vidual opinions is natural, right and
beautiful. But Democratic power, based
on geographical division of the United
States, is fearful thing. There would be
danger even if the North and West were
in solid Democratic league against Re-
publican South. It would be better to
have States distinguished politically as
they are divided by colors on map. but
the color lines are all at the South. By
Democracy the South is to be divided from
the North and West precisely as it
was by secession and rebellion. Bets are
freely offered in New York that Tilden
will not carry single one of the States
which were known as free States before
the emancipation proclamation, Oregon
being excepted from some offers. The
Confederate brigadiers in Congress tell us
that the remaining States, those which
seeded from the Union and joined in the
will solidly support Tilden as
they solidly supported Jefferson Davis,
their last President Rebellion against
the United States was of Democratic
origin, bred at the South. Jerry Black |
argues at length that there would
have been no war if there had been
no Northern opposition to the will of
the Democratic South. In one sense
Jerry is right. But if there had been no
such Northern opposition, there would
have been left no United States govern
ment, and Jerry is wrong to apologize for
old crimes or encourage new rebellion.
The spirit of intolerance which marks |
Southern Democracy to-day is the same
IS that which fostered treason and made |
:ebellion and secession real and for
nidable thing. As the Mississippi or
Louisiana Democrat says to his Repub-
lean neighbor: "Vote my ticket, or be
lilled," so said the Democratic South to
he Republican North in 1860. But our
country had become too enlightened and
lnmane in majority to remain
Democratic. A President was elected
7ho had considered and acknowledged
hat men of all creeds and colors are en-
tiled to the same political rights, and the
old South few to arms and commenced
be killing of Northern men. The first
Inion soldier who was killed on his way
, the defense of his country was killed
/ the streets of Baltimore by the rebels
that city. What lesson has Baltimore
+ the solid South learned from the war?
o-day the Baltimore Gazette, the lead
1g Southern exponent of the Tilden
octrine of new Confederacy, urges the
eople of Maryland to meet force
18th force, and to show fight if
nited States troops dare to come
Maryland, my Maryland" to
rotect Republican voters at the polls.
he solid South is regarded with alarm
= the ex-soldiers of the Union. A new
nd political Confederacy has been formed
4 the ruins of the old occupying the
me territory, and there is danger that
le principles established by an aggres-
We war and the death of rebellion in