, 1876-10-09
THE M1sTAKE OF THE SOUTH,

under It's shadow into political antagonism
with all those who were not defenders of
slavery. In this way the "Solid South be- |
came a1rayed against the North, and evont-
ually forced tho country into opposing Sec
tionH. In the abolition Of slavery ono Of the
hopos and expectations was TINT tho cause Of
sectional parties having been removed, there
after the politics Of the country would find
r,artioa divided upon some other than geo.
graphical inoa The War left tho popula-
ton Of tho South divided politically. The
whites, which vcre in tho majority, wero
divided between tho Republican and opposi-
tion parties, and the colored people, ~ q
whole, were Republicans. A large body Of
the whites were not Democrats and had
never been Democrats. Slavery being abol-
ishcd, these non-Democratio whites were
prepared to unite upon various issues with
my party in opposition to the DEM
ocratio party. For some years these
persons voted with the Republicans,
snd the latter party was in q
minority in several States. But the old
Rebel spirit aud the old anti-negro preju-
dices were too strong Mammal labor was
pronounced degrading; and tho negroes de-
manded wages for labor which they had for
a century rendered as duty they owed to
their owners. These negroes could not bo
reduced to involuntary labor 30 long as they
continued to be treemen, and acting with
the political party in power. The business
Of coercion md terrorism was begun, and
eventually tho whole white population, e1-
copt fow persons of Northern BIRTH, wero
forced into the white mans party. No
Republicans without becoming social out
Gust, excluded FROM commercial intercourse
mud treated as worso than q negro. Having
forced tho whites into IN almost unanimous
hostility TO the negro, the work Of terrorism
was then directed against the negro to forco
him to abandon politics. Wheroyor the TO-
publicaus were in q minority, as in South
Csrolina md AIisaissirpi, the white line
ia politics was drawn by forco. Tho pistol,
the bowie-kuife, shotgun, aud rifle, the lash,
tho torch, md tho bludgcon, werc brought into
use. The murder and assassination Of ne
groos WIS lnado popular pastimo. The ne
gtoos have been taught in ali these Re-
publican Statos that tho only safety
they Gun hope for is to abstain from
politics or voto tho Democratic ticket. This
lesson has been improved by the riAo and
the ropo, negro families have been subjected
to midnight visitation, and to tho murder OF
some Of the membera, aud no negro is per-
,nitted to speak OF politics unler penalty OF
being ahot on the spot. Tho great end
sought is Ito establishment Of "Solid
South: to have the sixteen Southern States
united politically against the North To have
tho sixteen Southern States vote solidly Us
"the South In behalf OF tbs Democratic
party, aud, il successful with tho aid Of a
fow Northern States, have tho Government
pass under tho political controlof the Solid
South.
Tho organization Of sixteen 6tates into a
sectional party on tho sola issue OF Rntagon-
lam to tho political freedom Of tho negroes,
and tho completion Of that solidarity OF the
ex-slayeholding statos, by ncans Of murder
and other barbarities that rival those prae-
ticed by tho Turks upon tho Christians, Is q
revival OF scctiona1istn In form moro re-
pulsive than oven that which existed before
the War. A "Solid South invites and CON-
pela solid North, and ont OF such division
Of the people there can come nothing but
evil.
| The successful ginning Of the control Of
the Government through tho voto Of Solid
South, and by tho Use Of violence upon tho
weaker class OF tho poople Of TINT section,
will bo q calamity to the South. 1t Gun have
but ono outcome. It will arouse the whole
American people from tho confidence In
which they have welcomed back these ex-
Rebels, aud will provoke such storm thai
tho temporary triumph Of solid aectionalisln
will bo extremely shortlivod; aud In the res
cue Of the Government from such hand.
the rule OF tho shotgun in politics will bs
effeo!ually e1tinguished forever, at whatever
1nay DO tho cost needed for that purpose.
The defeat OF T'11nKA at the coming eloc
ton will bo q blessing to the South. It vii
explode the policy Of a Solid South; 1t vii
teach those people that their material inter
esta, their peace and prosperity, rest In
corlIal afl!iatiou with tho people Of th
North. Tho North has It's Democrats and 1t
Republicans, aud there IL no astompt hero t
extinguish either party by the shotgun o
tho rifle. There are tens Of Thousands @
! persons Of foreign birth, comparative stzan
! gcra, who are nsturalized and added to ou
Q yoting population annually, but no sttemp
t Is nude by violence, or by intimidation O
:. any kind, TO compel these to vote with an
: political party. The South must learn tha
r tAs Northern people never have, and neya
o will submit to have, elections decided by vic
j. lence, nor by compelling neu to abssai
r from voting, Or voting particular way, uu
der the penalty Of being slaughtered b.
/ Wholesale. That practice may prevail /
t Mexico and other spanish-Au.srican States
= but can never be tolerated. In the Unite
II States, aud the obtaining possession Of Il