Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-10-26
Schurz on q Solid South.

In his speech at Massillon, O., Oct,
5, Sen. Schurz spoke of a solid South
and the result of Democratic victo.
ry as follows:
The effort on the part of Southern
and Northern Democrats to make
the South partisan unit once more,
a solid South on the Democratic side,
not by persuasive argument but by
violent means, cannot fail to infame
the opposite sentiment in the North,
and thus to tear open that breach
again, which, for the welfare of the
American people, ought long to have
been filled or bridged over.
l speak to the good sense and pat
riotic feelings of all American citi-
zens who have the country at heart
more than mere party interest, when
l say that what the country needs
is the elimination of all those ques-
tions which arose from the warm
one word, of the Southern question
from our national politics. This
is absolutely required, for that ques-
ton forces itself always into the way
of discussion and solution upon
their own merits of those other prob
lens which so greatly concern our
m oral as we'll as material welfare.
am profoundly convinced that q
victory of the Democratic party,
with the consequences which will in.
evitably follow in the Southern
States, will make the elimination for
period of years impossible, and
that therefore, the truly conserva.
tive interests Of the country should
unite against such victory. A DEM
ocratic, with its inevitable conse :
quences, the Solid South in a party
sense, and disastrous reactionary at
tempts in those States would keep
alive alarm and excitement caIculat-
ed to overshadow the question of re-
form, as well as many others which
so nearly touch material as well as
moral welfare.
The Democratic party, with its
record, and the elements which COM
pose it, is liable always to be regard.
ed as standing threat of reaction
against the settlements Of the war,
and the best service that can be rem
dered, therefore, TO the material and
moral interest of the country, IS not
by giving it victory, but by defeat
ing and putting it upon a course
of dissolution and disappearance from
our politics. [Applause]. That SER
vice can be rendered only under ex-
listing circumstances by a decisive
Republican success this fall, and 1t
would be one of the most salutary
fruits Of such an achievement.
shall certainly be the last man to for
get to justify the mistakes which have
been made by the Republican adj
ministration in its treatment of some
of the late rebel states. | have fire.
quently expressed my opinion or
that point and have nothing to re-
tract. But upon sober and careful
survey of the whole field, | have
formed the conscientious conclusion
that nothing will be more beneficial
to the South itself, and nothing bet
ter calculated to give to the reform
problem and other kindred problems
free field, than the firm and liberia
execution of the policy announced
in Governor Hayes letter of accept
ance.
This is the policy of war, generos
ity and wisdom, and am fully con
vinced that Governor Hayes has the
clear head, the respect for constitu'
ton and law, and the just and gener
Gus heart to carry Though such {
policy for the equal benefit of all
prolonged applause.)