Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-11-02

soldiers, in short TO win by the ballot
what they lost by the bayonet, then
though they may have right TO
vote as they choose, the country
must see to it that there are votes
enough on the other eide to defeat
those perilous schemes.
Ba tie second question is quito as
pertinent. When we asked whether
there is any reason why the South
shouldn't unite for what it believes
to be right, that implies that the
South is really united in sentiment
as it seeks to be united in vote. But
that is precisely where the assump-
ton contradicts the fact, and where
the attempt at solid South is not
simply q menace to the country but
crime against free speech and free
suffrage. The method by which a
solid South is created is as monstrous
as tho object which solid South
aims at. As matter OF fact, the
South-meaning by that the MAORI
ty of the vote in the several South
ern States-is not solid at all. Every
intelligent man knows that South
Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Louis
lana, and Florida are really Republic
can States. Ii we concede the re-
mainder to the Democracy, these at
least are clearly Republican upon a
fair vote. So far as two or three OF
them are concerned, nobody ever
pretends to dispute it. 1t would be
just as rational to deny shat YER
mont is Republican as to deny that
South Carolina is Republican. Upon
any fair test it would be as reasona-
BILE to expect the one to break away
from its unmistakable political asso-
Citations as the other. And what is
true of South Carolina is true OF the
other States we have named.
Ii is, therefore, perfectly manifest
that solid South can only be secur-
ed by overriding the clear will and
convictions of these States. A solid
South means the capture of South
Carolina, Mississippi and two or
three other States by force. There
is absolutely no other way of secur-
ing them. They are Republican and
they can only be made Democratic
and part of the solid South by strik-
ing down the Republican majority
through violence and terrorism. And
that is what the country is witness
ing to,day. That is what the rifle
clubs and Wade Hampton legions of
South Carolina mean by breaking up
Republican meetings, shooting down
Republican representatives and en-
tering upon a general course of Re-
publican prescription. That is what
is signi6ed by the fact that in one
county in Mississippi the Republican
vote was reduced from 900 to z ;
that in Alabama it was reduced in
aggregate from $4,000 to $4,000,
while in several counties it was cut
down from two or three thousand TO
less than hundred; that in several
counties in Georgia not single Re-
publican vote was cast. Every sane
man knows that such results could
not have been produced by any nat'
ural or legitimate causes. Ibe iacls
speak for themselves. Nothing short
of violence or terrorism can explain
them.
The great question then for the
country is not simply whether the
solid South shall rule the country for
the payment of Southern claims and
the domination of all Southern pur-
poses, but whether such result shall
be reached by violence and assasina-
ton. 1t is question of free speech
and free suffrage. 1t is question
of the subsection of the Government
to the control of solid South. AND
when it comes to such an issue all
patriots, whether Republicans OF
Democrats, should be ranged on the
side of loyalty and safety.