Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-04-05
How the Rebel South Obtain Control

That the sectional spirit which pro.
duced our civil war in the interests of
slavery and Democracy is not dead but
that it exists in other more dangerous
forms, because more insidious, has been
made evident from the conduct of the Dem
ocratic majority in the present House of
Representatives.
1t is a noteworthy, as well as alarming
fact, to observe that since the ex-rebei
States have been readmitted to representa-
ton i'll Congress but two men have been
elected thereto by Southern Democratic
votes, who were in any way identified with
the Union cause. These are Andrew John
son, elected to the United States Senate by
Democratic Legislature, though in the
main opposed by its eX-rebel members,
and Representative John Hancock, of
Texas, who held Brlgadier's commission
in the Union service.
The manner, TOO, IN which the Confed.
crate Democracy have almost wholly OBJ
tanned control of all the Southern States is
in keeping with the spirit which inau-
gurated the shareholders rebellion. The
eX-rebel States returned tifty-six Demo
Gratis and seventeen Republicans to the
present House; while in the Senate they
are now represented by eleven Democrats
and ten Republicans, lone seat being va.
can't. OF the Democratic Senators, six
(6) were rebel army officers, one judicial
officer, and one other, (Capertcn, OF West
Virginia. was Senator in the Confeder-
ate Congress. One Republican Senator
(Alcorn) was in the rebel Stale service,
and another (Robertsen) resided South
during the progress of the civil war. In
the House, OF the iifiy-s (56) Democrats,
forty one (4b held prominent positions in
the Contederacy; thirty three being mill
tary officers, seven being in the Confed
crate Congress, one being its Vice Presi-
dent, and another member of the rebel
Cabinet. Others occupied State posi-
uons OF importance. The remaining ex-
Coniederates are from Missouri and Ken
lucky.
The manner in which the South has
been possessed by the counter. rebellion
0ug. TO be well understood by this time.
let there are those who dispute the truth
OF history. OF the siXty-three representa-
yves now in Congress from the States that
reDeiled, at least twenty-five (22) of them
Holu such seats in consequence of organ
Yea social oStracism, violence and muir
der The mateasance OF Mr. Belknap is
"A crime committed by one man, for which
When proven severe punishment is just
~ Que, ana will be surely meted out to
the offender. But how much greater is
mat oiiense through which men, three at
Ieast, hold seats from the State of Misss-
slppi in the National House OF Repre-
seh'a'lyes by reason OF an organized sys-
ZEN OF intimidation, outrage and assas-
Slhahon, general and personal, set in
motion Tor political purposes, and carried
OH a. party measure by the obedient
ana willing members of the Southern
democracy. Belhnap's act was personal
ana not partisan. That system of organ
lled Assassination by which the Confeder
aIe Democrats obtain seats in Congress,
ana IN so doing destroy the rights of citi
1ehs, Is National outrage end atrocious
crime against liberty. The twenty. two
seats now iraudulently occupied offset the
honest representation from the States of
connecticut, l6), Rhode Island, ~, New
hampshire, 81 Massachusetts, uD: in
ALL twenty-five members. The processes