National Republican., 1876-10-21
SOUTHERN REPUBLICANS THEIR DUTY.

rs ueI6lOlOItD TIC CNCut uAl UAAhS NAAS N"S
aster in its train.
SOUTHERN REPUBLICANS THEIR DUTY.
If there is one class of people in this
country who merit respect and sy npathy
to tie fullest extent, it is that of Southern
Republicans. Surrounded, as they have
been, by the most adverse circumstances,
beset on every hand by social ostracism,
prescribed in business, and in. many looRl-
tiles, in constant peril of their lives; un-
awed by all these things, they have exhib
tied an adherence TO the principles OF Re
publican government that is worthy OF
emulation by those in more favored local.
tiles. judging their motives in uniting
with the Republican party from the stand
point commonly assumed by men, they can
by no possibility be otherwise than worthy,
for men are not generally willing to risk
ostracism, prescription in business affairs,
and peril life and limb, save for the main
tenance of some great principle that is the
result of conscientious conviction. With
this honest and frank admission of their
claims to consideration, We may be per-
mitted to submit few practical suggestions
for their reflection. We are in the midst
of political battle whose issues are those
of life and death to the nation. On the one
hand is the destructive secession Demo
cracy, under the ostensible leadership of
Tilden. We say ostensible, because no un-
prejudiced man doubts but that if he should
be elected the power behind the throne,
consisting of the old Southern secession
Democracy, would be greater than the
throne ITSELF and by so unfortunate an
event, the blood and treasure of an exhaust
i've war of four years would be wasted.
On the other hand, We have the Repub-
ican organization, the party of progress,
education and popular rights, under the
leadership of the gallant Hayes. One or
the other of these must be successful. With
a firm reliance upon the intelligence and
patriotism of the American people, we
cannot doubt for a moment but that
right will triumph in the election of
the Republican ticket. But on you,
Southern Republicans, a great response
bility rests, that there shall not be "uni
ted South" for that ante bellun bane and
curse of your section. 1t does not seem
enough for these Democratic marplots that
efforts at "united South" but few years
since deluged the land IN blood. The
same unholy shibboleth is again heard,
the same foul spirit which has been smould-
ering in the bosoms of the Southern Demo
Gratis is again abroad among you. Our
Southern Democratic exchanges are as full
now-albeit the motives are attempted to
be dsguised-of a united South" as in
81. Patriotism and necessity alike require
that this spirit of d;scord be exercised, and
1t is the peculiar Work of the Southern
Republicans TO do it. Tue same old game
of naturalization that was so successfully
employed by tie Democracy with the
Wings in '61 is now being attempted with
Republicans, though thus far, as the lives
of martyred Republicans throughout the
South attest, with far less success. The
business interests of the country, no less
than the demands of patriotism. insist and
will consent to nothing less than the sue
cess of the Republican party in the present
campaign, and to no section of the country
is it more important than to the South. OF
the latter fact, no class of voters are more
fully assured than the Republicans whose
homes are in thatlccality. There is. there
fore, work for them to do, and right
manfully haze they entered upon it, and if
they will but continue persistent, success
cannot fail to crown their efforts. South
ern Republicans should remember that
their all is at stake in this issue, we do not
write of the time-serviug, who would sell
out to the enemy, but men who are pos
sessed of principle and the back bone to de-
fend it. fit be so difficult to live in some,
if not most sections of the South now, un-
der Republican national administration,
what think you will be your condition
should the at present improbable event &C.
cur, of your being handed over to the ten
der mercies Of the secession Democracy by
the election of their candidate? The question
admits of but one answer. Your plight
would be worse, far worse, than was ever
that of slaves of the land in which you live,
and in such an event you would be COM
PEELED to gather up your household gods
and fee to another and freer latitude.
You know it, and with the fact staring
you in the face, let your arm be nerved to
strike for your country and your own per-
sonal freedom. Let there be none among
you so recreant to duty as to content him
self with leaving a work to others in which
he should aid, in the belief that his assist
ance is not essential. However true it may
be that the North and West are determined
in this campaign to preserve the fruits of
the war, it by no means absolves you from
the full performance of your duty. If the
Republicans of the South cannot carry all
of their respective States for their Presl-
Dental candidate, and some of them we
know cannot be so carried, they can make
large gains on their present Congressional
representation, and to that extent aid in
holding up the hands of q Republican
President and rescuing the House of
Representatives from the grasp of the dis
loyal crew who now control it. Let every
Southern Republican, then, worthy 50
honorable name 60 to work and continue
therein until the end Of the contest. He
will in that event, when victory shall have
perched upon our banners, have a con-
sciousness of duty well performed. Re-
member that "who would be free himself
must strike the blow"
The Democratic PARTY Today for Secession,