Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-01-05

tney minu tnclr oWH pusilVHS' any
departure from il is hazardous and
we advise them in friendly spirit to
let politics alone, and not to press
Grant too strongly for third term.
Az EXTINCT POLITICAL VOL
CANO.
[From Frank Leslie's Illustrated Ncw,paper.l
When President Grant predicted in
his famous Des Mones speech, before
the Society of the Army of the Ten.
nessee, that If we are to have another
contest "in the near future of our ma
tional existence" the dividing line of
such contest "will not be Mason and
Dixons, but between patriotism and
intelligence on the one side, and super
stition, ambition and Ignorance on the
other, "itsecms to have escaped hismem-
ory that, so far, at least, as respects the
last named belligcrents the country has
just emerged from such contest in
its near past. We are forcibly remind.
cd of this contest in orr near past by
the significant remark OF leading
Republican journal in Boston, which a
few days ago called the. attention of
its readers to the striking fact that
"the negro has been suddenly shuiiled
out of politics by the course which
public events and public discussions
have taken in this country during the
last few months.
We all know the circumstances un-
der which "the negro was "shufiled
into politics by the reconstruction acts
of Congress, and by virtue Of the four
teenth and fifteenth amendments to
the Constitution. The country, too, is
tolerably familiar with the cxpedients
employed by Republican managers in
the South for the purpose of attaching
the negro element of the reconstructed
States to the fortunes OF the Republi-
can party. With this end in view, tho
negro voters were gathered into secret
leagues and armed with secret pass
words, pledging its subjects to the ex,
elusive guidance and control of their
selfappointed guardians. The physi
cal servitude under which the negroes
of the South had been delivered by
the shock of arms breaking the chains
of their physical bondage was followed
by mental serfdoin from which they
were led captive at the will of mer
ccnary and knavish political tricksters
swho used "the superstition, ambition
and ignorance" of the negro masses al
political capital of incstimablc value
for speculative purposes, and as stocl
in trade which made all things vcna
in the politics of States subject TO th,
rule of this element. Hence the un
speakable denominations witnessed il
Georgia, so long as Governor Bullocl
was able TO WELD The forces of African
superstition, ambition and ignorance
in support of his gigantic frauds an,
of Republican ascondency. Hence tn
/, chronic feuds of Louisiana under tn
, domination of Governor Kellogg an,
General Grant-a domination restin,
on usurpation and political serfdon
upheld by Federal bayoncts. An
hence the woes which have so lon
desolated whole Commonwealth lik
I South Carolina and Mississippi, i
which the alliance between politics
: profigacy and African ignorance ha
been cemented by long years ofpubli
pillagc because in them the tradin
: capital of negro votes, bought and sol
in the shambles of q corrupt ambition
I has hitherto been most abundant an
4 most completely subject to the manipu
I, lation of its Republican owners.
( There are gratifying signs that thi
: reign of avaricc and corruption, in cor
a junction with Superstition and ignC
!. rance" is rapidly coming to an end i
{ all the Southern States The prcsonc
of compact mass of ignorant voter
0 liable TO be welded at the will {
y knavish politicians, has long been
: standing menace and a burning sham
to our political intitutions. Under th
I blighting shadow of such a misrulc tn
very institutes Of civilization hav
, dwindlcd and perishcd, until to-de
. the problem of Reconstruction" i
. States like Mississippi and South Care
lima hardly differs from the aspect
i which similar problem would take !
the Kingdom Of Dahomcy. If notl
ing but the flowers of culture had bee
laid low by the Republican dynasty |
the Southern States, there would hav
been sufficient cause TO lament the eli
cumstances under which the dominar
party originally created, and have s
long maintained, q confident betwee
the intelligence of the South and th
mass Of superstition and Ignorance
. But'somcthing much moro sacred tha
culture has been trodsen down in III
struggle, for never have civil lbert,
popular suffrage, common honesty, an
the rights of property, suffered sue
damage and proclamation in the Unite
States as have been witnessed in th
reconstructed States that have bee
longest under the sway Of the Rcpul
lican party and It's allies.
!, 1t is, therefore, with Q feeling of r,
! lief that even Republican journalist