The Portland daily press., 1876-09-27
The Great Issue.

in the discussion of the question OF the resump-
ton or non-resumption of specie payments, as
one to be determined by the issues Of the ap.
preaching presidential election, and SO it will
be; but to me it seems of vastly smaller impor-
tance than others that are also be decided by it,
All questions of money of whatever sort re-
late merely to the business of the country and
involve little else than considerations of profit
or loss more or less. All this is temporary in
1S nature and in its effects upon the general
prosperity. By any arrangement of the mon
etary affairs of the nation, some men more or
an number may be involved in pecuniary diff
ncuitles and even in bankruptcy. The indus
tries OF the country may languish and many OF
them may be suspended for season; there
may be little or no demand for labor and masses
of the people may suffer from want in conse-
quence. But all this must be temporary, be-
cause the people will certainly apply the proper
remedies when the causes of the evil shall be
clearly seen.
After twelve years of Jacksonanism and
Van Bnrenism. there came great popular up
rising in 1910 and that dynasty had a
crushing overthrow and many people suppose
the party in power now will be overthrow,
after sixteen years of possession of the govern.
ment; and SO it might possibly have been but
for the circumstance that the Democratic ma
jority in the lower House of the present Con-
gress has shown to the country very clearly
that Democratic triumph would newt
ably put the government into the control
OF the rebels of the South and copperheads of
the North. Upon this point there cannot be
any doubt in the mind of any Intelligent man
who has kept himself we'll informed as to the
political situation.
The rebels have boosted that they would
give us ut the ballot more crushing and con
elusive defeat than that inflicted upon them by
the ballot and bayonet. They have openly
boasted that there would be second rebellion
but by the North instead of the South. The
South in control of the government would
drive the North into resistance and revolt. This
10 not mere matter of speculation-of predic-
ton; the truth of it is founded in human ma
ture. There was rever beaten party longing
more earnestly than the South does now, and
has dons since the war, for an opportunity for
revenge; that is human nature; in their place
We should do the same.
There were upon the ruined walls of the pal
ace st. Cloud, a mile or two out of Paris, many
indications in charcoal inscriptions, that the
French are brooding over schemes of revenge
"A FaceuT"-which in that case means I'VE
only bide our time''-was scratched in a great
many places about the ruins. The proud
French went into that wonderful war-scorning
the Germans; and their battalions, as they
marched out of Paris, shouted "a Berlinw not
doubling that in three weeks they would die
tate terms of peace to the beaten Prussians
vn MN the walls of their own capital In sixty
days from that time came the overwhelming
defeat and surrender at Sedan. The French
will not accept that issue as final; they will not
without another effort. step down from their
place Is the first nation in Europe and occupy
that of second or third-class power.
The parallel between the French and the
south y closer than many people suppose it to
be. No. words can adequately express the
scorn and contempt In which the North was
hold BY the South for many years before the re-
belli0n. The term yankee" was to the South
srnsr synonym with every word that express
% what Is low and mean; and the determine
lie and common boast and threat. In the
United States Senate when a southern senator
hercely made that threat, Senator Fessenden
uttered those famous words, "Don't postpone it
on my account" Everywhere the Southerners
declared that one of them was match for five
yankees" Indeed, they said that in a fight
with them, they would need nothing but slave
ships.
The rebellion commenced with precisely that
state of opinion and feeling, and ended IN .
crushing, humiliating defeat to the South. It
Is not In human nature to accept the result as
hnals and there is no straightforward South
erner who will pretend that it is or can be 40
accepted. have had many conversations With
Southerners on this point, and never one of
them said anything else than that the South
would never acquiesce in defeat-they would
submit to extermination rather than that hu-
initiation.
Now the success of Mr.. Tilden in the election
must inevitably involve the accession to power
IN the government OF the rebel element of the
country. The South is and will be an unit up
on every question involving Southern interests,
- they are called. but they cannot have every
thing their own way without the cooperation of
the northern wing Of the Democratic party, and
30 We have to consider what the probable ac-
tho future by the past.
In all the struggle with the lsave interest for
many years preceding the war, there was never
40 instance. so far az remember, in which the
Democratic party Nerth did not cooperate
heartily with the South by voice and by vote,
TO accord to them all their demands, except in
the affair of the South Carolina revolt in Jack
sons time, when he speedily brought that state
to submission. At the outbreak of the rebell-
ion, tho entire body of Northern Democrats
were in full sympathy with the South, not only
In the special matter of the Southern grievance,
but In that particular mode of seeking redress,
Later IN the war, 1t is true, many individual
Democrats did join the loyal party, most of
whom remain with it to this day.
think am making no mistake when say
mat throughout the war the entire Democratic
party north was in full sympathy with the re-
oeii.on, and was not at all in sympathy
with the loyal men who were standing by the
old flag, suffering, bleeding aad dying for it,
and pledging fortune, life and honor in the en-
deaver to maintain the integrity of the country
and to preserve it from being botted out from
the map OF nations. think make no mis-
take when 1 say, that at DO time nor anywhere
member of that party express any regret at a
loyal defeat or at rebel triumph. am sure
that make no mistake in saying that during
the whole progress of the was it there
hsd been rebel defeat or rebel victory, any
who bad not he ard the news could certainly
tell what the news was, by looking Democrat
10 the face who had heard it, there was mani
TEST triumph and joy-0ften outspoken-in the
latter case and evident detection in the former.
M. Tilden, Mr.. Hendricks, Gov. Seymour
and every other leader of the Northern Democ-
racy were in full, open and declared sympathy
with the rebels from the beginning to the end
OF the struggle. If any Democratic newspaper
or any individual Democrat ever expressed any
sympathy with the captive boys in blue who
were starving and freezing to death in South.
crn prisons, or ever uttered one word of indig-
nant protest against the horrid barbarism
which doomed them to such torture and such a
rate, ! never saw it, have never heard of it.
In all this am uttering no word of reproach
against the Democratic party. am only stat.
ing the facts. During the war had my sym
pathies, they were with the loyal government;
the Democrats may claim the right to sympa-
thize with the rebels, do not deny it, 1 am
only reminding the people what the facts were
In our dark days. N. D.