The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-09-05
THE SOUTHERN QUESTION.

The great question, as it seems to us, to
be determined by the elections, this year,
is, whether it is safe to trust the democratic
party with power So far as the other issues
are concerned-honest money, honest pay
nent of The public Indebtedness, and civil
service reform-they can, to say the least,
De as safely trusted with the republican
larty as with the democratic party. We
believe that the hope for a speedy return
TO specie payments is with the republican
party, as the democratic majority in con-
gress has voted almost unanimously for the
repeal of the resumption act; we believe
that the republican party alone can give us
honest civil service reform, as the history,
traditions aud practices of the democratic
party from the days Of Andrew Jackson
down to those of Samuel j. Tilden show
that it is welded 10 the doctrine that to the
political victors belong the spoils of office;
but TO give them as much of the argument
Is possible, We simply say that these ques-
tions can be as safely left to the republicans
as to the democracy; aud it only remains
to inquire whether it would be safe to trust
the southern question to the democracy.
Conceding, if you please, that the whole
southern matter is settled so far as il can
be settled by constitutional amendments
and congressional euactments, and that
there is no danger of any attempt to un-
settle these matters by positive legislation,
yet the question remains whether it is wise,
prudent, statesmanlike, to allow those who
are now, and always have been, hostile to
these measures to have the sole charge Of
their enforcement. Is 1t wise, is it prudent,
to entrust the enforcem ent of laws to those
who are enemies of the laws, or is it the
part of wisdom and prudence to entrust
their enforcement to those who are friend
ly thereto, and who procured their enact
mentP 1t is simple question, and. as it
seems to us, easy of answer. To place the
question in another form: Would we trust
the enforcement of the law against coun-
terfeitng to band of counterfciters ?
Would we look for a law abiding commu-
nifty where the majority of the people were
law breakers, and the remainder of the
| people, as well as those whose duty it is to
enforce the law, were open sympathizers
| with the law breakers2
This is all there il of the southern cues.
| ton. What the record of tho democratic
party on the question is, our people well
know. AS party, they opposed each and
every OF the constitutional amendments. As
party, they have declared these amend
ments TO be void AS party, they voted
against each AMI every of the recon.
struction acts. Asararty, they have pro,
nounced all this legislation to be unconst-
tutional, revolutionary and void. AS O
party, they have voted against each and
every measure designed to carry into
effect these constitutional amendments. A,
a party, they resisted every attempt to give
the right of suffrage to the freedmen. As
party, they have voted against every
measure securing to the fire., Omen equal
civil and political rights. AS party, then,
are they to be entrusted with the enforce.
ment of these laws? Answer at the polls.