The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-18
Suppress the Agitators.

Suppress the Agitators.
They wrangle at Washington while the
pountry is suffering. The people beg relief
from grinding burdens, and they are given
sectional agitation. Peace Is the first con-
dition to assure prosperity, and strife is
hurled into Congress like "a match into
magazine of powder. When the old
wounds of civil war had nearly healed
over, they are rudely torn open, gashed,
and poisoned to stop the process OF natural
recovery
These few words sum up the results OF
last weeks work, for which Mr.. BLATSE is
chiefly responsible, though HE followers
are not without full share OF blame.
This Ia Of all others the year OF amnesty
good will, aud reconciliation. North aud
South have approached 1t in n manly and
generous spirit, turning their backs upon
The past and joining hands In n common
sffort to make the Union more glorious in
The future.
This spectacle OF people recently rent
by war coming together by the spon-
taneous love of a common country, could
be witnessed In no other nation. But
little remained to remove the last memo
q
on both sides desire to extinguish them
A few hundred Confcdcratcs are still
under the ban of political disability, and
among them JEFFERSON DAVIS. 1t is pro-
posed to extend to them the same forgive
ness which was accorded to others, and
thus TO begin the Centennial with an UNI
stained record.
To do this effectively, and thus avoid all
controversy, a bill OF amnesty, word fol
word like that which had passed the last
Republican House unanimously, and orig
mated with "A committee of which Mr..
BLAINE was then chairman, was offered
without the expectation of opposition
from any quarter. How II was met, resist
ed, aud fought. is now familiar to the pub
lie. The consequences Of this movement
are yet TO be realized IN all their force. hut
the first effects of the new discOrd are
painfully felt.
The prospect Of sectional agitation dis
turbs business, distracts the public mind,
and darkens the hope of recovery from
the present stagnation. Whoever incltes
IL Is an enemy to that prosperity which all
Ides profess to desire, and should be held
20 strict account rs peruicious dema-
gogue, with whom personal and partisan
considerations are superior to the public
good.
In the angry discussions of the past
week, il is noticeable that what Is called
the soldier element OF the House took no
part at all, and is in no way responsible for
the turbulence and passion which disfg-
ured the debate. Mr.. BLAINE threw in his
nrebrand for purpose, and TO certain
extent he may have succeeded in drawing
the hre of the South, by taunts, charges,
and ndignitios.
Neither Mr., BLAINE nor Mr.. HILL was
soldier in the rebellion, though both OF
them were IN the vigOr of manhood at it's
outbreak, and were better able than thou
sands of others who did volunteer TO bear
the hardships OF war. They cannot be ex-
pected TO feel as the brave men do who
confronted the privaions and perils Of the
camp and the battle field, and who now
long for peace, while the political leaders
are urging a renewal of the strife.
What the country needs is practical legis-
lation, reform in existing abuses, rctrcuch-
meut in expenditure, and return TO the
honest ways Of a simple government, pure
ly adm Mustered. One method of defeating
this policy is that inaugurated by Mr..
BLAINE, of innaming sectional feeling,
raising up irritating issues, and forcing the
public thought into channels of hostility.
In other words, ne and his followers are
striving To stave of Investigation, so that
their party may escape from the dangers
to follow a searching exposure Of the cor
ruption of the Administration. They also
seek 10 thwart every measure Of relief
which might rebound to the benefit Of
their advcrsarics. These objects are OBJ
vious 10 all who look below the surface,
and are necessarily associated with the
personal promptings of this desperate
strategy in politics.
The country Is sick ana weary Of every
form of contention. II wants rcp1-e, and
chance 10 regain what has been lost by
the strites of the last ten years. which
have cost hundreds OF millions, and de-
ranged every departing Mt OF Industry and
enterprise. Suppress the agitators, is the
demand of the hour; and suppressed they
must he, whether claiming TO speak for
the North or for the South.