Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-12-16
Ben. Eill Of Georgia. orr tile
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/ isua III N.
Hon Ben. Hill Il hading demo-
crat ot Georgia, has expressed him.
self on the political complication.
He regarded Hayes nomination as
4 victory over republican ultralsms
and over military administration of
free government, and defeat Of
that party's belligerent element,
which las no policy but to foment
sect onal hates and passions. lie
believes that If Hayes be inaugural
cd he is honest and fair enough to
discontinue unwarrantable interior
ence in the affairs of the South; he
will also naturally desire the coop
Grafton of the best men III the South.
tf this be true his administration
will be a great gain and improve
s1ent to the Southern people, who
tiave no desire to re- ist the federal
government, but desire to Der gard
ed as a portion ofthis common coun-
try, aud entitled to the administra-
tion in the South exactly as that adj
ADMINISTRATION is extended to the other
portions of the country, and if she
can get this plain, houest admins
rration and her best people can be
recognized by the federal admins
fTation as the proper rep esentatives
Of Southern interest and sentiment,
the whole country will perceive at
once that the ultraisms charged up-
ON the South will have 10 founda-
ton In fact.
In settlement of the presidential
ifnbrogilio .lr. Hill thinks there can
be no possible apology for breach of
the peace. A great difficulty seems
to be that leaders of both parties
are not endeayoring TO discover the
truth about the election, but are de-
Vlsing plans to secure mere party
triumph, which, lie fears, they are
willing to secure by foul or fair
sneans. He is uneasy ut the evil
den es that Grant seems to think he
is under obligation to use the power
of his high office to secure the sue
cess of the republican party, from
which he apprehends most serious
Consequences. Ii the House deem
it d .ty to enter protest against ar
bitrary adjudication of the great
question by the President Of the
Senate, and shall elect Tilden, as re-
Quired by the constitution, Grant
will use the military for the iuaugur-
ration o. Hayes.
OF course no man can fOresee the
results of such policy. They can
not be otherwise than disastrous to
tho whole country. One thing is
Ger ain, the Southern people want
peace; they know well what war
~ ans: they know that civil war is
the remedy for no wrong, but an ag-
gravstion OF all wrongs. Their rep
resentatives in Congress will use all
their best exertions to secure Il
geaceable solution OF all these trou.
ble>. Icy feel keenly the embar
easement of their situation. They
ere the subjects of suspicion. This
suspicion may be considered some,
what natural, AS a result of this
feeling they are not Inclined to make
themselves prominent or conspicu.
Gus in directing events, but you may
rely upon it that they will be calm.
selfpoised and determined to do
whatever they can to secure a peace
able solution of the present difficult
ties. If war must come it will not
be their fault. And now let me add
emphatically that. come what may,
the Southern people will remain in
the Union and true to the Union.
They have tried secession, and they
know it bore no frui but bitterness.
They will never try it again.
The people of the North, too should
know that the negro will receive
from the Southern people absolute
protection in all his civil and politi.
cal rights. The South has no preju.
dlces against the negro we charge
none of our wrongs to the negro il
is our interest not only to protect
the negro, but to do all we can t.
educate him he isa citizen. and il
IS our interest to make him an intel.
ugent citizen; he is freeman. and il
q our interest to make him a worthy
freeman he is a voter, and it is our
interest to make him a wise voter
This is especially true because the
fourteenth amendment incl eases the
power of the South IN the electoral
college and III Congress. We would
not, therefore, ii we could, take the
s,ght OF suffrage away from the ut.
sro when sinister influences are re.
moved from him he is docile and
easily governed, and, being "a neces
sary element in our society, we are
also deslrous that he should be an
element of power with us.