Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-03-24


Since the brief comment the morn.
ing after the election, N which We in
Dictated what we thought to be the real
cause of the result in New Hampshire,
we have had little to say on the sub
ject. As We said then, while the first
effect of the exposures by the Demo
cratic party of fraud and corruption in
the Radical party was one of anger
against those instrumental in that ex-
pcsure, the final result will prove diff
ferent.
We see no reason to chrnge the
opinion then expressed, and just as We
were about to set forth that opinion
and the rea Sons for it, we found the
thing ready done to our hand in the
columns of the Macon Telegraph.
Our Georgia contemporary takes the
true view of the question. At says:
"The sweeping Republican victory
i'll New Hampshire, in the face OF re-
cent developments in Washington,
will no doubt produce a great surprise
and sensa ion all over the world-and
more particularly in Europe. The
worst auguries of RepubliCanlsm N
America will be drawn IRON it; none of
which, We Trust and believe, will be
| sustained by subsequent political his
tory. 1t will be asked what guaranty
can possibly remain for honest govern
ment when convicted roguery carries
the popular ballot What Can such a
result possibly mean by suffrage a.
corrupt as the public administration
Or what csn it portend for the future
but government and q people swiftly
descending in the scale of demoraliza-
tiop, until both ara outiawed by all
principles of common morality, aud
sink into anarchy rs the inevitable re-
suit OF their inherent rottenna IS -?
The reader will bear witneSs that -
| far as we are concerned we have tried
| % prepare him for just such a result as
| has taken place; AID We say low,
| though hoping und Expecting the CON
trary, We snail not be surprised .
witness a IKE development Ill t
| pending Connecticut State election.
It is by 40 me- Is certain that the
| fraud Developments in Wash; lgtOn
! have not, to some small er- t, Im-
| paired the Radical strength in New
| Hampshire, since it Is impossible IL
| tell precisely what the figures might
have been IN the. absence of the
| discoveries, But there Is no doIbt
on our minds that the mere fact OF SO
many prominent Southern nomes re-
ported daily as active IN public affairs
III Congress, has created strong re-
dictionary condition on the Northern
mind, We may say. with justice, it
should not be 50; but it is SO. The
great mass of the Northern voters,
| looking ON the Southern people and
| their repre- Sentatlges as enemies OF
| the Government, rebels and traitors.
are Incensed to sec go many of them
| III Influential positions about the Gov
ernment, and 1t wilt take some tine
to wear away the irritation of bLe
spectacle. That, we are persuaded, is
| the real underlying cause of the general
reaction in Northern elections shines :.
year ago last fall.
And tie national jealousy has been
| stimulated, and the exacerbatiOn in
creased, even by the record of public
crimes which the Southern representa-
:lves have aided in bringing to lig't.
The people feel it as IA sectional, a
we'll rs a party disgrace, aud while
| they do not mean to sanction the
| crimes and areS the wrongdoers, yet
| passion and resentment are, for the
| nonce, more influential than reason and
patriotism, and they vote to spite the
South and the Democratic party, who
are tue active agents III bringing tins
| bitter disgrace to light.
But by and by these people viii!
| realize the danger and error of their
| action. Tn y will see the fatal conse-
| qtteuces of sanctiOnlng party malversa-
| ton at the polls. They will see that it
| involves more wide-s spread and shame :
full disgrace than even the crimes
themselves. ami that the salvation of
free popular government Ill America Is
dependent on hurirn out of office and
power, into disgrace and iufamy, a
i'Ilb!Ic admin ,tr.tIOu which has most
evidently polluted aud POISONED every
emanuel of pubic authority.
But until the North gets accustomed
AID ara rtcpucllei 10 the sight of
Southern slce 3Sionists in Washington,
We shall hardly expect to see more
h "asthfui advancc:Hc.,, OF pdbhc
opinion. We should cndeavor to pu
ourselves exacsly IN thsr place in
order to understand ,helr feelings, and
comprehend how much they do not
10 q US.