The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-10-21

the country. But We ask, what has made
!" Solid SOUTH" Answer, the oppression an'
Injustice OF Republican carpetbag rule. AnC
how will YOU break up this " soldiiy' of sui
lering and misery, except by removing th'
causes which have produced i,g Who woulC
suppose. from what these gentlemen say, tina
during the war none but Republican soldier!
fought on the side of the Government, while
the Democrats all remained at home and OPP
posed the war. The reiutaion of that Sian
/, der | leave to you, merely remarking that
with very few exceptions, the men who talR
in this way were those who stayed at home
themselves We would suppose, too, from
what they say, that there was danger that the
. i" Solid South,'' IN combination with small
Democratic minority IN the North would
rule the country for some tra!torouS purpose
In the present Congress there are from the
Estates that remained loyal to the General Gov
eminent during the war, one hundred and ten
democratic Representatives 10 eghtyfive Re
publcans. That does not look much like
Southern control!
From all the information have been able
to obtain, believe that the South only de-
sires peace and quletness. Treat them justly,
let them manage their own internal affairs
for themselves, do not interfere with them so
long as they keep within the limits of the
u
! fad that they know how 10 conform to the
| laws and that they have the same interest in
peace aLd good order that you have Put a
! stop to the meddling interference OF corrupt
Government officials, and 1t will soon appear
that the negroes will divide themselves be-
tween the two parties and that the danger of
a conflict of races has disappeared. As soon
rs the sectional question is finally obiterated
from party discussion, and the whites of the
South are left to themselves, they also will
naturally divide into two parties upon ques-
tons of general policy, and will have there,
as well as in the North, the healthy and ne
cessary check that two political parties afford
in tree country. Every consideration that
should influence patriotic men-generOslty
toward Il defeated but gallant foe, self respect,
the peace and good of the entire country, the
national strength and honor, selfinterest-all
demand that we should stampout this wretch
ed effort 10 keep the Southern States IN a con-
dition OF servltude and dependence. They
are now once more our fellow countrymen
and our friends. In the name of all that is
Just and honorable, let Us not treat them as
Russia did Poland; let US not create and
maintain a fostering sore Of hatred and dis
trust, that would, OF itself, deservedly ruin
our country; but let us treat them as brave
and honest men, who mean what they say,
when they declare that they desire to be 10y
al and law abiding citizens Of our common
country. Trust them; treat them justly and
generously, and you will never have cause to
regret 1t. Treat them as so many Of the Re
publican leaders would have you do, and you
leave a legacy 10 your descendants produc-
tive of far more evil than all the good you
have done them, immense as 1t is in your un-
successful strife for the unity Of the country.
My iellow.citlzens, my fellow. soldiers The
success of the Democratic party means an
earnest and successful effort to reform the
abuses under which we suffer, to reduce the
expenses of the Government, TO put stop to
corruption, to confne the operations Of the
Government within Us proper limits, to COM
plete in It's fullest sense the restoration Of the
Union, SO long delayed by bad men, and to
restore prosperity TO the country. In Gov
ernor Tilden we have thoroughly honest
man, of large experience and rare ability,
who, in his own State and within his own
party, has accomplished the very purposes
for which we now need him at the head of
the General Government. In what he has al
ready accomplished he has proved beyond
question that he possesses the energy, integ
rity, perseverance, and ability that all &C
knowledge to be needed in our President
When elected he will use every power of his
office, every quality of his nature, to restore
the good old times when honesty and frugal
ity were the rules; to make US once more
united nation, and to bring back the prosper
ity we SO much need.