Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-02-16

III JOFlty OIL IOOmDS mcn al neart, tIlS
) extreme Democracy has gained power
in Georgia, Mississippi, and some
other States, ii does not follow tha,
: this sentiment prevails throughout
the South everywhere II, however
: The Gate supposes that reconstruction
is so perfected in the South that nc
fears may be entertained of a good
; healthy expression and action for
the Union il is again surely i'm error.
The Gate says:
I "We believe that when Hill and
other Southerners, say that they arc
, in the Union and here to stay, they
speak rs, sincerely their present per-
sonal impulse and opinion, and the
present personal impulse and opinion
of the greatness of the Southern peo-
pie, as our friend Of the Coarie,
would mean by q like declaration OF
his own loyalty"
The above involves personal issue
| which we will not undertake to judge
of. We give it, however, to our read.
ers that they may understand our CO.
4 temporary position, and adjust the
balance between ourselves and Ben.
! Hill. We will say, however, that we
elrouia piurr II great druf more confi-
dence in the Gates loyalty 10 the Tn
ion than we would in Ben Hills most
solemn promises. Need we give a
single reason for this, our belief2 Let
a single one suffice. Jan. q, 1875 in
a public speech in Georgia, Ben Hill
said {:
81 look upon the contest o1 1876 not
only as the most important that ever
occurred in American history. bnt as
the most. important i'm the history of
the world; for if the people of the
country cannot be aroused to give an
overwhelming vote against this Re-
publican party. il will pcrpetuate it,
self in power in the United States by
precisely the same measures that the
President has taken in Louisiana, and
the people will he powerlcss TO pre-
vent il except they 90 to 'rdr."
Proceeding on in strain. of an in-
creased inflamatory style. from these
| premises, he closes with the declara-
ton that if ".Ame,1co must saee her
Constitution by blood, let II come: !
am ready"
Now. the Gate never indnlged in
such language-virtually saying that
if the people of this country don't de-
eide the elections according to its
views; don't overthrow the Republic
an party, war must follow to save the
Constitution. Therefore, we have
more confidence in the Gate than in
Ben Hill. Again, the Gate folk never
rebellcd. and Ben Hill did, and there
fore we give more credence to their
loyalty and love of the union. We
will say further that we think we can
see so great similarity in Ben Hill
land Toombs as to consider them
brothers, it not twins. Now we feel
a little differently from the Gate We
hope we possess no narrow. sortiid
spirit that clips the wings of a
bountcons charity, but in spite OF our
selves we cannot attach the same
weight OF sincerity to the professions
| Of u man whom we have entrusted
! with our business, and who has once
dci'raudcd lis. that We do in the one
who has ALWAYS served Us faithfully.
and the more especially so when we
4 find in the expressions and acts Of the
] ono who failed 10 be true. very strong
indications Of the same old wrong
: uispU>niun.
Bnt we do not wish to further dis
: cuss this difference of view between
ourselves aud the cate. rs we see no
good to result from il. and we will
close by briefly alluding TO the Gate's
idea advanced that if our view is COR
redt in regard TO the prevalence OF
Toombs' sentiments,the isthe Repnb-
lican policy of reconstruction fail
y
most singular propositi on to rs. We
have attempted the reconstruction of
the States lately in rebellion, upon
the principles of equal and universal
liberty and equality, and we have
succeeded fully as well as we expect
ed, so far, and we, with the gate,
would say that the Republican party
is worthy fall praise and the support
of our people for IFS accomplishments
i'll this direction, but we would add
10 this, that other important fact. that
we believe this work OF rcconstrnc-
ton is by no means completed, and
that The best interests of perfection
! in the work and the ccmentimg of the
union are with the Republican party
and to this end we would Try to prove
the difference between the LOYALTY oi
the Republican party and that OF the
Democratic party by showing the
sentiments OF the two parties and
+ their acts. We would stontly affirm
that we do believe their is more con.
, fidence to be placed in the profession.
of loyalty by our brother of the
: Gate, than in the professions Of Mr.
, Hill or Toombs or the Georgia Dem.
} ocratic Legislature. which so loudly
, applaudcd the lattcrs infamous rc,
marks.
THE STATE Register prefers Prcsi
dentially as follows: First, il wNulo
: have John A. Logan. but consider.
this selection out of the question, be
cause Illinois cannot now furnish /
. President. Next, it is for Senator
Morton, unless some stronger maj
as a soldier, can be had from the Mid
= H1n StafnS II u-n,,ll not o, no :,