The Portland daily press., 1876-12-28

associate who told him that they behaved just
as he expected they would.
However, if Southern rancor manifested
itself in no more Objectionable form than mere
incivility of demeanor it would be easy to get
along with it. Unfortunately the same spirit
in masculine breasts vents itself in acts of VIC
lenee and cruelty. 1 was listening not long
ago to the graphic narrative of the experiences
OF young Massachusetts soldier who made up
his mind after the war to make his home in
South Carolina. He was not politician, but
attended to his business diligently and peace
fully. But he had worn the uniform of the
Union army and he was Republican. These
offences rendered him q constant target for
annoyance and abuse. He carried his life in
his hands and preserved it only by increasing
watchfulness. He was safe while he kept in
front of his enemy, for the chivslry never
strike man who has the will and the means
to defend himself. But he was wearied at last
with the perpetual murmurings and threaten
ings which were dinned into his ears and he
made up his mind to leave. He is now useful
and thrifty citizen of New York. Before he
left South Carolina he sat down with friend
and the two spent some days in compiling a
census of the murders in the state of which
they had been personally cognizant within the
years 1870 and 1871. The number was over six
hundredl Few of the assassins were ever
arraigned and scarcely any punished. Homi-
eide had grown to be one OF the customs of the
country. II was not unusual for an obnoxious
settler to be waited upon by delegation of
men of good standing in the place, of mature
and informad tbofi
having attended Republican meeting they
could not be answerable for the conduct of
their young men if he staid So they advised
him to go away. If he was plucky or a reck-
less man he remained, always armed and always
on the lookout for shot from some hidden foe.
IL he was timid or averse to strife he acted
upon the warning as promptly as possible, and
shook the dust from his feet of the inhospit-
able soil which stupidity, ignorantly and wick
eddy denied home and welcome to persons
who would have helped to rebuild the shat
tered fortunes of the rebellous commonwealth
and restore the riches which bad been con-
sumed in the havoc of civil war;
The same condition of things prevails in the
agricultural parishes of Louisiana and Msss-
sippi. The plantations of these luxuriant
states languish for the want of the vgor and
capital which would flow to them if civil be.
havor and immunity from outrage were vouch-
safed to enserprising immigrants. Preiudicss
that are the growth of a century cannot be ex-
pected to die out at once The present genera
ton may be set down as incurable. But the
ameorating influences of time and education
ought ere long to mitigate and ultimately to ex-
tirpate the evils that have reduced these an
fortunate people to condition of semi .barba-
rism. There is nothing that would SO much
retard their regeneration as the advent of
democratic administration. Democracy was
the natural ally of slavery while it existed, it
is as naturally in sympathy with the slave
holding spirit which still mauifests itself in
bigotry and caste. The johnson interregHum
was the greatest calamity that befell the South
after peace was declared, Notwithstanding
both houses of Congress interposed to check his
power to do harm. A Democratic President
with the popular branch of the national legisla-
ture at his beck would convert this fertile Sec
ton for the time being into political satrapy
with peasaptry crushed beneath the iron heel
OF local despotism, and an arstocracy intent on
welding power rather than acquiring for
tune.
So far as the candidates or the party is con.
cerned 1t is matter of no great consequence
whether the election of Hayes and Wheeler is
affirmed and decreed or not A temporary ex-
emption from the cares and responsibilities of
government might be a gratifying relief for
both. But the country is not in a condition to
encounter the perils inseparable from the
restoration of a Southern oligarcby with
Northern leader. Mr.. Tilden to be sure, would
be shorn of the power to do anything revolu-
tionary with the Senate Republican, and the
House nearly evenly divided. But the best
that could be hoped for, under such reginae
would be the paralysis of inactiop, and that
would be disastrous to the business of the land.
1t will be incumbent on the new administration
to prepare the way for resumption. Gov.
Hayes can do it. He is irrevocably committed
to it. So is his party. Gov. Tildea is at sea
about it, and his party avowedly hostile to it.
What can be expected under these circum-
stances but that we should drift along without
plan or policy until the people, tired of waiting,
plunge into debt again, and SOW the seeds of
another revulsion like that which wrought such
financial devastation three years ago? If there
were no other reason than this why the popular
VIII should not be thwarted by any revision of
the returns, it is enough. There are others in
abundance and potential ones too, but they are
SO obvious that it would be superfuous to ad-
vertto them. On the presumption that nothing
can be shown to invalidate the fairness of their
election, the Inauguration of the Republican
President and Vice President on tae 4th of
March will remove the last obstacle that lies in
the way of the progress of the country towards
the old time prosperity of which its resources
properly developed and fostered, give the most
perfect assurance. YARMOUTH