Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-04-19
The Spirit Of the Democratic Party.

| Nerddd tCOt.) Transcript.
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The Spirit Of the Democratic Party.
1t would be well for the people of this
| country to inquire what the probable re-
suit would be should the Democratic party
by some means get control Of the National
| administration. 1t clamors loudly for re-
form and makes prodigious promises, but
what, in the nature of things, would be
the inevitable consequence Of its en-
thronement? We have already pointed
| out its utter mbecility in all its attempts
to solve the problem of National finances,
and upon that subject the country has
absolutely nothing 10 hope from it. So
far as any question of public morals is
| concerned, any assumption OF special
virtue on its part would be too ridiculous
to be contemplate, and would provoke
nothing but laughter So far as honor in
| administering public affairs is concerned,
| II cannot be forgotten that its last effort
in that line precipitated rebellion. What
then, does the party promise, whether we
consider It's history or the present COM
position OF it? The inevitable result
would be the supremacy of Southern SEN
timent in National politics; the terrorism
which has so extensively prevailed
throughout the South since the war
would be intensified beyond language TO
express; colored men would be powerless
under the heel of the old despotism; the
National Capital would be crowded
with tire-eaters and blatant rebels,
and the men who saved the Ma
ton would be largely driven ont
by the men who underworld to
destroy it. Ii there has been bloodshcd
in the Southern States in spite of Repub.
lican authority, which has steadily OPP
posed it, 1t is not difficult to imagine that
under favorable Administration outrages
would multiply until our disorder and
cruelty and wrong would make US u by
word among the nations of the civilized
world. That this would he the result is
evident from the history of the party. The
Southern element in II has always con-
trolled it, The Northern Democracy have
seemed 10 have no other calling or office
than to furnish tail for the Southern kite.
Mr.. Buchanan was Northern man. but
the South managed the Government and
fairly persuaded the President that he had
no constitutional right to put down rebel
lion, as he certainly had no natural power
TO prevent it. In the House of Represcn-
tativcs now there are more than sixty men
who held Office, civil or military, under
the SO called Coniederacy, and only two of
them are Republicans, The mass of them
are Democrats and unreconstructed reb-
| els, and they are So numerous that In the
nature of things they must determine very
! largely the principles and policy of the
| party with which they are identified, Mr..
| Bayard undertakes in the Senate 10 answer
| Mr.. Boutwell's charges OF terrorism and
intimidation in Mississippi and other
| Southern States, but he is power
less in the argument because the
facts are against him The South
is pretty well dotted with graves
| filled by the assassin's hand, for no other
reason than that the victims were Repub-
| llcans. Ii is said, also, upon what seems
| perfectly good authority, that of all the
outrages committed by white men upon
colored people in the State of Louisiana,
not one has been brought to justice"
| There are places in the Southern States
where colored people dare not to this day
address white man without calling him
master. 1t will not meet these allegations
| To SAY that these outrages are committed
and these abomirable crimes are justified
10y the worst classes alone, because il is
! not 50. IL III were ep, lDe men III Lou
isiana who commit political murders
would be brought 10 justice. Ii is not
| difficult 10 enforce law against vulgar
criminal when all the best classes of SO.
ciety are against him. And when a
criminal of this Kind escapes, and
| especially when such criminals are nu.
| merous, and their crimes run through a
term of wears, and not one OF them is ever
punished, it is conclusive proof that local
public sentiment tavorS the criminals the
hes, classes feel upon the subject as the
worst classes do. The PROOF is abundant
aud overwhelming that this is so
The men who commit these crimes, anc
the better classes who approve them
are all Democrats, and propos,
to make themselves felt in shap
ing the policy OF the party. AnC
/ they viii succeed in their purposes They
have always done il. and they hay,
neither abandoned their purpose nor los
their power, white their disastrous dciea
in their appeal to arms has only increased
their violence Ii is neither wise nor de
Sir3hle 10 blink the facts in the case
Men may cry peace, pcSce, but there i,
No peace" Sentiments 50 vitality anC
violently antagnaistic To each Other ~,
still entertained by the two sections at tbi:
country, that peace can come only wher
one or the other is abandoned |, would