Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-11-02
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Too Late for Promises TO Oppose the Payment
OF Rebel Claims-The Eve OF a Political
Struggle to Determine the Future OF this
Country-Fifst class villsiny.


Country-First class villsiny.
WASHINGTON, ID. G. Oct27, 1876.
During and since the LATE session
of Congress, tho country has bad
convincing evidence of the de;ermin-
alton of the rebels in The Southern
States 10 demand payment for dam
ages sustained by them during the
war Of tho rebellion. The proseuta-
ton ard reference Of over twelve
hundred bills in the House Of Repre-
sentatives. providing for Reimburse
ing them for losses susteined during
tho four years If war, is sufficient
proof of the design to take from The
public Treasury the fall amount, to
repay them for injuries resulting
from the conflict with the North.
The people have been pondering up
on the inlquity of this scheme, and
have shown unmistakable signs of
determination to defeat ii in its very
inception. Now, on the very eve of
of the election, Samuel j. Tilden
gives to the public a letter, promls-
ing opposition to such payment,
should he be elected President to
the United States. Ii is too late.
No one will have any cor fidence in
his sincerity. If be 90 elected it will
be by receiving the vote OF "dolid
South" and he dare not, nor does he
intend to thwart them in this matter.
If the rebels thought, for ono mo.
meut, that he is sincere in this pledge
they wouli repudiate him at the
polls. This is the latest dodge Of
"Slippery Samuel"
If the people of thus country can
be brought to realize the momentous
Importance Of the question involved
in the Presidential election, on the
7th proximo, there cannot. possibly,
be doubt of the direction in which
their ballots will be cast. There is
not a voter in the land who has not
lively remembrance ofthe inaugur-
alton of the war Of the rebellion, and
of the patriotic ardor which carried
the volunteer soldier into the ranks
of the defenders of the institutions of
this country. The line of demarca-
ton between the North and the
South was the iue which separated
| loyalty from treason The North
labored under the great Disadvantages
of having bitter enemy at home,
ready, at favorable moment, to
ioin hands with the armed hosts 10
the field, marshaIIed under the con-
federate flag. This enemy had, of
necessity, to be watched, lost botray-
al brig disaster to our army. We
had, therefore, an enemy in the front
and an enemy in the rear, both de-
handing our eleepless watchfulness.
Cannot the people of the North
plainly see that this same enemy
still confronts the friends Of the
Union? The wings have the same
geographical habitation occupied by
them at the outbreak of the civil
strife, sixteen years ago. We behold
"solid South" clamoring and fight
ing for political supremacy. This
''solid South" as IN 1861, has it's al
lies in Northern States. The same
issues are presented now that divid-
ed the sections then. A defeat, at
the polls of the party who carried
the country successfully through the
war for liberty and Union, will be
attended with the same disastrous
consequences which would have re-
suited from the defeat of our armies
in the field. The Secesslonist and
the Copperhead, will join in the loud
huzza; the Stars and Stripes will be
trai!ed in the dust; human slavery
WILL IN effect, be re-established uuder
the guise of system of peonage :;
our national debt, when at its high
est figure, will 5e doubled the free
dom Of speech and action, and the
liberty Of the press, will be abridged /;
in word, all for which we contend
ed in a four years battle for the right
will be abaga9ned, while treason will
DO crowned With victory. Win not
the voter call before the minds eye
these inevitable results of Demo-
cratic triumph at the polls? If lie
will, he cannot give aid to bring
about q consumation so diretul to
ourselves and to posterity.
For first class piece Of villainy
commend Us to White Liner, or
"pale Facen One Stevens was de-
coyed out of Democratic meeting
in court house in South Carolina,
by Democratic ex-Sheriff, to room
in the basement. He was there MUIR
dered and robbed of $500 By false
representation bis wife was induced
to trust his life insurance policy into
tho hands of one Hill, Democratic
lawyer. The dead and living were
each robbed, and to hide the damna-
bic crime, although some of the muir.
ders were arrested and convicted,
and others escaped, undor the pre-
tense that the murder was the result
of the "Kirk War" these reformers
are striving to fix the came upon
Gov. Holden, of that State. Col.
Kirk, and men of bis stamp, whose
war record is unimpeachable, and
who stood by the Union when the
act cost both blood and treasure,
cannot live in peace on their native
soil. Armed reformsrs raid the
country, and the ambushed rifle is
the arbiter that executes terribly the
will of the untrammciied assassin,
and for whose encouragement Til
den daily sends out: "Well done,
good and faithful public servants"
They are determined to rule or ruin,
to have revenge for their late de-
basement, and they show that they