Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-09-20
word Of Warning to Republicans.


,rsn,,ors that whcu MIR. Wheeler, the re-
nuh,;cap candidate for the Vice Presidency,
,,a. one Of lis "bloody shirt" speeches the
o,ber aav in Vermont be disgusted 80 many
,on,bl;can voters that the usual party majority
IN tbe nlace was considerably lessened on cleo
.;,,d d.v We do not know whether the tale
:.,rn, or MT. h ugh it is fact that tie re-
-,,hlo,n. losr, SOM what this year in Vermont
CO., ,ho;r vote OF previous years. But whether
..,. or fa So 10 that sp.cfc iDstaCce it is un-
,,o,b,o9ly lruc that the exhibition OF the co.,
,,cuons "boody shirt; in this campaign will
In go many thousand votes to the republican
rar,v, 1t ought to, and 1t will. There are
,cct,oos of the couutry where this issue may be
brought up TO alarm aod excite ignorant voters;
bu, take the Northern States at large aud the
mass of REPUBLICAN voters, who are In the main
th,upbtuI aod sensible men, and the cry OF
Snuthcrn ouragcs and of dagger from the
Sou,h or in lhc South will lose the party more
votes than il will gain.
We flag out this warning to the republl.
ears because we notice that as We come to
the heated days Ut the campaign the organs
and speakers OF the party dwell more and
more exc uslvely upon this tope; aud there
seem, or late to be an organized effort and
determination to carry the election, not upon
civil service reform, not upon sound
currency. uot upon such legislative reforms
a. shall give the country a chance for
renewed prosperity, but simply aud solely
upon the Southern bugaboo. Senator Bout
we'll tries to make it the prominent issue
in Massachusetts; Nh. Wheeler, MIR. Bristow,
Mr.. Blaine, aud otheis go about on the same
erraud; Gen. Butler says fraukiy that civil SER
wee and currency are trhlng questons-to res
cue the cuuui1y from renei domination is the
tue issue. MIR. George 1. Hoar agrees with
him. Ard here comes so respectable journal
as the Chicago Tribune and threatens US with
q Dcw Scccssion as the probable result OF re-
publican defeat. 1t says:
Are the people of the Uuited States prepar-
ed to have that done in 1876 which they retus.
cd to pelmit in 1852 10 avoid civil war
the North was prepared TO concede much in
1860. They could not, however, aud would
not, conseot to have the Union stripped OF its
nationality and coutedrracy OF independent
States erected iD its place. Sooner than sub
lnlt 10 this they met the threatened War. 10
preserve American nationally they sent mil
lion OF sous to the battle field aud burdened the
country with enormous expenditures. The
Unou was saved; slavery was abolished; and
r,w, are the people prepared to surrender all
the results of the war, and surrender the gov
er, meUt 10 the same men who, as Senators,
K, ,resentatives, Cabinet officers, judges, and
military and naval commanders, erected aud
maintained the "Conlederate States govern
mcut at Richmond? Is the Richmond govern
Now, in tie first place The thoughtful and
Intelligent voters who constitute large and
the most important part of the republican party
do not believe in all this, and are only disgust
ed and alarmed when they see such stuff made
prominent 10 the cauyass. They want souud
money, a reform OF the civil service, revival
OF our ioreigu commerce aud of industry 10
general; they would like to See the republican
party give US these reforms; they believe that
there ac republican statesmen who would more
surely work out these reforms than woald the
democrats under their present leadership; and
over and above all this these voters OF whom We
speak would like to see the policy OF noD luter-
veutiou in thc Southern States begun under
republican federal rule. But if currency, civil
service auh all other reforms are to be sunk; 1t
instead of non-interVentlou 10 the South they
see the party speakers aOd organs threatening
and advocating policy OF renewed lDterven-
lou, what but disgust and alarm eau affect
these voters? They number great many
thousands all over the country. Gan the party
succeed without their Jealous cooperation
w do nut believe it. Ga the contrary, we are
certain that # such disgusted voters only re-
maln at home without voting the democratic
ticket the republicans will be defeated.
This sudden aud general determination to
carry the campaign on the Southern issue shows
a deep and uncomfortable alarm among the re-
publican leaders. They are evideutly panic
stricken. They have by this tune compared
ncics, and their CONCLUSION appears to De that
on a ialr and houeSr canvass, on the real issues
OF The year, they will lose the country, aud III
desperation the word has gone rui to fling the
bloody shirt TO the breeze and make the ap-
peal, DOT to ;hc reason, the honesty and patr'
otl,m Of the country, but to prejudice, hatred,
lear aud ignorance That is the way 1t looks
to Cool observers; and even it this were not the
corcc theory of their policy 1t is still true that
such IS the suppression it makes. Shrewd polltl
ca ca.cuatolS say, if the republican managers
VIE not badly frightened they would uot force
au obsolete and to a large part OF their
party, 4 hateful issue upon the country. IL
they trt moderately sure of winning they would
argue; It Is because they feel themselves weak
'ha thy take to vituperatlon aud denunclaIlon.
This policy OF denuuciatiou, this exclusion OF
rre'orm aud CONCENTRATION ou the Sout hern issue
Is therefore, bluuder of the republican lead
ets lu several Ways. 1t alicuates large mass
o. their voters; 1t creates feeling of distrust
and alarm anoug the calculating or loose vo-
IerS, aud It places the party in a false relation
the living issues Of the day. 1t may exas-
p'rae aud alarm timid and ignorant voters;
out It canuot carry the country. No thought,
III voter really believes that the country would
Dc seriously endangered or hart if the demo.
cEais should come into power; aod that sort OF
nonsonSe, when it is gravely put forth, excltes
as much contempt 10 sensible men as the equal.
" foolish assertion of democratic orgaus that
III" country would be ruioed ii the republicans
Should succeed. That sort of stuff is always
put forward by both parties. ExcltabIe speak
ciS aud writer's persuad de themselves, as the can
Sa>S gets hotter, that the salvatioo of liberty
fha 1. nx-l an