Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-10-06
Result. Of Democratic Restoration.

md non-partizan observer, seem lmminen'
n case of return Of the Democratic party
20 power. He says:
Let us suppose that merely to punish car
we should elect Tilden and
Democratic Congress. No doubt negro Gov
eminent and disagreement would at once
cease everywhere Bnt that would not ne
the only result of our wrath. We should
epthrone the South at Washington. The
Democracy depends too much upon Southern
,naiorities and Southern brains to take one
step in opposition to their guidance. ii any |
man doubts this let him look at the whole
history of the party, and at the table oil
electoral votes through which 1t hopes 10
reach supreme power. In my own minu
there is no question that to elect a Iilden
administration and Congress would be 10
nand over our national policy to the South.
In view of the unwisdom and corruption
of certain Republican demagogues, | have
sometimes said of late, let the Democracy
come in and the ex-Confederates rule. But
as the time approaches when such q thing
may be, recoil from it with increasing dis
taste and alarm. Let US consider lew oil
the probable, if one may not add the certain,
consequences of such revolution.
The cotton tax, amounting to at least
800 900 900, would be refunded. Per
haps this would be justice the Supreme
Court has doubted. But the great peril is
here in order to secure this repayment
the court would be packed, and thereafter
there would be no limit to Southern
claims. Success would beget greed and
confidence. Demands would be made which
are now kept in silence, or are not even In
vented We should hear anew OF the as
sumption of the State debts and of the Con-
federate bonds. In four years, what with
the zeal of Southern local patriots and the
GINNING of newly invigorated lobby, we
should have to face exactiOns enough to beg
gar the Treasury.
Then would come more paper money.
| The South already asks for 1t. 1t Is the
poorest part of the country. the most IN
| debted, probably, and certainly the most
| ignorant of finance. 1t contains at least
as many worshippers OF unlimited green
backs as all the other sections combined.
Greenbacks in abundance 1t would surely
have. and there would be no more hopes OF
speedy resumption.
Next would follow, unless the better in
structed North should recover its authority,
reputation of more or less of the national
debt. The South once paid, it would not
care for alien bondholders, and 1t Is too
much yersed in breaking paper promises to
value the public credit. How should it
desire to maintain the honor of financial
system which represents It's own overthrow
and devastation
But there Is another and even grayer
reflection. 1t concerns our loyalty to our
noblest convictions and sacrifices and deeds.
| Ii concerns our reverence for the memory Of
patriotic leaders, and Of the innumerable
| brave men who followed them on to death
or victory. 1t concerns our respect for the
consistency and dignity Of a nation which
but few years since sowed the South with
graves rather than bend 10 it. Surely We
should earn for ourselves oyermuch shame
and remorse in resigning the national GENE
terie- to the care Of the men who conquered
at Bull Run and surrendered at Appomattox.
1t Is early set to have the pensions OF Union
veterans paid. or perhaps withheld, by the
hands which gave them their wounds. Ii
is early yet to lay our torn battle-dag;s'
stained with the blood of loyal men and the
tears OF lOyal women, under the feet which
but lately were marching on Washington.
am not waving the bloody shirt l
have no hostility toward the men whose he
roism | have seen on the battlefield, and
whose gracious, noble personal traits | have
studied in the purity Of their own homes
! wish them prosperity, peace, and the or
dering Of their own affairs with all my
heart But | cannot help believing and
earnestly feeling that the patriot North
should not hasten to ab1icate in favor OF &
pardoned rebellion. which still seeks to re-
tain Is political unity and to recover It's see
tioual power No people in all history has
ever done such a deed of seli-abnegation and
decentralization no people, a ] fear,
could do such deed without having It's
meekness abused, and without being taught
under the lash the wisdom of self-respect.
la fine. let Us not be 50 agitated by dy-
ing-out FIRE in one room OF our public edlhce
as to see no resource but in universal ex-
plosion.
The question Of negro misrulc, confined a.
it Is now TO two or three sparsely-peopled
States, Is too limited and also too near It's
end 10 be the decisive question Of the day.
The North, with it, vast interests and its
purely patriotic history, deserves at least ! Is
OWN consideration, and should conserve Is
own rights and the welfare Of the nation.
These ends it can only secure by voting
down a party which lives and breathes
through a united and a politically unedu-
Gated south j. ". DE FoREsT.
Ia the calm and kindly tone Of this com
munication towards the Southern whites, it
well represents the best Northern sentiment
There Is no hatred of the rebels Of the late
war, on the part Of any considerable portion
of the people of the North. For all who
have fairly and sincerely accepted the situa-
tion for all who are willing to render to
every other citizen, black and white, the
protection and equality Of rights which they
demand and expect for themselves in our
restored Union, we of the North have
only kindness and respect. We do not ask
them to vote the Republican ticket, if they
like any other better but they must per-
NIT those who Do choose to vote against
them to Do it, unmolestel and unpro-
scribed.
The Nations comment on Mr.. De Forests
letter (which is also in substance the COM
mon Democratic reply to any setting forth
of apprehensions of Southern raids on the
Treasury is that "the Fourteenth Amend
ment forbids the questioning by Congress OF
the validity Of the public debt Of the United
States, or Of the pensions and bounties, or
the assumption by the United States or any
State of any debt or obligation incurred in
aid Of instruction or rebellion against the
United States, or any claim for the loss or
emancipation of any slave" Such stick
Ter for precision as the Nation should have
quoted the Constitution more correctly. The
Fourteenth Amendment does not forbid the
questioning Of the validity of the pen
sions and bounties 1t forbids the ques-
tioning of the validity of the public debt
incurred for payment of pensions and boun-
ties-which is quite another thing. There
is nothing in the Constitution to prevent
the Southern Democracy from wipirg out
the entire pension list ; and we doubt not
they would do it, if they should ever get
the control of the Government. Nor Is there
any thing to prevent the reinnding OF the
cotton tax or the payment Of Southern
claims to any extent for losses in the war
the loss Of their slaves only excepted and,
as for those, it ought to be enough for eau
tious men, that the ex-slayeholders think
that they see ways in which the Fourteenth
Amendment can be eyaded and they receive
pay for their emancipated slaves. As for
the public debt, it would only be necessary
to withheld the appropriations for the an
nual interests and it would become worth
less, without formal question of its validity.
This would be violation Of the spirit and