The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-11-22
The Cities:

q
for the expulsion OF Radicalism from thc
| public places which It has 30 UNANIMOUSLY
profaned. The city OF Philadelphia alone
OF the cities Of the Atlantic States voted for
| HAYES. All others voted for T1LDEN.
Philadelphia. has not recovered from the
fanaticisin Of abolition--that fanaticism that
|subordinated everything to its wild deln-
sions Of negrophilism. From having been
q city warmly sympathizing with Che South,
through the intercourse with generous sons
OF the South at her medical colleges, and
through the liberal support her people de-
rived from the South, she swung off to the
extreme OF hatred and observation-disclosures to-
wards the South. Negrophiism found
there rich soil, and grew more rapidly than
It did anywhere else in the Union, and that
city which had first mohbcd abolitionism
was in time ready to mob the South.
Abolitionism has had enough to crafty its
greatest vindictiveness, but Philadelphia is
still in her philanthropy unhappy. Nothing
can safe her. She pockets southern money
at the Centennial and hates those from
whose pockets it comes. No tyranny nor
cruelty of the Radical Administration over
the South fails to find in Philadelphia APP
probation and defence; and no opportunity
for the expression of the public feeling is
lost to the qualification of that bitterness
which approves any outrage upon the prin-
ciples OF rs that inflicts distress upon the
South. They make the most sordid use OF
the principles and memories Of '76, and are
pleased at any insult and outline upon them
which brings suffering to the South.
This Philadelphia voted against TlLDEN
simply as vote against slavery, that is
dead, and the South, that never did Phi'a-
delphia but good. But why should San
Francisco do as Philadelphia did! There
| is hitch here. San Francisco should be
generous and liberal. She has no fana-
ticism, and any tendency to false phi
lanthrophy about race she might have
had should be wholly cured and ended
by the presence Of Chinese and fanlliar-
ty with the Indian troubles. She IS
essentially southern, and her bright sun
should light up only the ardor OF scniallty
and humanity. How cold, unfeel'ng, and
grasping Radicaism can bloom at all in
San Francisco we cannot imagine.
There is 4 screw loose in the social and
political economy OF San Francisco. NOR
TON, in his late campaign, visit there, did
nothing towards putting that screw right.
We cannot consider San Francisco as IN her
right mind. She will right herself before
long. a
Cities. while the nursing-placcs OF many
vices, have in history always sided with
liberty and against oppression. The earliest
manifestations of resistance to feudallsm
were from the cities. The retaincrS OF the
lords escaped from seryitude when they got
inside the city walls, and in the cities was
ever nourshed the spirit OF hostility to
tyranny. Eanaticism cannot flourish in
really enterprising and flourisling cities.
Trade and extensive intercourse with many
nations repel all narrow ideas and i!iberal
prejudices.
In the contest Of the day both the intelll-
gent rural population and the city Nopula-
ton have voted together against Radical ty-
ranny. A rural population i'll thinly-in-
habited country is seldom yictimizcd by ia
naticlsm, and is generally right when the
question as to personal independence and
liberty is raised. 1t is in populouS rural
districts, with many small towns, the crazy
philosopher and foolish fanatics sometimes
sow the seed Of their dangerous isms. They
have good field with less publicity than
there is in a city, and more immunity from
criticism and exposure. Thus peculiar
conditions of rural communities sometimes
appear, but when the issue and the public
peril are fairly made UP and apparent, the
cities and the country combine, and in the
long run stand up for popular rights.
We are glad that the cities have gone for
reform. 1t is good sign Of ultimate
triumph. The enormous and rapid growth
OF American cities makes them power in
the land that no party can afford to disre-
gard.