The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1876-10-19
THE SOUTH.
VIII, u I. solid for IiIden nnd Hendricks,

"The solid south" is the spectre which
now hoyers like II death angel over the
future 0fthisCountry,- C3cDetand Ledder.
Amend the above by striking out the
words "this country" and substituting
"rcpublican party and the Leaders
proposition will not be wide of the truth,
A "solid south" opposed ctcrnaIly to
Gmntism and everything that has con
tributed to produce Grantism, is, indeed,
a spectre for the republican party. And
why should the south not 90 over bodily
to the democratic party? Is there any
thing in the attitude of the republican
party towards the south, or in her treat
mcnt of the south since 1860, which
should incline that portion OF the coun-
try towards it? How can the south help
hating the very name OF radlcaIism ?
Why should not the people of the south
and their children and their chlldrcn'S
children hate and continue to hate to
the end of time the leaders OF a faction
that sedulousIy nurtured every spark Of
bitterness towards them that existed in
the northern mind, or that could be fan
ned into life where it did not exist be
fore? There is not Il southern man to-
day, of any intelligence or prominence,
unless he has sold himself body and soul
to the enemies of his people, but that is
stigmatized by them as rebel" or econ
federate." In 1874, in the great uprising
against the party..of corruption, a numer-
Gus party Of southern gentlemen of the
hrst rank, intellectually, were elected to
congress on the democratic ticket. 1t
would trouble ever u radical ward bum
mcr to give any Ineligible reason why
this was wrong, or irregular, or iIlegiti-
mate. The south was in her place in
the union. The gentlemen in question
were nominated in the constitutional
way and elected in the constitutional
way. They were truely representative
men Representatives of the mind, the
aspirations and the material interests
of the south. They were moderate men.
Their course in congress was marked by
extreme temperatures and good sense in
the face of n constant and systematic
course of badgering and abuse at the
hands of the republicans under black
mailer Blaine. Through thcirOwnleader,
Mr.. Lamar, they deliberately and clo.
Q%uently put on record their desire to
live only in peace and amity with the
whole country under the new conditions
produced by the. war, which they fully
accepted. And yet the republican pres
persistently hcralded this congress to tho
country as the "rebel congress" The
confederate congress-" the "rebe
house" etc. Whenever it became ncces
sary to allude personally to a southern
member, the term Confederate q
"rcbel" was placed opposite his name
Whenever Il vote was particularizcd II
the reports of these republican papers
every southern man was so designated
Indeed, during the hottest period of tn,
war, there was no worse characterize
ton of the southern people than Their
is to-day. They were all "rebels' an,
"confederates" then, and they are al
"rebels" and .'coniederates" now--ex
ccpt such AS have been given p~rotitabl
positions under the administration, a
the expense OF union generals and colo
nels, in return for qualification too bas
for words to describe.
Theidcaofth the republican party that an,
decent southern man can vote its ticke
now, or ever, is imprudence run mad
II there be a united south" for tn
democratic party it will come of the LOG
zeal and inevitable course of things. T
ally ones self with ones enemies and d,
tractors and slanderers is not huma
nature. If the republican party reall
: count on securing any votes in tn
southern states" it does well to call u
the troops. 1t is only at the point {
the bayonet, and at the mouth of ii
Calling gun that there can be any ele'
| toral "snccess" in the south for che n
=, publican party. The republican part
t Is as naturally the enemy of the "sout
| as the jungle tiger is the enemy of th