The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-07-15
THE sPEAKERsHIp.


government. 1t is very natural, therefor
that, as the time fixed for the extra session
the new Congress, which is TO choose q Speaker
approaches there should be an unusual move
ment in political circles. II the two nations
parties stood suuarely on their platforms
principles it would not be very difficult t
forecast the issue. But In the rapid whirl {
events the oentripetal forces In the Republica
party seem TO be yielding while the centr
fugal threaten to scatter it to the four winds
In the East there remains little either c
Democracy or Republication. The pres
and people of that section of the Union hav
given themselves over totwo ideas the gol'
standard and bitter hostility to any govern
ment aid to Southern and Western works
With the restoration of local self-govern
ment in all the rebel States the fierce fanati
cism OF New England has revived, and re
preston Of the development and expansion
OF Southern interests and Southern ideas is
the only politics known among the Puritans
In the West, Radical or bloedy-shirt Repub
iicanism still retains q Judgment but the
spirit of Cancellation dominates there and q
large majority OF the Western people cor
withdrawing the troops from the CAPT
tails of South Carolina and Louisiana and the
restoration of the constitution In those States.
In the South, the broadcast spirit of
natonalism pervades and inspires all
classes. The aspirations of the South
is for union and peace. Her people de-
sire TO support any national policy which
will advance the prosperity Of every portion
Of the Union. They desire TO bury the ami
mosities engendered by the war; to hush
forever the language Of sectional jealousy and
bitterness and to allay the passions and
preiudices which men like Mr.. Blaine seem
determined to foster and strengthen.
This, we think, Is a. quite correct presenta-
tion of the political elements and antagonisms
which will be engaged in the election of
the Speaker Of the House Of the Forty-fifth
Congress. La that House there will be
some seventy-fi Southern Democrats.
The object of these Southern MEM
bers viii be TO preserve the or
ganization Of the national Democratic
party as the only party of the constitution,
and TO secure government aid for those great
national works in which the commerce and
but in which the South and West have an
especial and peculiar interest
The East Is not violeRtly Republican,
but it is SO aggressively we may say
iercely, devoted to the interests Of the bond
holders and creditor classes and hostile to
every Southern enterprise, that the election
of an Eastern man, whatever his politics, to
The Speakership would be disaster certainly
to the South, and we honestly believe TO the
whole country. There are many Eastern
Democratic members of the House who, we
believe, would like to accord the South all just
and legitimate aid We believe that Mr.
Cox would like TO do SO, and we are not in
of Mr.. Randall's good intentions.
But there is no member of the House from
Tho Eastern States, whatever his views and |
power, who could as Speaker defy the power |
md influence of his constituency solidly |
united in favor Of o policy calculated to ag-
grandize the wealth of the East and to re- |
press and render subordinate the interests of |
bhe South and West. Mr. Cox, in the Speak |
er's chair would be an Eastern man first and |
next-a Mississippi levee manor
4 Texas Pacific man. never. / The influences.
nexorable as death, which! would! operate
upon him are those which created such q
eader as Mr. Tilden and such q statesman as
Abe Hewitt, and lost the country the grand
est civic victory ever won in demoralized
and degenerating age Neither the national
Democraticl party nor the South has any
thing to gain by the election of an Eastern
nan to the Speakership. zsaazssas Et EFEa
OF late a strong movement has been organ
zed with the view of using the great strength
f the Southern Democrats TO compel the cleo
ion of Southern man to the Speakershp.
his movement seems quite practicable and
liz apt to captivate the Southern people. It
would certainly be very gratifying to
i to see Southern Democrat in the
peaker's chair, and we have an array
able and brilliant representatives, any
ne of whom would fill that high
lace with great liability and distinction.
But we question the ACCESSIBILITY of elect
ng q Southern man Speaker at this
ime. The need of the South just
ow is not political advancement; she is
ot stripped for the race for political
over and distinction. Her homes are
aid waste; her people are poor; her trade
nd Industries are enfeebled. Her chief aim
lst now should be to restore these material
1terests, Possessing again the blessing of
,cal self-government, the highest political
mbition OF her people should be the puriffca-
ion OF the laws and manners of their States.
The election of a Southern Democrat as
peaker would arouse in all its original fury
he sectional bitterness of the North. With
Southern man in the Speakers chair.
laine's crusade would assume a great no
teal significance; he would become again a
reat leader; Packards and Chamberlain's
rades against the South and the President
ould be clothed with the elaquence of in
bred teachers. The centripetal forces in the
epublican party would regain their power |
Id that organization would again become as |
impact and plant to the will Of its worst |
I'd most fanatical leaders as when Thad Ste
ms damned the constitution and Grant over
rev the government of Louisiana without
citing protest In tho ranks of his follow l
S.
WA IN Va "a hal;ax,, that Ihn inf ayoutc IF fbn