New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-29

] in the course already begun. In fact at the
close of the year 1876 events had reacheu "
! point where the government OF the SouIneih
States, under what has been called the recon-
| struction system, was no longer possioio.
Whatever might be the numerical suene'n VI
the Southern Republicans, they had no Vlta'i.y
"a a political party The only alternative 10
| the rule of the white Democrat was the RUE
| of the major general.
This was n notifying result of eleven years
Of Republcan rule Whose fault was it ! AT
tbe end of the war, the party at the South
comprised only the freed people and rev
Northern immigrants, who undertook to IN
struct and lead them. 1t was the duty
of these Northern settlers to educate the ne
proes in the political virtues which American
civilization requires of the voter. They were
ignorant. timid credulous, childish, imlta-
tive, ambitious, easily influenced by bad
examples or by patriotic cOunses. and entirely
without the habit of self-reliance and ndc-
pendent Judgment. Instead of converting them
into an intelligent political constituency, we
allowed thieves to take control OF them, to
mass their votes, to use them for schemes OF
plumber and to keep them in ignorance and
dependence. Such q villain0us condition OF
things could not last forever The patience OF
the Southern whites and the Northern Republl-
cans both gave way and when the pay
onets upon which the carpet-bag adVeh-
turers relied were removed the whole fraudu-
lent structure fell to pieces The carpet-baggers
have run away. and if the Republican vote
has not entirely vanished, the Republican or
ganlzatiOn at any rate has dissolved ana there
appears to be nobody to reconstruct IL. lie
reason is plain enough. 1t was fictitious ar
rangement Ii had no foundation. III repre-
scented nothing but the avarice and ambition
of a few adventures, and the Ignorance ana
credulity of multitude of negroes. party
led and constructed III this way Is sham
If the Southern Republican leaders had done
their duty by the black population, those I'M
fortunate people, instead of waiting, hat In
hand. upon the forbearance and good feeling
of their old masters, would now be asserting
their privileges as free citizens, exercising the
right of elf-govenment, upholdmg the Repub-
hcan party of the South, and lending strength
to the Federal Administration.
If by the Southern Republican party, whose
dissolution is now amented, one is to under
stand the corrupt governments, the sean
dal-breeding cliques, the selfish political part
nerships which have so shamefully msused
the freedmen, we rejoice that it is broken up
we devoutly hope that it may never be re-
stored. But we look for the growth of new
and purer Republicanism on the soil which
has been ferhlized by so much loyal blood
and in fostering its development, we believe
that the President can find fit employment for
all his patriotism and tact. The negroes look
to Washington for guidance, and they must
have guides who will value the responsibilities
of the position, rather than its perquisites.
Under the right influences, the freedmen will
learn to stand alone, to maintain their rights,
to keep their own political consciences, to be
their own leaders, to direct their own dest-
MES Then the South will be governed like
other American communities. Then we shall
have a Southern Republicanism worthy of the