National Republican., 1877-10-10

ncncc, The anomaly oil country lounucu on
the principles of freedom, with millions of
its people held in involuntary scrvitnde,
legan to attract attention and criticism.
The inconsistency Of such o position began
to be realized by our own people, until,
under the force of more just and liberal
popular opinion the bonds of the slave be-
gan 10 relax, until all the States north of
MASON and DIxoS's line entered upon the
work Of gradual emancipation and followed
IL up until not slave was left in the North
to remind us of the existence Of the institu-
ton.
Not so with the Southern States. They
chung to the policy of holding slaves with
unyielding tenacity. This led TO the "irre-
pressible conflict" between liberty and slav-
cry, which continued as disturbing cle-
ment in the nation until II finally culmi-
mated in open war. The history Of that war
has been written, and is familiar with every
intelligent schoolboy in the country. We
will not recall the enormity Of the offcnses,
and the blood, the life, the treasure that
were sunk in that bloody chasm. Suffice
II to say that rebellion surrendered to 10y
atty, and the survivors of the war not con-
nected with the regular army returned to
the walks and duties Of private life and the
paths of business and enterprise. Ostensi-
bly,, In that surrender, the South accepted
the situation. Slavery had been abolished and
the Constitution declared that the slave was
an American citizen, clothed with all the
rights and privileges that pertain to citizen
ship Thus enfranchised by the Constitu-
| ton the colored citizen entered upon his
new Inheritance. He may not, under the
circumstances, have been clothed with that
degree of enlightenment and intelligence
that should accompany the citizen OF free
and enlightened Republic, but in that he was
the peer of an equal number Of white men
scattered throughout the country, who are
clothed with and exercise the rights of citi-
zenship, unchallenged at the bollot-box.
Under these circumstances the nation
took its new departure" and, under the
banner of peace and good fellowship, has
been marching on for twelve years. If the
South really surrendered, it was in honor
bound to accept the situation in all its
length and breadth. 1t has been treated
with great kindness and forbearance. The
| treason which led to the rebellion and cost
the nation hundreds of thousands Of lives
and thousands of millions of treasure has
not in a solitary instance been punished
under q vigorous enforcement of the law for
the punishment of treason. Such forbear-
ance has never before been known in human
governments
1t will bc borne in mind that during and
previous to the bloody struggle for mastery
on the field of battle, the people of the
country were divided by party line,
which placed the Democratic party in its
distinct character upon the side Of the in
surgents, and the Republican party to a
man OH the side of the Union cause. True
individual Democrats, whose patriotism
overrode their party ties, east their fortunes
with those Of their common country, and
were among the most patriotic and brave
of its defenders. But in that they did not
represent their party-they represented
their own individual patriotism-ail honor
to their names.
During the intervening years since thu
close of the war the freedman and th'
white Republican who had cast his lot II
the subjugated States have struggled tc
preserve and protect their rights of citizen
ship and sustain Republican organization
They were Republican at heart, and many
of them sacrificed their lives in an attempt
to assert their right of opinion and suffrage
| tn.n Vi,,ta t,.1.
within its border large Republican
majority. 1t was composed of white ant
colored citizens, the former actuated b.
their faith in Republican principles to con
serve the Government and secure the right
of all, and the latter because they owet
their freedom to the Republican party, an,
under the inspirations of gratitude, enliste,
under the Republican banner. Thes
combined influences held these State
intact in the Republican faith, ant
in power until the Democrats determines
to break down Rcpublicanism, and seiz
those States by agencies unauthorized b.
, law, and which are abhorrent to civilize'
, humanity. In the last election their pur
poses were accomplished in all the Souther
, States except South Carolina, Florida an
. Louisiana, and these only escaped becaus
the Democrats ovcrmted the extent Of thei
mischief
This is the history of Southern polite
down to the election and Inauguration {
President HAYES. Following that even
came the ostracising of Gov. CHAMBER
= LAIN, of South Carolina, and Gov. PACK
- ARD, of Louisiana, both elected by til
= people, and the Inauguration of HAMr
!, TON and NICHOLS in their places. Tn
leaves the South to-day without a sol
tary State that can be counted as r.
publican. The Democracy are restore
. to full power, and the Republicans a
;, prosecuted and hunted aS fuyitivcs.
, this republican form of government
-" Is this the legacy lcf, us by our foretather
- II so, how changed! The estate is NOR
gagged beyond redemption, and the guarai
tees of the Constitution are Us powerless
ropes of sand.
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