The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-03
The Future of the South.

GRANT-A SEVERANCE OF PARTY TIES--SEC-
TIoNAL PARTIsANsHIP TO BE SUCCEEDED BY
A DEVOTION TO NATIONAL ISSUES. 7lf,:5au.
WASHINGTON, February 1.-The Presi-
dent, in commenting upon the electoral bill
Yesterday, turned his conversation upon
the tendency of palties towards q thorough
and complete rehabilitation He said that
he had observed movement in this direc-
ton for several years, and that the political
reelection in 1874, popularity !.nown as the
"tida- was an indisputable evidence
Of this prospective change. He, then
thought that the party which had
been in power would be able in great
measure to reestablish its lost adYan-
tages, which it would possibly maintain
through another presidential term; but the
experience OF the contest OF 1876, though
favorable in the local elections OF repre-.
sentatives in Congress, showed that on
national questions the time for readJust-
ment of the political status Of parties had
come. He did not mean that the Demo-
cratic party would Of necessity secure n
permanent ascendancy, but that the Repub-
iican party, much shattered by Internal dis
sension, would be compelled to rally its
forces and to harmonic its diverse elements
upon some general line of policy. He SAID
that it could not be known until the result
was declared which party would secure
control Of the executive branch Of the Gov
eminent, with its extensive and potential
patronage; but whatever that declaration
might be, it would not stay the inevitable
tendency OF things. ........ ....s ..-
1t was shown that the South presented a
united front when permitted to act unre-
strained by the interpretation OF legally-con-
stituted authority to prevent the use OF the
means resorted to in carrying elections in
these States. In the North, where the DEM
ocratic victories were gained contrary to
former results, the means by which these
were attained might be considered eXcep-
tional. He thought that before the end Of
the next presidential term there would be
an entire Reorganization OF the parties in
the South, and that in the contest OF 1880
it would be no more a solid Democratic
South than a solid Republican North. he
said that in the South, as political contests
were now carried on, there was no DEM
ocratic or Republican party that the basis
upon which they struggled for political
power in that part Of the country was no.
thing more than an effort on the part OF the
whites to control and to completely ignore
the blacks; that there was no harmony nor
policy in the premises; that the white
voters were simply united in opposition to
what are designated there as carpet-bag-
gers" and also against the blacks; that now
all but two Of the southern States have gone
over to the Democrats, and he did not care
TO say by what means this result was ac-
complished. except that it was the natural
outgrowth Of the opposition OF the ante.
belLum party against that which grew out OF
the exceptional state OF things Which fol-
lowed the war. ....-.. ...a5
In the event of the declaration Of the
election Of Mr.. Tilden as President, the au-
thorities in the two States yet. Republican
would, he thought, promptly succumb, leav-
ing the entire list of southern States in the
hands Of the Democrats. The moment this
unanimity was reached, as against the
ascendancy Of the colored men and the few
whites from the North or South, he said the
people would begin to agitate measures OF
State policy, and their political opinions
would crystalline into political organizations
governed by some wholesome questions Of
controversy. 1t would be impossible, he
said, for but one party to exist, which
would result in division somewhere, and
he thought that would be in contest OF
party leaders for power and the control
for patronage. The spectacle would then
be exhibited OF both these political contest
ants exerting their best efforts to secure
the negro vote, the same as the Democrats
OF the North cajole the Irish and the Re
publicans cultivate the Germans and Scan
dinaYians. . ........ -.- ..-.
He then spoke specifically OK the early
political future of several Of the southern
States. He said that Florida, with northern
capital and railroads bringing it within
three days OF the northern markets, with
its fruits and early vegetables, and its salu-
brious winter climate, could now be said to
possess almost all the characteristics OF q
northern State, and that the people, instead
of being sectional, would vote their senti-
mentS on national or State issues the same rs
| in any northern State. He also said that
North Carolina might be mentioned as
having political future similar to that
of Florida, and for the same reasons. In
speaking OF West Virginia he also spoke
OF the fact that northern capital has been
largely invested in the valuable mining,
grazing, and forest lands, all OF which
would bring in new population governed
by more enlarged views and liberal sentl.
ments, and the effect Of which would, in
his opinion, be apparent in the politlca
future Of the State. ..t..:...
He said that when the present politica
controversy is settled, whether for the Re-
publicans or Democrats, these southern
States, if not the others, will show the be-
ginning Of this new era in the history OF
political parties in the South, and theil
action will no longer be sectional, but
national. ..a. ill.
LOUISIANA louisville, February 2.-In
| formation comes from Frankfort that Gov