Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1877-06-06
SECTIONAL POLTTICS

JVeelty, for many years. But il is cv.
ident from an article under the above
caption which appeared in the issue o.
the I'd OF June, that an emetic ha.
been administered to the editor of that
civiliSing organ, and he now write,
hHrpssaaWsw ON~s-ss =!
allnding to the course of certain jour.
nalists and the Morton's, Butlcrs, etc.
he says:
"The course Of the Republican papers which
seek In every way to create doubt and dstrust ol
general policy Of the Administratlo has bu, Que
logical result, and that is, party division by sec
tonal lines. This Is a result which no patriotic
and intelligent American can contemplate with
pleasure or patience
"Pleasure or patience" is good
strong and true, and what astonishes
us is that he did not wrte;thus for the
: past twelve years, and not allow him,
self to be "entrenched in pride, pref
dice, and tradition to such an extent
that for many years he ont heroded
: even those he now reproaches Tor man.
uiacturing bloody shirt stories. In al.
luding to the closing of the war, which
he assisted so largely in bringing on,
and afterwards literally held rogues in
place and position, he continues:
at was the part Of true patriotism from that
moment to provide that while the injustice and
hardship that must necessarily, under the circum
stances, attend any settlement should be as light
as possible, the great principles OF human society
and Of good government should be constantly
remembered"
Most excellent advice, had it been
given in 1865. Was it ignorance or
demagogueism that withheld it. But
tho editor proceeds in his converted
state, to tell few more substantial
truths, something he has not been in
the habit of doing while discussing
politics, and most successfully does he
ruin oil the ground work for another
"bloody shirt" campaign in this way !.
"As for the "solid South" he is a
dull observer of events who supposes,
after seeing the course of things from
1868 to 1876 in the Southern States,
that there would not have been a asolid
South"in l8SOunderany circumstances
The Presidents course has neither
fastened nor delayed that result. But
il has done very much TO take the real
sting and peril from that result by
showing the ereally intelligent Southern
leaders that "the North is not 'soldn
in sectional hostility, but that the char
acteristic sentiment of this part of the
country, which is Republican, rccog.
nizes that, with the disappearance OF
slavery, the reason for sectional poll.
tics is gone. We certainly do not ex.
pect thatpolitical leaders and followers
in the Southern States will suddenly
desert their patty organizations and
names because the President pursues
course which they have long desired
and cordially approve. But, on the
other hand, we do not suppose that
the Democratic leaders haze dny SIMS
ter policy Of rengeanee, the fear Of chich
seems to plague some Republican minds.
II they cere so SMLeRly hostile TO the
Union and the Government as some Re.
.publicdns assume, they had their oppor-
hntty in the last days Of February. We
do not deny that great distruSt Of these
Southern leaders ,oaS expressed upon the
stump last autumn. But we as FRANKLY
ADMIT THAT IT Is LARGELY PROVED TO
HAVE BEEN MISTAKEN. That there are
angry and hateful elements in the pop
ulation Of the Southern States, as in
that OF the city Of New York and
other large cities, is unquestionable.
But he is resolutely unreasonable who
insists that the leadership of HILL and
LAMAR and GORDON and GIBSON in
splred by angry and hateful passions
and purposes because there have been
prosecutions and massacrcs OF negroes
in the Southern States. Nothing is
palmer than that the perception upon
the part Of such men as we name, that
the intelligence and representative
character Of the Republican North,
which they in turn have been taught to
to distrust, are cordial and generous
and sympathetic, will tend to dctach
them from the angry and hateful spirits
around them.
No more untimely and wretched
work can be done than to excite Re.
publican hostility against "the South"
AS A SECTION. Our politics become
simply revolutionary and intolcrable
when one party regards The other not as
an opposition under the government,
but as deadly enemy of the govern.
ment itself TO insist, by carefully cit.
ing only crimes and disorders in the
Southern States, THAT THE WHITE Pop
ULATioN CAN NEVER BE TRUSTED TO /
DEAL FAIRLY WITH THE NEGROES, IS
MERELY TO Fan AND PRoLoNG THE HOS.
TILITY OF WHICH THE NEGRO Is THE
VICTIM. lF THERE BE NO HOPE ron THE
SOUTHERN NEGRO EXCEPT FROM THE
Military FoRcEoF THE UNITED suArrs,
rnLm nni.. NE ,a.i. nnfonLioAN pAhrf DESERVED
lifted the military hand from ",arss
Southern State bnt three
IT IS easy to see now. if It was not easy
du,"s dua, y .ne @ ua.npa'gn, 'nat lhcre Is