The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-04-05
THE UPPER AND HKTHR II
mILLSTONRS.

MILLSTONRs.
Extreme Southern newspapers have
suddenly lost all respect for the Presi-
dent and all confidence in the purity
and integrity Of his purposes. The
few Democrats who have accepted Of
fee under his administration are as
sailed without stint and all because
the President halts when standing
upon thdverge OF the black, unfsth-
omed chasm dug by Radicalism in
Louisiana But while Democrats halt
or turn backward and deaounce the
country's chief magistrate it seems that
the old line Wing party, submerged
years ago by Republicanism and then
by Radicalism, and thus buried many
fathoms deep, 10 evoked from its for
gotten resting place; Radicalism un-
aergoes the process of sxpurgation and
new party is organized in the North.
II this end be accomplished the South
has much reason to rejoice. Blaine
and Morton and Butler will be shorn
of strength and we are surely relieved
of that terrible pressure which came
of the solidity and insufTerable weight
of their terrible party and power.
They made the negro god and the
white man devil and then waged war
against the devil that the black deity
might be supreme. Meanwhile we were
encompassed with all the charms of a
veritable hell in which Louisiana is
roasted even at this good hour. If
the reproduction of Northern conserv-
atism, and it's substitution for that
demon in politics to which Thad.
Stevens gave organized intelligent
force, be possible in the North, the
South has infinite cause for joy, and
they alone will deplore the event who
prefer office and leadership to the
country's veal. The existing condi-
tion of parties is such in the South that
man, however honest or brilliant or
pure and patriotic, need only be de-
nounced as Radical" to be damned.
There was never such blissful condi-
tion Of things for training knaves. By
this passionate mad partisanship hon
ors and offices are distributed. The
question of fitness OF Of personal worth
never arises. 1t is the golden age for
ignorance and impudence. Dec.nt
men stand aloof when passion and
rage and party violence are such that
the bravest dare not disobey the de-
crees of little coteries of ambitious,
selfish leaders who make the nomina-
tions and control the acts of the cor
ner grocery conventions. If parties
may be SO reconstructed that sectional
ism is pretermitted in platforms and
sectional passion finally allayed, not
only would wiser and better men be-
come active in giving States and coun-
ties and towns better governmental, but
the business relations and activity of
men and States and cities would be
infinitely ameiiorated. Every ranting
party leader of the North devotes his
genius and eloquence to the perversion
of Southern facts. He distorts every
Southern event. He tells of the num-
Der Of "whisky mills" and countless
fights and murders daily "ground OUT"
He sees nothing to laud and every
thing to condemn. The strength and
success Of his party is measured by the
degree of odium that attaches
to Southern people, States and
morals and modes of acting and
thinking. Bob Ingersoll used to
present to shuddering multitudes pic
ture of Southern social systems that
made Southern listeners blood run
cold. 1t was not that Bob Ingersoll
hated the South or believed what he
said. He. only mated the Democratic
party, and this is the South. 1t is not
OF the North. The felicitous, popular
declaimer msddened countless multi
tudes and did US infinite injury. OF
late he has changed his tone when
changing his purposes. He would
separate conservatism North and
South from Northern and Southern
Radicalism, "and becomes milder and
more just than Hayes, and talks as
generously of us as if he had not made
Blaine ashamed of himself as color
sergeant in the bloody shirt campaign
of which Hayes was an abortion to the
very extent that he is at all admirable.
But these processes of change, begin
ming with the President, may achieve
4 most desirable revolution. Patriots,
whatever the conduct and, feeling of
partisans, must contemplate the pro-
gress OF political and party changes
with earnest solicitude. To them 1t
signifies nothing whether new or old
masters shape the conduct of these
parties. II signifies little who may
secure for the day or year the couutry's
Offices. 1t is only important that the
South escape from between the upper
and neither millstones of Radicalism |
and Democracy by which it has been
ground to powder for fifteen years
past. s.4 r..-5l
THR GOVERNORS, PILGaIMAGE