The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-01-26
rect fruit of the change of administration

1871. Do you wonder that the negroes vote
the democratic ticket in Georgia DO you
not rather wonder that any Of them vote
any other ticketS The numbers who vote
the democratic ticket increase with every
election, and tell you now, that if the re-
publican polcy..towards the South is con-
tinued, it will not be long before the only
population in the South that will be more
unanimously and more inveterately demo-
cratic than the old wings, will ts the negroes
Every southern State which has followed
Georgia in getting rid Of republican govern
ment, has followed Georgia in consequent
peace, prosperity and increase of democratic
votes. Georgia leads only because she
started first aud most vigorously in the race.
Now look at poor South Carolina Nothing
divides her from Georgia but the narrow
river, Savannah. Is that river Styx, and
its crossing death That hideous monster
halt maa, half beast-the negro and car
pet-bagger in union-coutiuues its rule in
that State under military protection, and it
Is that .ruie which is death, and would be
death anywhere. If | desired to intimidate
the most intelligent and best negroes of
Georgia to votethe democratic ticket. could
not do so more effectually than to threaten
them with a revival in Georgia of this South
Caro- ina condition. Is il not barbarous to
CONTINUE upon our people government un-
der which no people can be contented, pros
porous or safe?
But you will ask, do mean to say that
government is good because it is democrat
| ic, and bad because it is republican, No,
do not mean to say any such thing. Gov
ernment in Massachusetts, 10 republican, and
it is good; in Ohio it is republican and it is
good, and so of other States. But do mean
to say that good government comes, and
comes only OF intelligence, property and
virtue and bad government comes. and
comes surely and Invariably of ignorance,
pauperism and vice. Men who rule State
for the peoples good are always blessings.
Men who usurp a State only to rob the peo-
pie are always curses.
Now, the policy Of the republican party
towards the south has driven all the intelli-
gence, and property, and virtue Of the South
into the democratic party. There are not in
Georgia individual exceptions sufficient to
exhaust one count on your fingers. The men
at the South called republicans have neither
convictions nor principles A few compara-
lively honest are the victims of the old par
ty prejudices too strong to be overcome, but
nearly all act with the republican party
only because that party has the power, and
has shown the will to sustain them in their
robberies of the southern people. The Ii
cense to plunder is the only ligament that
binds them 20 the republican body and they
will as readily grow to any other body that
will enable them to live with the same IL
ceDse.
The highest crime ever committed against
thecountry and against the republican party
itself, is committed by republican leaders
when they justify and support these robbers
of the South. on the floors of Congress, and
in the departments and by the power of the
government. We of the South often hear
men eulogized in Congress whom we know
to be of the most worthless and criminal
character Evidence in various forms is
procured to charge upon the whites of the
South the most barbarous outrages, when
we know the very men who rob us are the
men who procure this evidence, and We
we'll know that such evidence could be
sbundantly procured, If necessary, to prove
that more negroes have been killed in any
given southern State since the war than
have ever lived in the State before or since
the war. Evidence for such purposes by
such men can be procured to prove anything.
1t is NO wonder that the poor creatures who
are thus used give such evidence. 1t is no
wonder that vile men are willing to pro-
cure IL for their ends. But it is a marvel
that intelligent and patriotic men at the
North can be so long and often deceived by
such evidence.
How eau you expect the decent men of
the South to join party that gathers such
creatures under its protection "as hen
gathering her chickens under her wings9"
I Is he who protects your enemy any more
your friend than the enemy? If a burglar is
entering your house, and person stands
outside and points a gun at you and says the
burglar is wronging you but you shall.neith-
er harm or drive him out of your house, and
il you attempt it you shall be considered in
insurrection and yourself Shutdown, which
would you consider rthe more -guilty-the
burglar or the person that protected him
TIE republican party has beenfprotecting
burglars in the South for ten years, and
every time we complain we are denounced
as rebels. l know the honest. masses of the
Northern republicans are not guilty of these
things, and they 10 not believe their Leaders
are guilty. For many years passions have
been controlIg, and demagogues have been
active to keep these passions alive
. for their own uses. But trust these pas
sons will not subside. trust the-tme hai
} come when good men at the North will ceas'
to be the dupes that good men at the Sout !
. may become the victims of bad extreme
leaders in both sections. We must hav,
| WlsuuLn ~ iIs ueau VI VIC ShNI nhu ho ico
for the feet. ''Foot-sore and weary" will
our sectional wanderings let us all return Il
the starting point of mutual good will ant
reciprocal benefits-which alone can form
worthy bonds for free and united people
I ben all men will see clearly how it is tha
the unframed negroes prefer good govern
ment to bad government as they have dom
and will continue, more and more, to do ii
Georgia.
Yours, very truly,
: BENJAMIN III HILL.
To =. II. FINLAYsON, Amsterdam, N. Y.
CoRREcr.-A prominent preacher II
i Reading, this State, hits the nail square ol
I l. -