Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-06-20
National Sentiment In the South,

Mr.. Watterson, in his address at Nash.
vile on Decoration. Day, made an mpor-
tant admission. Speaking of the South,
and for the south, he said "To section
alsm and partyism we owe our undoing."
This is the admission of man who has
been sectionalist and hot.headed
party man, and who, Witnessing the de.
cline of the South, sceksa reason and finds
il in the sentence quoted above
The admission is important, but what
follows is more so. Speaking of the res.
toration of the South, Mr.. Wa,terson
! said 1--WE shall owe our restoration TO
Natlonalism, and to Nationalism alone.
The man who was Confederate and il Il
Nationalist must feel when treadIng the
floor of Faneuil Hall that he is at home.
In every part OF the South the starry en-
sign of the Republic must be not only a
symbol of protection but the source and
resource of popular enthusiasm. Above
all, the cabin of the poor man, whatever
his color, race or opinions, must be a free
mans castle"
The people of the South, sectionalsis be.
fore the war, rebels during the war, and
hostile TO the Union since the war, must
come so in heart rs well ~ in name.
When Republicans have declared that the
Southern people must do just what Mr..
Watterson says they must do, it has been
urged that we were relentless, that we
only desired to humiliate brave bu, I'M
fortunate people. Republicans have
maintained that the old narrowncss, big.
olry and hatred engendered by sectional.
lam shnn1u find M al
and that loyalty to the Nation should take
the place of the zeal for State rights and
the pride in State lines that were the
foundation stones of that sectonalsm
that resulted in the Sou,h's undoing Re-
publicans did this as the friends of the
South, and they were counted its enemies,
Mr. Watterson takes the same position.
and what is heg He declares that the
Confederate must become Nationalist,
and must feel at home in Faneuil Hall.
But how Not by dwelling on fanccd
wrongs; not by resenting every reference
to the Union as a personal insult; not by
prating Of the lost cause and the glory Of
the Confederate flag; not by ignoring
every principle of National unity and
| Boosting Of the triumph of the principles
| of the Confederates not ny cultivating a
| SDllil VI buuti lbNui ilC PtoPit VI
| the North, but by making in every
| part Of the South the ensign of
| the Republic "noi only symbol of pro-
! lection but the source Of popular cnthu-
siasm," and by making "the cabin of
the poor man, whatever his color, race, or
| opinions, n freeman's castle" But in
! Louisiana the people drive the representa-
tlycs II the National Government away
] GRO, ha; J.fy Natinpat
/ thorities, and prosecute men who dare eX-
/ hibit enthusiasm for the principles repre-
sentcd by the National flag. In Missis-
! sippi white men and women are shot
down by mob, and colored men and
women are dragged from their beds and
| whipped by ruflans who boast of their
| exploits, and in no case are the offenders
| punished. These lawlcss men constitute
! the element that curses the South, and this
/ is the element that should be taken in
| hand by the true friends Of the South. 1t
! cannot bc nationallzcd in feeling, but it
/ can be so controlled IA not 10 prevent the
/ growth Of healthy National sentiment
| among the people at large. If restoration
and prosperity depend on the cultivation
| OF this National sentiment, as Mr. Waiter
son says they do, the first step in the right
| Aitttioh WIN NC amen "H'h tht hI'o CIV
ment in the South is suppressed. People
who cringe before a lawless faction, at
once their enemies and the enemies OF
national unity, cannot be very earnest in
their effort TO escape from the evils TO
which they lowe their LnIoing.' When
they are in earnest their acts viii speak
louder than any words, and the resiora-
ton of the South will be easily accom-
| plished Inter Oceaa.