The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-02-26
rHE TRIUMPH or A LOST CAUSE.

1t is now evident that the HAYES
party have made q strong bid tor the
support of the Democratic Cor gressmen
from the South. The internal improve
msnt policy of tho Republican party
and some assurances Of the recognition OF
the HAMPTON and NICHOLS govern
ments have pretty effsctually done the
work, and the Southern leaders, such as
HILL and LAMAR, have shown dispo-
sition to bite ut the bait. The truth is
that the South is utterly prostrste and
can do nothing of itself. Her people have
no principle at stake, and 1t is only
a question of expediency with them
They naturally looked to the Democratic
party for redemption, and the policy of
the Republican party during Grants sd'
ninistrstion left them no other choice.
With this expectation they polled tre-
mendously large vote for the Democratic
candidates, and it was by the aid Of the
Solid South that TiIden and Hendricks
we're elected. They considered that
their part WAS done in achieving
the victory and left it to their
| Northern allies to secure 1t.
When it became evident from the reck-
less and unscrupulOus manner by which
the Republican leaders undertook to
overthrow the returns in sufficient
number of the Southern States to reverse
the result, that trouble would be involved
| in securing the fruits of the victory al
ready wuD, q large eleneIt OF the
Northern Democracy representing the
Eastern bondholders, at once indicated
that it would be better TO submit to the
wrong than TO create disturbance and
thereby impair the value OF the bonds
The Southern Democrats at once recog.
nizing the fact that they had placed
their hands ia the hons mouth and were
now lett to withdraw 1t rs best they
could, with as much grace as possible
set about to do it. The time seemed TO
be fortunate tor their plan. The HAYES
party felt the necessity of weakening the
the Democratic strength of the House OF
Representative in order to carry out
their designs upon the presidency. and
we're glad enough to strike hands
with the Southern Democrats aud
agree to such terms Us they might die.
tate. For the sake of power the Re
publicaus readily aba 1doDed every
plank OF the platform upon which they
had fought the campaign. The bieody
shirt was to be- furled forsver; Home
| Rule in the South was to be supported:
the Confederate debt wss not to be paid
in exact terms, but Republican admin
/ is,ra,ion was to appropriate as much as
the debt Of the late Confederaoy amount
ed to in the way OF internal improve
mepts in the Southern States; the
slaves are not TO be restored to
their original owners, tut, wnsi
is more satisfactory TO the Southern peo-
ple the carpet ,ba sgers are to be driven
out of the South ut the point OF the bay
onet if necessary; ample apology is to he
made to the Southern people for having
called them "rebels," and they are to
be declared patriots ahunde; BOB In
arRsoLL's published speeches are to be
ordered out of print; the LnteIligen er's
ferocious editorials during the late cam
paigu about the danger OF per
mitting the government to pass
into the hands OF the traitors Of the
South are to have black lines drawn
around them, and the postotiice
organs generally throughout the country
are te have q set back, while the leading
Democratic organs of the South are to
have the patronage of the governmen,
bestowed upon them; these aud several
other similar concessions form the basis
of the new. departure OF the Republican
leaders. The Republicans gain the
Presidency by it, and the biighted South
will get little breathing spell to recupe-
rate its wasted energies. L: must be 8
bitter pill for the bloody shirt Repub.
licans to swallow all they have said in
derision of the South, but they are TAX
ing the pill jus. as dying man would
the potion which promised to be the last
and only hope for life. The Solid South
feels strong in It's weakness, that it can
thus dictate terms 20 hitherto merciless
concueror. aud we doubt not thst Ben
HILL rejoices sod thanks Cop that he
hiss lived TO see the day when the Lost
Cause" should triumph.
The Mteii,geacer as 9 pictorial journal
is success. What happy idea that OF