The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-03-17
THE SOUTHERN QUESTION.


Tho permanent pacifcatlon Of the country
upnn such principles and by such measures us
will sccnrC tho complete protection OF all It's
citizens in tho FREQ enjoyment Of all their COLI
atitutiOnal rights l. now the one subject IN 0nr
pnldc affairs which all thorehtful and patriotic
citizens regard aSof snprcmeiRIportancC. Many
Of the ca!amltnuS effects OF tle tremendous
revolution which has passed nvrr the Southern
States s;ill remain. The iinmCasnrahlc benG-
tits which will surely follow sooner or Inter the
hearty md generous acceptance Of the lrgiti.
mate results Of That revolution have not yet
been realized. Difficult and ernbArra sizing 1tIcS-
tionS meet us ut tho threshold Of this subject.
The people OF tllOSe States are Still impovCrislI-
CSl, and The incStimablc blessing Of wise, honest
and peaceful local self government is not fully
enjoyed. Whatever difference Of opinion may
exist AZ to the cause Of this SconditiUn Of things
the fact II clear that In the progrtsS Of events,
the tinUf has come when sncl government Is
The imperative necessity required by all the va
ricd interests, public and private, Of those
States. 4. isr!gaT ~ -G. .I.l. ig
hut il must not bc forgotten that only, q local
government which recognises and maintains III
Violate the rights OF Rl II trueseli-governinen
With respect 10 the two distinct. races, Whose
peculiar relations to each other have brought
upon liz tho deplorahn complications and per-
plexltiCH which exist idthOso StatCR II Htlst he
government which guards tho interests Of both
races carefully aud equally. II must be a gov
crinnctlt which submits Loyalty and heartily to
tho Constitution and the laws.-thC laws Of the
iAtiolI md the laws Of the States themselves
accepting aud 0tNying faithfully the wll0ls
Constitution as It il.
lcstiug upon this sure and substantial fonntlA-
ton, the AIpGrStructure Of benGfceMt local gov-
erillncntS can bc biiit np and moi tptlIcrwiEc. In
fnrtheruncG Of such Obedience 10 tho letter and
tho spirit Of the Constitution, andln belIalfof all
that its attainment implies, all sOcallcd party
interests lOsG their apparent Importance, and
party lines may we'll he permitted to fade into
inignilcancc. The question we have to cot
slider for the immediate welfare Of those States
Of tho Union IL tho question Of government
Or 10 government Of social order and all The
INaceftl Industries md hsppincEs that belong
to II, or return 10 harlariSm. II question
In which every citizen Of this nation il deeply
interested. and with respect to which We ought
not to he. In EartIsaN &ensc, either Republicans
or Democrats but fellow citizens and fellow
men, to whom tho interests Of cOIAllon cOull-
try aud common humanity arc dear.
Tic sweeping revolution OF the entire labor
SystemOf large portion Of our country, andthc
advance Of four millions Of people from con-
diiion OF Eervitudc to that OF citizenship upon
MI equal footing with their former masters,
rould not occur without presenting problems Of
the GravGst nlclnellt TO bC dealt with by the
cmGncipatCd rabc. by their former masters, and
by the. general government, the author OF the
net Of emancipation. That II was wise, lust
and Proyilcn.ial act, fraught with good for all
concerned, is now generally conceded through.
out the country. That moral obligation rests
upon the national government to employ It's COLI
ilutiOnal power and influence to establish the
rights Of the people It has CmanciIatGd, and 10
protect them IN the enjoyment Of tlIRC rights
when they arc nlringel or aAaied, Is aisO gem
orally admitted.
The evils which aflllct the Southern States can
only " removed or rCmCdiii BY the united aud
harmonious efforts OF both races actuuted by
motives Of mutual sympathy and regarl and
while IN duty bound and fully Determined to
protect the rights Of all by every constitutional
means at the disposal 81 myatlrinistratinn. I'm
ilicercly anxious to tIse every Legitimate inlu-
cnce In favor Of honest and Gtlcirnt local self
government M the true resource Of those States
FOR the promotion Of tile cnntentment and pros
pCrty OF their citizens. In the effort | snail
make to accomplish this purpose ask the cor.
dial cooperation Of all WHO cherish al Interest
IN tho welfare Of the country, trusting that
party ties and the prejudice Of race will Gc free
j. surrendered In behalf Of the great purpose to
Le accomplished. .t H.'.
III the important work Of restoring the South
1t il not tho political situation alone that merits
attention. The material development Of that
section Of tho country has been arrested by the
social and political revelation through WlIicl, II
has passed, and nov needs uNl deserves the
consiilcrAte carr Of the national government
within thu joint limits prescribed by the Con-
Etitutiun and wise public economy.
YnHH SCHOOLS Doe.