The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-08-08

to come before the public with 30 dis
Sracefnl an issue; with its broken pledges
9fcivil service reform, with it's shame
Iess disregard of public morality, leaning
for its support, as It totters to its down,
fail an those 80 unfortunate as to hold
official place under ii. Iarraign the lea
ders of the Republican party at the very
threshold Of this canvass as the oorg9anlz-
ers of corruption, the assessors OF bIack,
mail to be used in destroying the purity
of elections, and in the overthrow OF the
rights of the people. If their schemes
can be made successful aud prevalent
throughout this country; if the policy OF
controlling elections by the use OF mon
ev. now openly proclaimed by the par
ty In mower, shall receive no condemna'
ton at the hands of the people, then our
institutions of free government VIII per-
jsh. and our name will become kissing
and by.word in all the four quarters OF
the world.
THE SOUTHERN POLICY.
A claim is sometimes put forth in be-
half of the present Administration by a
portion, at least, Of the Republican par
ty, that it has what is known as South-
ern policy, which commends 1t to ialr'
minded people. The TACT that the South
ern States are no longer governed by
military power; that their elections are
no longer determined by the bayonet.
When, where in what State, and before
what audience, from Maine to Oregon,
was this policy ever announced as Re-
nnhIican doctrine? The war closed more
than thirteen years ago, and challenge
the proceedings of every Republican con-
yention, from that hour to this, to fur
nish one speech or single resolution in
favor of such q measure. On the con-
trary, we find one campaign iolloWlng
another, political contest succeeding each
other all forming an unbroken record OF
hostility to the constitutional rights Of
the Southern States and people. Two
wears ago in Indiana the Republican can
didate for Governor announced with Bit
ter emphasis that the ensanguined sym
Dol of perpetual hate was the banner un-
der which he made his canvass. Every
subordinate speaker in the State follow
ed in the same strain. A speech made
at that time in behalf of the policy since
pursued by Hayes would have at once
excluded the speaker from membership
in the Republican party. The entire
battle of 1876 was fought by the leaders
of that party on their,oId doctrine OF
rancor and strife. The Democratic party
assailed it, as it has done from the close
of the war, with the Constitution as the
only measure of power, and warrant Of
Government, for States South as we'll as
North. We might have held from the
hour of Lees surrender, that the surest
and speediest way of restoring the South
to peace and prosperity was to extend to
her people the equal protection OF the
Constitution and the laws, 1t was then,
as il is now, that an appeal to the honor
and manhood of a conquered people OF
our own race and blood would be met
bv renewed and faithful allegiance to
the Government. The wisdom of our
faith has been so fully exemplitied, and
has grown so strong in the public mind
in this and other Coultries, that Re-
nublican Administration, carried into
office in hostility to it, has at last been
forced to accept and administer the Gov.
ernment on it's principles The sO'called
Southern policy of Mr.. Hayes is simply
a forced concession to the power of pub
lie opinion created by the courage and
devotion of the Democratic party. When
inducted into an Office to which he was
not elected by the people, he placed
himself upon platform on which neil
ther he nor his party had ever before
stood. In fact, neither the Office which
he holds, nor the principles on which he
administers it in his dealings with the
South belong to him. or his party. He
has appropriated both without right. In.
deed the greatest leaders of his party do
not hesitate to declare his Southern pol
icy to be of Democratic origin, and that
the true title to it is in the Democratic
party. What Republican State Conven-
ton has given it unqualified indorse.
ment? When an Endorsement has been
attempted at all, as in the late Republi
can State convention of Indiana, it has
been in timid, half hearted and dis
trustful manner. On the other hand,
such bold, strong men as Conkling Blaine,
Cameron, and, indeed, a large majority
of the recognized leaders of the party,
miss no opportunity to disclaim for the
Republican party all responsibility for
the Southern policy of the Administra-
tion,
THE INVESTIGATION.
In the midst of its wide spread demor.
alization, however, strange and violent
attempt has been recently made to re.
vive the waning fortunes of the Repub.
HCan party by a sensational attack on
Che investigation now being made into
the alleged frauds by which the present
Administration was placed in power.
When this investigation was ordered by
Democratic House of Representatives,
sort of hysteriCal scream burst forth
from the entire Republican press. To
dispassionate ears however, it sounded
more like the cry of conscious guilt and
fear Of detection than of patriotic appre.
henson for the country. A new word
was coined, prophetic of evil to our Gov.
ernment, We were informed with orac-
ular emphasis that our Government was
to be Mexicanized" MexiCanized! Do
those who have hurled this word into
our political vocabulary have any con.
ception of its real meaning and applica.
tion? From the conquest of COrtez to
the present hour, Mexico has been a land
of revolution and lawless turbulence.
One of the leading features of her history
has been the usurpation of power by
those who were not entitled to it. Fraud
and violence have controlled her highest
political positions. The question there
has not been who was elected Pres
ident of the Republic, but who had the
means of chicanery and force to obtain
the position. Lerdy was but yesterday
driven from that place, and Diaz now
holds it in violation of the Mexican con.
stitution, and without the sanction Of
popular suffrage. But does the evil ex
ample of Mexico apply to the conduct of
a party which investigates fraud and
seeks to ascertain the true expression of
popular will2 Does it not rather apply
with crushing force to that party which,