Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-02-08
THAT SOUTHERN POLICY.

| DecOme 70 Bucn tcartul extent the toOi Ol
the frenzy Of disappointment as to utter
such things, when they and all the people
know that, with the exception Of two
States saved by the Returning Boards un.
der the laws Of said States, a solid Demo
cratic South was = result, fact, under
the "sword policy" before Hayes wac
"counted in" believe in giving every
man his due; butt is not giving man his
due TO charge him with that Of which he
is not guilty. 1t is sheer, Infamous malig-
nifty and nothing else that lays to the
charge Of Hayes the political results in
the South.
All agree that the sword could not al
ways be held over the Southern States. 1t
must be withdrawn when the constitutional
grant would no longer justify that course
of things. Some of us believe that that
time had come and that President Hayes
could not do otherwise than he did with
out violating his constitutional authority.
But as to this, there is a chance for an
honest difference of opinion, and true to
this belief, / will let others think differ
emily from myself and shall not charge
them with being untrue to their convic-
tions. One thing, however, is true touch
ing this point and that is that not only in
the South, but also in the North, the major
ity OF the people wanted the "sword pol
icy " TO cease.
Another thing is an undeniable fact, viz /:
That the Grant policy neither made Repub-
licans in the South, nor did it protect and
preserve the party. The Southern States
were lost 10 the Republicans under Grant,
and why men of the Blaine and ConkIing
stripe should want that policy which had
in eight years given the South to the Dem
ocrats, perpetuaIed for party purposes, is
strange. The facts would seem to argue
that these men rs party leaders were polit-
ieally mad or insane.
There has been no more suffering in the
South under Hayes than there was under
Grant. But suffering is to be expected
Between the master and his former slave
who now is entitled to a vote, there is not
likely to be the best of feelings, and as a
result OF the self-dependence given by
emancipation to the 100000 of ignorant,
degraded, penniless, and even sensually
beastial slaves, suffering and anarchy Of
almost every hue and kind is to be expected
And thus neither the "sword policy" nor
"peace policy" of the President can change.
The policy OF the General Government
can only be help to other agencies which
must be chiefly trusted to produce the de-
sired result.
As to which pslicy is best L have no doubt
in my own mind Reconstruction is greater
problem than Emancipation. The latter the
sword and the emancipation proclamation
effected but the former neither the sword
nor any official document whatever from
the President or Congress can bring about
Reconstruction is Il problem of agencies
which require time. The agencies are ed
must arise in the South, and SO must
churches for the poor black man. At these
fountains, the uncultured and polluted
masses must drink to their own mental
and moral enlightenment before the dark
cloud OF ignorance and moral corruption,
which breeds anarchy and suffering, will
be lifted from the South. That ignorance
OF the masses of the South which is n min
ia!ure OF the Ozark Ages" must pass
AWAY by the dawn of secular and moral
culture, before that state Of things can ex-
isl in the South that does here in the North
But reconstruction is also political ques-
ton. So long rs slavery existed and n
United North was arrayed against it, there
was united South politically il its de-
tense. Slavary was southern wealth and
its defense by the slave owners gave us a
solid South. After slavery was gone, and
in reconstruction, it kindled all the fires
OF animosity in the southern breast and SO
long as that sword CLEANED in southern
sunlight over their heads, il tended to, and
really did, solidify them politically. And
as the hand which held the sword OF the
Ner,h was Republican, it made them use
cratic South with which to strike down
what they looked upon as northern scep-
ter The Grant policy was necessary AT
the beginning, but after time its tendency
was 10 produce solid south and it did il
before Grants second term expired. AT
| the sword was in the hand OF the North il
was the same old battle between North and
| South. In the former contest slavery solid
| ihed the South; in the latter the recon.
struction sword did it. Ii these observa,
tions be true, it il potent that the Grant
policy could never make the Republican
party flourish in the South, and more, il
could never aid the work OF reconstruction
The sword could never make Southern
white men submit willingly and peaceabI!
to their former slaves being their pOlitica
rulers, and il could not make them low,
Northern teachers and capitalists but /
could and did, kindle and fan the fires 0
hatred in the hosOms OF Southern borl
white men against them.
But since slavery is no more, and thu
sword has been Withdrawn, the causes ar
gone which tended to solidify them politi
cally and since there is no longer exlerna
or internal things TO solidiiy them polit
ically, like all other portions Of the Unite
States, we shall soon see two or more po
litcal parties spring up among the whit
men. First, perhaps, in towns and parshes
: then in the States. 1t may not be Repub
licnns, Democrats or Nationals who viii
contend together for political emolument'
but some disappointed politicians will star
a party just as they do in the North, an,
with the Democrats OF the South they viii
vie In attempts to get the eolored vote, an,
when this comes 10 pass and not ill the
will the political aspect of reconstructio
be eORsunimated ~
Fifteen State legislatures are now IN se'
sion, costing about $685. 900 per day. 1t
|