Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-08-03
"MIN0R QUESTIONS" :"

MINOR QUESTIONS"
liarpcr's Weekly OF last week con-
talns the following sensible editorial.
Though horribly radical, and preiudicc1
against the south, Mr.. George William
Curtis is q man OF sense, and sees the
inntiiity of attempting to fight a great
political campaign on exploded cam
paign fa.sehoud>:
There is adispositiun in some quarters
to insist that minor questions and
little differences" can bu and should
he postponed. while all good citizens
Join hands to save the government from
southern domination. This was the tone
OF letter written 10y Mir Garrison to the
Woodstock celcbrat on. and of an extra
ordinary speech nj Mr.. Banks in Boston.
1t Is the suggestion Of mauy papers and
platforms, and nt much private ConNcr
>at!On, and Bishop Haven thinks it is
time tor the nation TO arise and Ito con
slider on her natal day whether or no she
really exists" For :; :!ataii day that par
tirular question might seem to- be some
what supcrt'uOus, but there are times III
which all questions must be entertained
l he feeling which seems to B shop lla-
Ven 80 threatening is not. however. ac-
cordng to him. limited Ia the south. II
is a race hatred which not only harric>
and murders in the old slave states. but
| refuses to incorporate Il colorcd cOmpl-
ny in Connecticut, and tu repeal i'll
Rhode Island the law prohibiting mar
lot \
sons. The bishop might have mention
ed. also. that when New York gave ju.-
| 600 to Mr.. Lincoln, it cast the same ma
.l"ritv against the equal suffrage of the
colored population.
| This prejudice. or hatred. is the de-
| plorable stain upon our history? But
| It's tap-root VA, slavery. Under that
system color was Il sign of the scryilc
race, and it has been that sign in Christ
endom for three centuries. Happily il
has now ceased to he sn in most civil
!Zed countries. and in this country. al
| though emancipation WAS 80 recent and
ST. CALLING in the late slave states. the
| subject race has risen much more rapid
| ly than might have been expected. The
testimony ol Col. lIi-yinsun. one OF the
most rcsO!utc of thesnld Garrison abo-
| litioni>ts, and Il leader in the more aC-
| tive Boston anti-slavcry movements, is
exceedingly interesting and valuable up
Oh this point. The south" rs such.
waS Il power in our politics. because it
WAS the name of an enormous interest
and 4 social and industrial system lis
| leaders were able and earnest men. with
\ distinct purpose. and they formed an
alliance with the democratic party in the
northern states to carry ont that pur-
pose of strengtheuin" and extending
slavery. They failed totally. and slav-
cry has disappeared. Every state has
resumed its practical relations in the
union" Its internal policy, undo. the
| constitution, is Its own concern. and the
national government can intervene only
! under familiar conditions. Now do any
states. or sections OF states. propose re-
| beiiun? 1t is not asserted, except in
the extraordinary speech of AIR. Banks.
! If not. does experience show that
the party of which the ''South :
| is the strength can be success
lully opposed upon the ground Of the i'll
treatment OF any portion OF the popula-
,ion OF 4 statc9 In other words, are
Connecticut and Rhod" Island. both
! New England states. likely to be kindlcd
against Georgia or Mississippi for shar-
ing their preudiccs? Ii not. is the re-
naming consideration. that 'the south. :"
if it obtains power. will reimburse it
self from the treasury for its losses dur
ing the war, likely to be more effective
in 1850 than it was in 1862 If not,
again, is not the eNhUrtation to forget
minor issues in the suaremc question
| l., -, 1,- ,
| Is ii impracticable, or treacherous, or
disingenuouS. or visionary, to suppose
| that the reason OF the narrow republican
escape in 1876 may lie found partly in
the conduct of the republican party it
sell? Were there not a great many vo-
ters who said that the things done under
republican ascendencv seemed to them
as bad as those that were suggested as
possible under democratic ascendency?
And did not the result show that such
voters did not regard the danger OF
southern claims rs an adequate answer
1t is plain that in the present political
condition of the country Il general cleo
tiou must be contested upon :: distinct,
positive policy, not upon n declaration
of hostility to 4 policy which is not pro
posed. SO earnest and intelligent re.
publican as Mr. II. V. RediieId. OF the
Cincinnati Commercial. To whom we owe
ST. much trustworthy knowledge of the
actual southern situation. says not only
that democrats in congress break when
n claim is voted upon, but that there are
many most meritorious southern claims
that ought to be paid. 1t must be noted,
also. that only six northern democrat,
voted against the Conger constitutional
amendment prohibiting the payment Of
! rebel CLAIMS. \ positive and inteiligi
BILE policy. therefore, must include what
are called ,'the minor Issues for they
are precisely those upon which there ar,
positive and strong popular opinions
} One paper suggests that reform car
: wait. 1T usually does. Another say:
: that ''lt is not safe or wise to make tn,
finances party question, and proposes
; to leave it 'to be settled by the con
gresslonal Districts rs the Greeley
platform proposed to leave the tariff
> Why not leave the other questions to bt
} settled in the same way? The questions
are all national. There is none more
vital than that of the finances; and i
/ there need be no common party grount
upon that, certainly there need be none
: upon any less vital issue. This is sim
, ply declaration that the republican par
ty need haye no purpose. except. per
, haps. a general hostility to 1.-The SOUTH
5 If that is the sole hope OF republican
success, -!
The blood is the real fountain OF heal II
, and life; keep this life giving fluid pure