The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-24
ORLEANS DEMOCRAT, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 81 1878

rencv. but they presently discovered that not
only are they not united on this question but
many Of their protested hard-money people
arc weak In the knees. Mr.. Blaine. who travelled
extensively during the fall, gained realizing
sense Of the fact, and 1t is this, perhaps,
which led him to put himself upon revival
Of sectional agitation and suspicion When
Mr.. Blaine came here last month no ex-
changed views on the situation with
Southern men, who urged him to
abandon the Southern question, lend his
influence to n reorganization OF the
Southern wing Of the Republican party, and
declare himself in favor Of reconciliation.
He was told. il IS said, that the Democratic
party in most Of The Southern States is SO
ready to split To pieces that nothing but the
inimical attitude Of the Northern Republicans
holds IT together; that the appointment 81
respectable men ~ important Federal Offices,
If coupled with bold declaration 81 sym
pathy and friendship by man Of Ilaln"s
influence, would Great" q Formidable new 10
publican party In tn" South, and that If. on top
of this, h. should take III" lead In q movement
for the Improvement Ut the Mississippi lrv"S,
ana mndorate advocacy nf internal and har-
bor improvements IN tn" Southern States, y"
could secure fur himself not only the entire
Southern Republican delegation ~ The con.
vnntiOn Of 1880. but the electoral votes ~
five ~ nix Southern States, ana greatly h"n"lit
the whole country by ending alarm ana agita-
tiun MI Blaine chose to reject these sug-
gcstionR. III Is q shr"wl but not far-
sighted man ID has done what hn could 10
iic his party to tho stal" issu" nf the south.
~ may have judged rightly ~ doing 50, fnf
the GOODNESS with which his movement was
treated Nv the Republican Senators arose
largely ont Of n jraousyof his predominnnr".
AT any rate. no Republican has opposed him.
Among tho Democrats there has boon good
dnal ~ earnest discussion about the future.
When G4mgrnge adjourned last. June Tho
Southern Democrats had been persuaded
that their true policy for 1890 was to ally
themselves with tho West. Mr. Thurman
became the head Of this alliance, but
the fall elections showed the South
orn mon that he had totally misled
them as to the strength OF the
movement. They saw that the fall cam
paign, which thoy had made at the instance
of their Western allies for soft money, had
seriously endangered the Democratic success
in 1890 further Western alliance Is now
out of the question. 1t IS probable that the
Southern Democratic leaders will see that
their true course is u clos" alliance with the
Eastern wing of their party, and the adop-
tion of Eastern and not Western IDEAS and
poIicirs This would include, OF course, an
abandonment of all currency delusons
There is little doubtthat If n bold leader sum
moned the Southern Democrats to follow him
for a sound currency and n sound and national
policy he could sweep them all In with little
difficulty So far the leader is lacking, and
the mischievous return of the Republicans to
their old Southern sectional policy may pre-
vent any movement looking to tho roforna-
tion of either party Mr.. Blaine's resolution
is purely miscellaneous for the country.