Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-09-04
Sherman on the Southern Question.

cognizance as well of the relations of the re.
Gently rebelious states to the national gov
eminent. As member of the Cabinet he
no doubt gave expressions not only to his
own views and purposes, but also to thos,
of the President. This is the substance OF
what he said:
THE PRESIDENTS POLICY.
The policy of President Hayes, his earnest
desire and hope, is to destroy sectionalisin.
to invite by kindness and forbearance a
like kindness and forbearance to the Re.
pubicans of the South. If this effort
fails, the South will be slumbering vol.
cano, which some day will break forth in re.
ialation and crime For free men having
constitutional rights cannot be chained by
violence. Intelligence aud organization will
soon enable them to assert their rights OF
deter the practice of such violence.
The Republican party is purely national
party. Its instincts are national, its policy
is national. In no Republican state could
anything like opposition to freedom OF
speech. freedom of the press, free discussion,
be tolerated, nor would any one for mo-
ment be allow ed to be deferred from voting
as he pleased; while in some of the demo
cratic states in the South, such a thing as
free speech and free press and reasonable
liberation of opinion is scarcely recognized.
The dominant press would denounce as a
crime what we here in the North regard
as the right of every citizen-to speak and
vote as he chooses.
pENochAIlc CONSPIRACY IN LOUISIANA
As to Louisiana, had better means OF
information than Judge Thurman, and say
to you that the criminal conspiracy by the
democratic party of that state to control the
election of 1876 so as to cast the vote OF
that state for Governor Tilden, has never
been fully told. II extended to more than
ten parishes or counties, and held in absolute
terror five Republican parishes that had
always since the war given about seven thou
sand Republican majority. 1t led to and
included in its plan and scope scores OF
murders OF Republicans white and black,
mainly intelligent black leaders OF their
race. 1t wounded, whipped and manned
others, drove hundreds to the swamps at
night, and spread universal terror among
TINS ignorant and suspicious people, who had
the same legal right and better moral right
to vote than their prosecutors, whose hands
were only recently red with the blood shed
IN war against the Union. The chosen
agents OF this intamy were democratic rifle
clubs, fully armed, marching at night III
disguise, distributing anonymous threats
and occasionally executing them, and leav-
ing notices to leave the parish with the more
Intelligent accompanied with threats ana
a. ~, .1's.' W - ~ IL 80
carry Tonisiana They NAV here aid ,Iar,.
indn,e n d;sanrointed otBce.seeLnr H..
Anderson aud Wehar IN falsifv thair forn,a,
oatbs and even nrevail mon noor negroe.
like AM Mitchell and Mrs. pmkst1n to
Withdraw tbair former denoeitione hut TN.
scores of dead men killed Inv the riae cluhs
snaal from their graves and the mon uhn
rode their nightly rides of terror know nov
in their hearts that ALI that has been said nj
them is true. The statements and atfidavits
made nv these neonle were submitted tn the.
local returning officers selected Inv the stot,.
legislature. composed of two white men and
two colored men. all natives of the South,
and these men. who knew the surrounding,
and many of The facts decided in etr;e,
comnliance with the law of that state ina,
nnder This law these marshes and nolling
places must be excluded. and il was done
Tins Governor HAYES col the vote of In,is-
lana as lawfully and tnIlv as that of ONO
All this crv of fraud and usurnation onpht,
in the minds of inst men. to react with f,.ar
ful effect apainsi the democratic party. for
il was their orpanized crime and violence.
that created the doubt which the raturninu
hoard and elactor.l commission d,ridad ;,,
orr favor =
,,,.,....... -.
MAJ ''''N' o' ''' io-''A hhhiN"'
Mr.. thurman says:
felioW-cltiZehs, hothlhg IN pontlcs seems
more certain TO me than that the Republi-
can leaders rest their hopes OF prolonga-
ton OF their power upon the success that
may attend stldled and energetic effort Oh
thelr part 10 excite ana perpeluate sectional
feeling"
1t Is strange thing that the Republican,
party, distinguished Tor It's national feeling,
should be charged by the democratic party
with desire to excite and perpetuate sec
tlonal leellhg' Inc strength OF The demo-
cratlc party to-day, as before the war, lies III
a united South, held, not only by sectional
feeling, but by sectional feeling antagonistic
10 the Union, intensified by It's early advo-
cacy oil states rights, Its attempts at seces-
sion, aud by four years OF bloody and unsuc
cesslul war against the Union. ms sec
native white men who become Renuhhcaus
holds i'll terror the entire black population,
and by intimidation and ostraclsm prevents
the free expression OF opinion aud the free
vote OF Republicans at elections in the South
The South is determined to be sectional, ana
as section dominates the couusels OF the
democratic party.
No intelligent man can doubt that if ia
the Cotton States there was an open, faii
opportunity to establish newspapers to carr,
Oh canvass aud to appeal TO the natural liz
stincts and interests OF the voters of those
states, majority of every one of them
would be with the Republican party.
pass over, as matters of taste, the infer.
ence Mr.. Thurman raises against the mode
OF adoption OF the Constitutional amend.
cohsututonallty OF the laws TO enforce them
to say That the democratic party has not
frankly and man1ully accepted the results
oil the war that they do not accept, observe
or enforce the constitutional amendments OF
the laws passed IN and OF them. 1t is pre-
clsely OF tins that the Republican party
complains; that 1t will try 10 enforce, and,
though temporarily divided and defeated,
will continue to demand, and will certainly
IN time secure.
.vrNnurxrs NOT ,.>,rop,,pn nun ann,
d..
nug - VINO supported Vhis pohcy, ana
shared ~ ~ ieel' az 10 hepuphcans geher-
any .iia' .ne o1usi mas never iranhiy Oh
ilanluly responded 10 t1iS Poncy, ihey
uo no. sive equai ciVii anu poiIical rights
" " .'saei "ni.o VI Dia0A NePuoiio , iheS