Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-12-02
Warnings to the Democracy.

Warnings to the Democracy.
Many of the Thanksgiving sermons uttered
last Thursday are worthy the most patient
and profound consideration Of democrats.
If they would but take heed to the words of
the preachers it would be well for them as a
party. They are going headlong to destruc
ton under the lead OF the old slave masters,
that is what they may read in most of the
Thanksgiving discourses If they only will.
There Is the same tone, the same prophetic
warnings from the pulpit Of the North that
were heard before the rebellion; will the
democrats be wise in season or will they 60
on upholding wrong and oppression In the
South until they bring down vengeance up
on themselves and calamity upon the ma
ton?
There is no mistake where the pulpit
stands in regard to the question of equal
rights for the colored people Of the South.
There has been strong hope that the better
judgment and feelings of the democracy of
that section would respond to the efforts
made at the North for true reconciliation,
but that hope has gone out in disappont-
ment, and now the demand is coming up and
increasing for the enforcement of the laws
and the guarantees of the constitution for
the protection of all classes of our people in
the exercise Of their political rights. Dr.
Newman, of the Methodist Episcopal church,
in his pulpit in New York introduced in his
discourse the amendment to the constitution
guaranteeing the right Of suffrage without
distinction OF race, color or previous condi-
ton, and remarking that the negroes now
have that right, but God only knows how
long they will keep it, continued;
Sad reports of political intrigues come
from some Of the Southern States. Their i'm
mediate future may be extremely embarrassed
by the attitude toward them of their former
masters, but as to their ultimate future no
doubt can be entertained. The former slave
masters Of the South have now great oppor-
tunity before them. They can act generous
ly, fairly, honestly by the guarantees of the
constitution to the negro, or they can tenn
porarily battle its purpose, keep the negro in
with them to behave magnanimously and win
the gratitude of the nation, or 10 take the
contrary course and challenge the execration
of all right minded citizens. But let me
warn them here, and in this sacred inclcsure.
with the angels, trust, looking down upon
this congregation and measuring the words | |
utter, whether they be sincere and sound |
If these former eaye-masters leave the |
blacks in ignorance and filth. Cypress and
maltreat them, they will simply charge
a thunder-cloud whose bolts will de. |
scend upon their own heads hereafter
Just as sure as such is the case, these blacks |
will, by and by, become the tools Of dema-
gogues to work woe to their former masters. |
There are always Kearneys enough, dema- |
gogues enough, when ignorant masses can be |
found TO operate upon and the result of such |
policy on the part Of the slave owners will |
be to place them IN the track of the political |
and social whiriwind, when, in that inevita- |
bic justice that time always brings about, the
measure OF such an iniQuity is foil Pro
longed applause. But our fathers did one
thing more In founding a free government
flexible to the will of the governed. they ex
hausted the right of revolution. ANY resist
ance, any violence, any interference with the |
progress of free institutions, on ever so large
scale, would not be revolution but rcbel- |
lion, and the people who have put down one |
rebellion will know how to put down anoth |
er if occasion requires. fApplause. The |
question Tor you to ask yourselves to-day, my |
bretheren, standing in presence of God, is |
whether you will allow the negro to be |
pushed back into ignorance and vice. or |
whether you will put your shoulders to the |
wheel, help on the cause Of culture and |
education, and assist in developing the |
capacity OF this race for self-goyernment.
In these remarks we find voiced the gener- |
al sentiment of the pulpit Of the North. |
The expression 30 iaI lis tame compared with |
what it will be when the purpose d the solid |
South shall be better understood Win il |
change Its course because of the warnings IT
is now receiving? We fear not but rather
the Southern democrats will cloec their eais
10 circumstances, harden their hearts, and 90
forward in their selfish, wicked course until
they are arrested By the same arm that
orushed the rebellion and saved the nation.
Will the democrats Of the North oppose the
will of the ex-Confederates There is not a
sign ofresistarce in any Of the party organs
TO the plans and proceedings OF the Bamp-
tons and Buffers and Hills OF tue South. They
Al Al.