National Republican., 1878-08-01
GRANT A UNCONSTITUTIONAL CANDIDATE

GRANT n SOS-SECTIOSAL CANDIDATE.
Chairman KEoGH, Of the North Carolina
Republican State Central Committee Is of
the opinion that General GRANT, what
lever the Democrats may say of him, is the
"only truly non-sectional candidate the Re-
"publcans can nominate in 1880" There
is more in this suggestion than appears at
first glance. The idea is prevalent that
Geneml GRANT represents the embodied
staiwartism Of tho Republican party, and
the Democrats, as well as the Liberals or
Gushers, insist that 5talwartism is
synonym for everything that is Northern
and anti-Southern in the present situation.
If this were true, General GRANT would in
deed be purely sectional candidate; but
it is not true. However near and dear he
may be TO the Stalwarts, he has many
friends in the Opposition who would gladly
hail his reelection as the signal OF return
of non-sectionalism in our political affairs
that is, as beginning of the end OF the en-
croachmcnt of Bourbon Democratic power,
which is but another phrase for
pure Southern sectionalism. Ever since
he, or a few members of his Cabinet, per-
mitted the last demand of Governor AMEs,
OF Mississippi, for troops, to ass without
favorable response, this cncroachment has
been growing more and more apparent.
The Mississippi plan had its effective
origin in this so-callGd conciliatory step of
General GRANTS administration, and by de-
grees, with the details Of which the reader
is familiar, the Democracy of the South has
reached threatening control in our national
affairs. They have gone so far, in short, as to
prepare for the repeal of the constitutional
amendments and to render nugatory many of
the provisions Of the reconstruction acts. In
other words, they have introduced the fall
lacious principles and reasonable theories
of their beloved COnfcderacy to public at
tention, and partially forced them upon one
section of the country rs true and loyal doc
trines They have established so far as they
can, the Confederate rule within the Union
they failed to establish sword in hand under
traitors flag, and when any one opposes
their further progress they cry Sectionalism
General GRANT, as q matter of course, OPP
poses that further progress as every patriot
does and is consequently denounced rs a
sectionalist. But the truth is lie is simply
and purely patriot who seeks the common
benefit of every class and all localities
under the Constitution AZ amended and
purified by the much-abused results of the
war
Besides this the Solid South, as repre-
sented in the Republican party by South
ern Republicans, is for GRANT and a Third
Term. The opposition to him, what little
there is of it in the Republican party,
comes from the North. These facts show
that, as Republican, he is backed by one
section as u unit and by the other with such
unanimity as TO show thss he IS a popular
favorite in the party all over the country
1t cannot therefore be charged that, in the
estimation or within the discipline of his
own party, he will be sectional candidate
nation, he would rally to his support Re
publicans from Maine to Texas, regardless
of local influences or sectional interests.
As for his preference by the Stalwarts,
we have only to say that their sectiOnalisIn,
like his patriotism, is invoked only~hen
tho southern Democrats become too AFRO
CANT in pushing their claims for supremacy
in political affairs at the expense of the
equal rights of citizens in every part of
our common country. They believe that
u man, black or white, who is q citizen and
II voter should be allowed unrestrained lib
erty to exercise all his rights of citizenship
and suffrage tho same in Vermont as in