National Republican., 1878-06-13
A MILITARY SOUTH,

''HCe tHe Cause Vi lne rtDelllOn mas Deen
counted at the South as the lost cause :"
since the surrender of the rebellious army
TO General GRANT at Appomattox Court
House; since the conqueror returned to
General LEE his protfered sword and to the
surrendered army their horses and accoutrc-
ments TO aid them in the tilling of their
farms under the banner of peace, when
they Should return to their homes and avo-
c.ltions as peaceful citizens of the United
States--thcrc has been no peace, or que,ude
or spirit of submission on the part of those
who pIoirssed TO succumb to u superior
power, under the fatcs of a war that they
had wagcd against their own Government.
IL not Immediately, rs soon thereafter as
circumstances would permit, the spirit of
war again asserted itself all over the South ::
not directly against the Union and old
flag that they had fought with such
bloody purpose, but against the results
y6f the war. For ut least ten of the thirteen
years that have transpired since peace was
nominally declared, the South has been
under arms and military drill, sometimes
openly and sometimes covertly, rs circum-
stances would best permit; but the spirit of
war has been nurscd with parental care,
almost without intermission, during more
Stban decade.
In the four millions of people who had
been eluincipated from bondage to freedom,
the Government had planted in the late
Cont deratc states an element of physical
AMI political strength which afforded il
some guarantee of peace and harmony
within their borders. This, from the day
that peace was declared, was regarded by
the Confederate element of the South rs in
imical to their views and future pur-
poses. To reduce this element to sub
lection to the ends and aims of the restless
spirits, who had never surrendered their
hearts 10 the authority Of the Government
has been their careful study since the day
of III nal surrender. While Republicans
held power in the Southern States armed
banditti were secretly organized, whose mis-
sion it was to murder white and black Re,
publicans until those States could be res,
cied from Republican and placed under
Democratic rule-an achievement which
would restore the dynasty of rebellion tc
Power. The rife clubs did their work il
secret until the late Confederates secured
power in those States, when an army o.
equipped and well-drilled men were at one,
trans erred from banditti to the militia oI
the States, ready for any emergency thai
might arise. Under this process the black,
have been exterminated or intimidated ant
the white Republicans have been driver
ont, until the late rebels regard thcmselve,
as masters of the situation throughout wha
they now term "a solid South"
IZThc present session of Congress with the
1hold and offensive utteances of disloyalty
t. the Union, except sccOndarily and con
tingcntly, should teach any intelligent mint
that the spirit Of rebellion still lives and /,
liable at any moment TO be again intrcnched
in arms. Indeed, the South is in arms to
day, prepared and waiting for the signal tc
shall have come in the judgments Of thcil
| leaders THE REPUBLICAN has already re,
|pcatedly announced the startling fact that
in several OF the Southern States the sol.
dcrs of the rebellion, aud many young men
who have come upon the stage Of action
since the rebellion surrendered are perfectly
armed and are secretly drilling under the
cover of the night, and thus perfccting
khemsrlves in the arts of war. Not only Is
tins done in secret, but in some portion,
| . In l,tn gaI hn,
more bold, the late Whitc-LcagucTs and
rifle clubs are chrystalized into militia com.
panies and regiments. This is markedly
the case in Louisiana, us will appear from
the following significant paragraphs which
we copy from the New Orleans Democrat oI
June 7, less than one week ago:
One Of the immediate results Of the recoy.
cred autonomy Of the southern States is q
/ renaissance Of the military spirit among the
young men Of the country. In all Of the
towns and cities Of the South companies arc
forming and combining into regiments, and
/ competitive drills aud militia and volunteer
cncampmcnts promise to be the order Of the
summer. This spirit meets with every en-,
courgum"ul I.r.I the different State govern.
muntsr AMI ntc appears to he every pros.
! pcct Of thoroughly demonstrating the eff.
] '''"'y " NI' HllllNlH NSNlcllli NHlCn lhS AZ
ways constituted In theory tho only true basis
Of our republican military system. In u few
years we will doubtless have in each State
regiments that will equal ia all respects the
famous regiments in New York, aud then we
may EXPECT grand national cnCampment
with military manOeuvres und mimic battles
after the order Of those the English militia in.
dulge yearly at Aldcrshot.
These organizations have been formed from
mere love Of military pastimcs, but who
| KNOWN Whom the pruhClnunN In mImA IhnN lnnI