Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-04-23
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AUG u - II A.
Tue day Morning, April %. 1878.
Sectional ISSUES.

Sectional Issues.
There is occasionally a wall heard il
tae North about the possibility of section
al issues coming into the Cungressiona
elections OF the year. If republican
Congressman makes a speech against pay
ing southern claims for property destroyed
ia the war, OF refers to the manner III
which elections are carried 10y the White
League aud the colored people deprived
of their evil and political rights, or the
ex-rebels are reminded OF their treason to
the government, then arise lamentation
and dcuunciation from the democracy and
a few weak kneed republicans about the
enormity of stirring up sectional issues
aud throwing obstacles in the way OF re-
Cancellation between the North and South.
They are profoundly touched when any
thing calculated to arouse The ire OF the
consider that the North may be justified
in using harsh language towards the ex-
Confedera,es, or that the peace and pros
perity of the nation may be best promot-
ed by keeping northern people alive to
the danger OF trusting the government in
the hands OF those who most toully sought
to destroy it,
how towards the South there is moth
ing but kindly feeling in the hearts OF the
northern people. We would like to be
at peace with that section OF the
country. But We cannot forget il
We would the terrible war, with all its
costly sacrifice of blood and treason, which
they brought upon the country, aud when
we see the democratic spirit reappearing
in Congress which characterized The rep
resentaiives of the South before the rebel
lion, we cannot avoid the conclusion that
we had better have a care how lar we trust
power in their hands al present. Besides
this, what are we to think when we see
them organizing IA South solid against
the republican party, solid for democrat
ic President in 1880, solid Tor the payment
OF claims Tor vast amount, solid for the
overturn OF reconstruction AS effected by
loyal administrations, as far as they arr
able?
1t is the South which presents sectional
issues, not the North. That section forces
them upon US. We cannot escape them.
Yet because faithful republican Congress
men aud the faithful republican press
point out the danger menacng the coun-
try, and sound an alarm to awaken
the North 10 resistance before ii is too late,
they are denounced by the democracy anu
aiew doughtace republicans As iomenters
of sectional strife disturbers of the good
fellowship that ought to exist between the
North aud The South! 1t is the old game
of the slave masters. They made the ex-
tension and perpeluity of slavery the vi
tai feature OF their political system. They
forced it upon the country Us "A political is
sue. They divided the people into two
great parties upon this issue, and when
they found the North was organizing to
resist the aggressiOns OF slavery, then
IUey CIleu out tHJl the republican
party was sectional party ana
ought to be abolished tor that reason
just SO now with their eN-Conlederat.
officers in Congress, they are driving the
North TO organize against their sectional
ism, and because the republicans do and
will so organize in resistance to the plans
of the South, their allies here in the North
are charging the republicans with bringing
up sectional issues 10 disturb The country.
II is true that the country is confronted
with sectional issues. 1t Is useless to at
tempt TO wink the fact out OF sight The
South is practically solid to-day for the
democratic party, and the success OF thai
party will give TO the South the power to
satisfy its enormous and outrageous
claims against the Treasury, to carry out its
gigantic railroad and river improvement
schemes, and 10 place the Rebel soldier
and cause above the Union soldier and
cause in the favor OF the government.
There is nothing TOR the republican party
to do but to accept the issues forced up
on it. We cannot avoid it if we would