Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-06-12
The Leading Republican Paper Of
New York on the Political
Situation.

There was time just after the sur
render of Lees army, when it was
supposed that the Union had triumph.
ed, but when we look at the results
of the war, we find that the victory
remains with the South. Men whom
we called rebels had forced the South
ern States into rebellion, and we sup
posed that one of the results of the
war would be that these men would
be driven from power, and the con-
troll of the States placed i'm the hands
of loyal men. We find, however, that
to-day the so-called rebels govern ev-
cry State south of the Potomac and
the Ohio, and that even in those
Southern States where loyal voters
are largely in the majority, they are
absolutely pOwerless. Was it for this
that the Northern volunteers gave
their lives?
We thought that another result of
the war would be that every citizen
of the South, no matter what was his
color or political creed, would be pro-
tected in the possession of his right;
and that the rule of an oligarchy
would be succeeded by the rule of the
majority. But the old white oil
garchy holds the reins and Yields the
whip once more. The $4,000 colored
voters who voted in Mississippi for
Grant in 1872 did not poll single vote
last fall. The white and black repub-
licans who for short time ventured
to exercise their political rights in
Louisiana have vanished. We know
now that the Federal Government
has no right to guarantee republican
form of government in any State, no
matter what the Constitution NAV
say; and that a State government
which is the creature of fraud and the
weapon of an oligarchy can rightfully
claim the recognition of the Federal
Administration. Was it for this that
the Union soldiers died?
We fancied that after the rebellion
had been crushed on the battlefield,
the government of the nation would
remain in the.hands of the victors.
Who rules the country to-day? We
find a Federal Administration divid-
ing the public patronage among the
rebels who surrendered to Grant and
Sherman. We find the House of Rep
representatives controlled by those
who either supported the rebellion in
the field or sympathized with it at
home, cutting down the army and
Handwriting it SO that it can no longer
be used except on the Rio Grande or
the Indian frontiers; attacking the
bulneSS and commerce of the North
by vicious financial legislation; en-
cOuraging the communists and the
dissatisfied laborers to riot by stimu-
lating their passions with one hand
while removing with the other the
bayOnets that might otherwise keep
them in check; and finally, under the
nominal leadership of a Representa-
tive who, during the war, cheered the
rebels with his warm wishes for their
success, embarking in scheme Of
revolution more reckless than the re-
volt of Mexican bandit chief.
The South governs the country to-
day, and, holding the balance of pow
er, can control all future Presidential
elections. The cause that we fancied
was lost at Appomattox was regained
when Louisiana was recaptured by
Nichols. We thought that Lees ar
my was dispersed after the surrender,
but it has marched on Washington
and has just annihilated One-fifth of
our little federal army. All that the
South fought for, and more-with the
solitary exception Of negro slavery
is now in her possession. The rebels
aimed only to perpetuate their abso-
lutte control Of the Southern States.
They not only have secured this, but
they have added to it the control of
the whole Union. This is what has
followed four years of battle. 1t was
for this that hundreds of thousands
of loyal soldiers laid down their lives.
Our soldiers were doubtless brave
and patriotic, but their lives were
wasted. What has the Union to show
as the price of SO much blood? The
chaplet of victory should be laid up
on the graves of the Southern Greeks
Our Greeks died foolishly-else, sure
ly, we would not have thrown AWAY
the victory they gladly gave us with
dying hands.