National Republican., 1878-12-05
WHO Is RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CoNDI-
TION OF THE SOUTH?

on! lot an hour OIL the grand old courage
of the founders of the Republican party
who, moved only by stern love of country,
set to work to save the Union in the cause
offreedom and of human rights Never were
there men of purer patriotism, of more un-
selfish devotion, Of q nobler determination
to spend and be spent in their country's SER
vice! With quickened conscience, they
resolved that the disloyalty of the South
and Of the leaders Of the Democratic party
should not divide the Republic In the inter-
est of slavery; but that at any cost of blood
aud treasure the Union should be saved an d
the nation be established
The Republican party was successful in
suppressing the rebellion; but what has
been the resultP The New York Times Of
the 23d of November, 1873, says:
1t might be supposed that the civil war for
the Union, which called for the energetic exer.
else OF the highest powers on the part of the
National Government, had laid at rest the
Jealousy which previously obtained among the
champions Of States rights. Certainly the re-.
| suits Of that war were sufficiently important
not TO be ignored by the blindest partisan.
We emerged from 1t nation, In every
sense of the word. During the long period
for which 1t lasted, the National Govern
ment raised armies, equipped naycs
borrowed immense sums Of money levied ex.
traort'inary taxes, made its notes legal tender,
legisated out Of existence the State banks Of
issue, suspended tho writ of hdJeds corpus, ell
forced military service, and in one.half Of the
country carried on war against State govern
ments which were complete in every attribute
of State sovereignty. Ifanything could be sup.
10 ~. .ll al, . tIna l..
tion under the Constitution to exercise its
right of self-government with vigor II must
be this vast experience. Yet we find at this
late day, especially at the South, politicians
who imagine that the bubbles which were the
stock in trade of the States Rights party be.
fore the war have not been disposed Of and
who are still prepared to shape the policy Of
the National Government by the patchwork
pattern which was favored by TooMBs and
SLIDELL and JEFF DAvIs-evcry ono OF them
notorious and blood.guilty rebels.
This is the situation to-day, and after an
election, on the 9Th of last month, which
exhibits a solid rebel Democratic South,
the creation of blood aud violence and
fraud; and who is responsible? The an
swer to this question must be made by
some of the leaders of the Republican party:
and this is no time for evading the true
issue. The Republican party suppressed
the rebellion, and on its leaders its states.
men, dcvolved the duty of reconstruct
ing Southern society on basis of freedom,
after the destruction Of sla very, and the
preparation Of the States for return to the
Union with the newly enfranchised citizens
who had never been disloyal The freed
men deserved their citizenship, not for their
fidelity to their masters, but because their
masters could not make them rebels like
themselves; and IL was bestowed to offset
the rebel element in the iusurgent States
Had all the leaders of the Republican party
been truc-true to their principles, true to
the traditions of the party, true to the great
American people, who were on their side,
because they love truth, and right, and JUS
tee, the Democratic South could never be
such a chaos of blood and fraud as it is at
this hour. Freedom is unknown in that
dreadful section, politically rs dark as
Erebus, and incorrigibly ignorant of the
first elements Of political knowledge. A
disaster more appalling than war has fallen
upon the Republic. While progress and en-
tcrprise has marked the free States of the
North, while the Republican party has pre-
served the national credit and secured the
respect of the world, the rebel Democratic
States have hung back aud refrigerated until
plunged in bloody Slough Of Despond, and
elections for Congress, which two years since
returned rebel Democrats rs members
through murder, now return the same class OF
men from Republican districts by fraud. No
ray of light can penetrate the thick darkness
OF the South during this reign of blood and
fraud, while Governors, not the choice OF
a majority of the people, of the stripe of
NICHOLS and WADE HAMPTON, are per-
mtted to debauch their office with the aid
of militia composed of the White League
aud the Ride Clubs. And who is RESPONSE
Bile, again we ask? As sure us history will
hold forth the brilliant examples of the
Republican patriots who saved the Union,
so sure are the records extant of Itepubli-
eau Coppcrhcads, Independents, or what
ever else they were called, whose trcachery
has brought about this unhalowed state of
. thh thSii ySl Dc
known for the public good
These Republican Copperheads were only
too willing to fall upon the bosom of the
Democratic rebel soon after the war ended
and it was determined that no rebel should
be punished for his crime, They perverted
the righteous declaration of the people that
treason should be made odious. They
listened to the false pretense Of rebels who
said they wanted to he conciliatcd. They
stopped the progress Of reconstruction.
They sneered at tho cry Of the Southern
Republicans for help, when Southern Dem
ocratic asshsslns were busy at work, in
order to shake hands with the asSnssins as
brothers and believe every word they said.
It pleased them to disbelevo the riotous
violence on Southern soil, ADD laugh at ths
"bloody shirt" when every rebel Democrat
knew that every bloody shirt hald the dead
body of loyal citizen. These .reaeherous