Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-08-21

1
of the people-resort to desperate meas
ures. Arm for the conflict, and
wage the war to the bitter end.
Let our battle-cry be death to the trait
ors and enemies of our people.
Dixon, Vasser, and their horrid crew of
demagogues, are more dangerous enc
mics to the liberties of our people than
the worst leaders that ever marshalled
the hosts of Radicalism in our midst"
This is but sample of declarations
which appear in DemOcrotic papers, not
only in all parts of Mississippi, but
wherever the Solid South finds its solid
ity threatened by Greenback or Inde-
pendent movements.
Unfortunately, past events forbid US
to believe that these threats are to be
taken in a Pickwickian sense. Alto
gether too many men have been shot.
stabbed, or whipped to death. 1t has
come to be well known that the Demo-
Gratis of the Solid South do kill people
who do not agree with them. They talk
fairly, as Mr.. Lamar has done. They
promise profusely, as Governors Hamp-
ton and Nichols promised. But when
they promise freedom, they mean free
dom to vote the regular Democratic
ticket or be killed. When they talk Of
death to traitors" they mean assassi-
nation for those who stand in the way
of Democratic success.
The Greenback and Independent vo-
ters have been much inclined to treat
this Southern despotism of the rifle and
the mob as a thing to which Republi-
cans only object. To their disgrace, it
is true that men of other parties have
not objected. Greenback votes have
been given in Congress to seat men
whose only claim to seat was that
their supporters had been active and eff
fcient assassins. The Greenback voters
and the Independent journals have re-
fused to regard the massacre or bull
doing of political opponents by the
Democrats at the South as an important
feature in our National affairs. Per-
haps they will begin to have more just
views of the matter, since the victims of
this most infamous of all despotisms
happen at present to be men of their
own faith. The Republican party has
denounced mOb-rule and political assaS-
sination, not merely because Republi-
cans suffered, but because it is treason
| to the Republic. Self-government can
not exist where these things are toler-
ated. Free institutions are a mockery
and elections are frauds when band of
armed men can force candidates to
withdraw, frighten voters from the
polls, and make their will supreme But
that is the Solid South it is war against
free government of every sort. The
Greenback and Independent voters of
the North, sooner or later, will be COM
PEELED to realize that no question of
public policy whatever, whether finan-
cial or political, can be intelligently dis
cussed and freely decided, until the
Southern type of Democracy has been
stamped out. Before we discuss how a
free government ought to be conducted
we must first make sure tnat we have a
free government. Men do not spend
time in debating ethics, or moral sci
ence, or the most economical mode of
conducting a fire department, when the
house is on fire.
Put out the fire first; stamp out this
resistance to law and to the Just re-
straints of free government; and We
can then consider in safety what princi.
pies deserve the suffrages of free peo-
pie The Greenback notions we hold
utterly mistaken and mischievous; but
this is free country. The Greenback
orator or candidate is just as much en-.
titled to protection as the Democratic OF
Republican. There must be an end OF
shotgun despotism in this country; that
is the first necessity. Then if people
wish to vote for or against Greenback
theories, they can do so in peace and free
dom. 1t is disgrace to Greenback and
Independent members of Congress that
so many of them voted with the rifle
club Democracy for the repeal of Elec-
tion laws, the crippling of Federal Courts,
and the removal of all restraint from the
lawless and revolutionary Democracy
The Democratic party makes war upon
free institutions at the South by force
and in Northern cities by fraud, and it
ought to be the first duty of all citizens
who care for free government to meet
and defeat that assault Until the shot
gun party has been stamped cut, as a
civilized community would put out a fire
or pestilence, there is little use in de-
batting how the Government ought to be
conducted.-N. Y. Tribune.
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