The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-04-10

| AAOOD uIoOA 0ulLCu 0uO u30k oO00s SVu
sternation seized the Administration
and the politicians were dumb will
terror. Again Mcclellan was sent for
he was offered his own terms he wal
implored to assume command and
save the country. Washington was In
danger, and the aunboats were ready
to receive the frightened and almost
fugitive President and Cabinet. The
army was confused and demeralized.
The troops were badly clothed and
discouraged. A great battle was
fought. Mcclellan rested on the field
of Antietam. Lee retreated to Rich.
mond. Mcclellan followed. The
mountain only divided the armies.
The Herald and Tribune were discus.
sing the question 40 to which army
would reach Richmond first. Wash
ington was saved. Tho victorious
army of Lee had been disabled and
practically defeated. If Mcclellan now
took Richmond the war would end,
the country would be saved, but the
Republican party would be destroyed.
So, while the Federal army was in hot
and victorious pursuit of the rebel
forces, Mcclellan was again relieved,
and Burnside substituted as commsn-
derI
For two weeks the Union army halt
ed. The pursuit was delayed sufiic-
iently for Lee to fortify his position in
q field of his own choosing. We all
know the result of the battle of Fred
ricksburgh. do not wonder now why
Burnside lost the fight. since l have
come to know him. Thus it was that
Richmond was again saved to the reb.
els for the benefit Of the Republican
party. And thus the war, which should
have ended in 1862. was prolonged to
1865, at the expenses of treasure aud
sacrifice Of life, in order that the Re-
publican party might be saved and
perpetuated. What did these hungry
politicians care how much suffering
their policy cost the country, or how
much debt they fastened upon it7
They felt they must rule or ruin they
have almost succeeded in both.
Next came the conscription; mil.
lion of men were mobilized. Martial
law displaced the courts of Justice.
The Habeas Corpus was suspended.
"War measures" were talked Of
something above and beyond the Con-
stitution. 1t was no longer pretended
that "the Union as it was" should be
restored, for slavery was partially
abolished by an edlct of the President,
and other war measures" adopted
without regard to Constitutional pro.
visions to the contrary. A monarchal
word was brought into use,-a word
that first sounded strangely in q coun-
try where republican institutions were
upheld,-that word was 'loyalty."
Whoever differed from the policy of
the Administrations -considerad-
"disloyal." The South was wersted
and conquered, the rebel army sur.
rendered and the end came. The fate
of the fallen was now in the hands of
victors. They could deal with them
as traitors, or restore to them the right
of citizenship.
The latter course was chosen and
adopted. The slaves were made voters
and the doors of Congress were open
ed to Representatives of the seeded
States. In order to preserve the spur
ity" of elections, the army was station
ed in the South, and if domestic
Legislature asserted itself and under
took to pass local legislation not in
conformity with the interest of tho
Republican party there was q fusiladc
OF muskets to disperse it.
The Federal Government assumed
control of the elections in the South,
and of course sent to Office only its
own partisans. If q Democrat or
Conservative, like Sharkey of Mississ-
ippi, presented himself at the door Of
the Senate he was denied admission
while a fraternal welcome greeted
Patterson of Pennsylvania, Dorsey of
Ohio, Kellogg of Illinois, and Como
yer of New Jersey, as Senators from
South Carolina, Arkansas, Louisiana,
and Llorida. The State Governments
were usurped by the scum of popu-
lation which the war had polluted, if
possible. Adventures from every
State, of every color. combined to
plunder helpless people. Taxes ap.
proximating confiscation filed the
pockets of itinerant Republican Office
holders, while they sojourned in the
State they had selected for prey
and plunder. The interest on bonds
they had issued was not paid the
school moneys while collected were
stolen aud the schools closed for want
of funds. Having taken all within
their reach they returned whence they
came.
That this condition could not last
is self evident proposition. The only
wonder is, it did not sooner end. It
is not strange, therefore, that the intel
ligent and iDflucntisl classes were able
to consolidate an opposition that
would out-vote this gang of plunder-
ers, and they should call to their aid
the more sensible colored voters who
could realize the real condition of af-
fairs. Thus, by acting together for q
common purpose without regard to
color or condition, the people of the
South have taken matters into their
own hands.
This 10 what is called the "Solid
South" The objection is not that the
South is "solid," but that it is solidly
Democratic. 1t was solid carpet-bag-
ger at one time, but there was no OBJ
lection to that. What is meant by .
'Solid South" that the Southern States