National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-01-04
a GEM IN TnT ToAD's HEAD.


1t is so seldom that we discover anything
like candor, honesty, and common sense in
Democratic journal that, when we find
such an instance, we prize it as gem of
first water aud preserve it in our cabinet Of
curiostics and valuablcs. 1t is u very un-
usual thing to find in Northern Demo-
cratic organ any allusion to, much less any
condemnation OF, the outrages, murders, and
intimidations that have contributed to the
work of Welding Il "Solid South into polit-
ical fusion for Democratic aggrandizement.
History is strongly charged with records Of
cold bloodcd murders and itrocious pcrsecu-
tions for opinion sake, and when a Repub-
lican takes from this laboratory Of outrage
specimen aud holds it up to
view he is charged with Haunting
| the "boody shirt in the pub
lie face by the Democratic organs who
are fully cognizunt of these atrocities but
| have not the candor or courage to even
mildly rebukc them, much less to place them
under severe condemnation. They dare not
venture upon line of manly, bold and
! honest utterancc, for fear of damaging the
| Democratic cause, which seems to be based
upon wrong and outawry. There were not
half Il dozen out-nnd-out Democratic papers
in the entire North during the war that
| had the patriotic manhood to openly con-
denim treason and rebellion and rcbulc the
attempt then being made TO tear down the
Republic. They contcnted themselves with
n silence that was only remarkable for its
eloqucnce, that betrayed Il shrinking cow
ardice as to patriotism and right. The
same policy seems to have pervadcd the
Democratic press from that trying period
down ta the days of bull-dozing and politi-
cal intimidation against the right of suffrage
in the South, and with like results rs to
circumspective reticencc. Out Of all the
Democratic journals of the North we have
only found one that has had the courage or
honesty to speak the sentiments of genuine
manhood and patriotism when alluding TO
the recent atrocities perpctrntcd in the
South against the rights of citizenship.
That paper-all honor to tits the Peoria
Ill) National Democrat, and ii speaks out
as follows;
We think il high Time for Democratic papers
everywhere, especially in the North tO dry
upn about the "bloody shirt" and Southern
outragCs." The sncaking, cOwnrdly murder
. Of WHITE and CLARK, two colorcd witnesses
ON their way to New Orleans to testify, under
subpoena of the United States Court, before the
United States grand jury, is an "outrage" thai
cannot be excused p0lliatch, patched up, nOl
defended by any honest white man, aud tho
sooner BLAINE and his whole committee and
] . IT, mot Itpp
traitors the better for the peace of the country
If these Southern devils thuk that the North
| cru Democracy are going to back them up IN
/ all aud any sort of diabolism they may perpe
tate they ARE very much mistaken. They
have cursed the Northern Democracy Ion.
enough and often enough by their iuhumnr
harbarism, and if they want any further sup
mort from Northern Democrats they must ac
like civilized white men, and not like drmo
MAC savagcs The country has had eXactl,
! enough of that sort Of conduct, and no NOR,
I will be tolerated. Let MS hear no more ahou
tho bloody shirt or Southern Outragos in u sin
gle Northern Democratic paper These South
! ern devils have made their bed let them lii
in it.
! No stalwart Republican can wave tht
, "bloody shirt with more force and will
= better grace than this honest and hrav
= Democrat. II sounds as if the spirit o
t some stalwNrt presided over his mind whel
S these sensible, lervid, and patriotic word
z were penned, The writer is perhaps 4 pm
: triotic Democrat, who had borne part il
) the war al the front, had heard the rebc
r yell, had resisted the attempt to destroy IN
g Union, and had, when peace returned loun,
/ his way back to the Democratic party I
|, be panied at its Indifference When rebello
# again begins TO stamp itself upon politica
G affairs. If so, of course, if he has more pa
- triotism than bcsotted Democracy in hi
II composition, he is filed with disgust at tn
s silence of his party when great wrongs az
d pcrpehated against political hight and hu
If man life for opinion sake; and out of tn
Il abundance of the heart comes the noble dc
g, camtion that these Southern devils hay
s "made their bed; let them lie in it, viii
n out even Democratic aid.