National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-05-05

NH''N'
that Mr.. DOUGLASS teachings now are not
strictly in accord with his former practice
relating to his own condition.
TIE OKOLONA ESTATES" ON BLACK
BURN.
Mr.. BLACKBURN, in his wild attempts to
dodge the responsibility of his own utter
ances, by throwing discredit upon the gen.
cral Interpretation given them all over the
country, has encountered and stirred up the
business end of q hornets nest at Okolona.
The States takes up the glove that the val
liant Kentuckian cast at its feet, and, copy
ing his offensive and sliulking remarks on
the floor of the House, replies as follows:
In replying to the remarks of Mr.. BLACK
BURN we will begin by quoting the disputed
passage in his speech. We do this with the
| utmost pleasure.
lie said: awe do not intend to stop until
we have stricken from the statute book the
last vestige of war measures like these, which
had been born of passions incident to civil
strife, and looked alone to the abridgment of
the liberty of the citizen"
| The Democratic newspapers Of the country
| construed this remark precisely as the States
construed it, so did the Radical newspapers (;
so did the Independent newspapers.
| Mr.. BLACKBURN must have known how his
utterances were being interpreted by all
parties, in every city, town and hamlet of our
States-Union. He must have known it, If he
read any Of the many criticisms Of the press
and yet he never raised his voice in protest.
But when lie heard that the States had placed
the popular construction upon his utterances
he fell into frenzy, and sought to insult us in
the eyes of the whole wide world.
/ But let this pass for the present.
Mr. IT n II Trn "a do mt MT IN
stop until we have stricken from the statute
book the last vestige of the war measures,
like these which had been born ofpassions in
cident to civil strife, and looked alone to the
abridgment of the history of the citizen"
Did not Mr.. BLACKBURN intend to say that
we would strike the enforcement act from the
statute book
Did not Mr.. BLAcKBURN intend to say that
the enforcement act, like the measure in dis
cussion, had been born of passion incident to
civil strife, and looked alone to the abridg-
ment of the liberty of the citzen"
Did not Mr.. BLACKBURN intend to say that
all the acts of Congress giving criminal juris-
dicton to the Federal court to try offenders
for the violation of tho criminal statutes
passed to enforce the provisions of the amend
ments were "born Of passions incident to civil
strife and looked alone to abridgment of the
liberty of the citizen?"
Did not Mr.. BLACKBURN intend to say that
one and all of these should be stricken from
the statute book ?"
If no. his sentence was without point and
meaningless, and it would have been better foi
him and better for the party if it had never
been uttered.
If yes, then what would the amendments be
worth if his threat and warning should be full
filed?
Nothing.
They are the next thing to dead letters now
and if you repeal the election laws they will
not be worth tho parchment on which they
are written.
But Mr.. BLACKBURN now says that he &C
cepts the amendments He would have The
world believe that he is their friend and sup
porter Then let him prove it. Let him qu
helping to knock the props from under them
They are not enforced in nine cases out of tel
as it is. Let him not make it out of the ques
tiOn to enforce them in tho tenth case by Op
I posing the sole and only means that lend then
even fragile life.
!, We believe in honest politics. We, in com
mon With the Democratic masses, want to SCI
" tho last vestige of the war measures stricken
from the statute book !" but we want to SEQ i
done openly, dolantly, and not by sly
und underhanded manmuvre, that stops Il
dodge and deny, to explain and apologize al
every step.
Mr.. BLACKBURN called the States an in
consequential sheet" Inconsequential or not
~ maui MN ny illto Jury MuIlO pIcolullt
over the most august deliberative body in thu
world it made him leave his lofty seat i
made him prove conclusiyely that he was moi
possessed of the calm, broad, dignifed states
manship for which he would like to have thu
credit.
In reply to the remarks of Mr.. BLACK
BURN, in which he characterizes the junior
editor of the States MS THAT emissary
"who was sent among my people," the ju
nior rises to the magnitude of the occasion
and reminds the rhetorical hambeau o
Kentucky that this utterance shows {
small, mean spirit of scctionalism of which
the true Southern man is never guilty. 1
:" is only your political pettifogger who use;
"the words alien,' carpet-bagger, and EN-
issary' indiscriminately when speaking
"of a Northern man who has located in tn,
"South,"
!, 1t adds:
+ These political pettifoggers have done more