The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-04-10
THE "SOI,ID SOUTH"

THE 'SOLID SOUTH"
A BIT OF HISTORY TO BE RE
MEMBERED.
Col. VIM. L. Brown, of the Youngs
town Vindicator. in q letter to his pa
per dated at Washington, March 24tl
reviews some important historical in
cidents which the people of this ceun
try should ever bear in remembrance
Under the title "The Solid South
Bit of History" he writes:
"There is so much heard and sait
on this subject that 1 deem an analy
sis of the phrase matter of interest t,
my readera as we'll as to the countr,
at large. To many it is clearly under
stood, and all will appreciate the caus
Of the use of the phrase, and why th'
people Of the North have it faunted t.
them on every occasion when the in
terest of the Republican party is con
cerned and political questions are be
ing considered affecting the success O
either Of the great parties of the coun.
try.
The truth of history, while perhapl
net altogether pleasing to those who
constitute . part Of it, when narrated
in the light of present circumstances
and. 10 affecting men and parties, must
be admitted, although often times with
regret and damage to some concerned
For about five years the Southern
or seeded States, constituted q de fac
to government, just as Hayes serves
the purpose as q de factO President
The South levied war, mustered arm.
les, manned ships, and imposed and
taxes. 1t adopted a consti.
tutional form of government aud ad.
it's own laws. Cartels were
ratified and prisoners of war exchang.
ed by the United States and the SO.
called Confederate government. All
between the Federal Gov.
and tho people of the seced-
cd States was at an end, save such as
exist between belligerent pow.
ers. In short the North and South
we're ct war.
Previous to this war, the South was
upon the various questions
that divide the people and parties else
where throughout the country. The
war changed all that and consolidated
the heretofore divided elements. The
South became t'solid." The people of
that section fought for what they be-
lieved to be their inalienable rights.
For these they forfeited their lives,
their fortunes and their homes. AT
last they were forced to surrender to
The Federal army. The breach be-
tween tho sections was at first a polit-
ical controversy, but when war was
precipitated, the question of preserv-
ing the Union was the paramount
confederation, and party politics van
ished in the presence of 'sol1d''
North.
What led to this unanimity at the
was the pledge of the Gov
ernment, that the war was not to be
against the States, or their
legal rights, but against the Confeder
acy Of States in rebellion against the
of the United States.
The right to hold slaves as recognized
by the constitution was not to be. in
fringed, and orders were issued to the
army to return fugitive slaves to their
owners. In short the object of the war
was declared to be the enforcement of
The laws in the seeded states, in 9TH
er words, the suppression of the re-
bellion. To this appeal there was but
one response. Democrats and Repub-
licans rallied to the call for volunteers
lud the war of the sections was be
gun.
The campaign Of 1862 had for its OBJ
ect the seizure of Richmond. Every
sne believed that the capture of the
Rebel Capital would end the war. For
his purpose the Army of the Potomac
was organized and disciplined by Cen
,ral Mcclellan, under the supervision
If President Lincoln and Secretary
Stanton. The plan of the campaign
vas considered and approved by the
after and the President. The Sixth
Army corps formed the grand army
hat was to capture Richmond and
md the war. The cry of "on to Rich
nond" was the watchword. The en-
ire North was eager for q speedy ter
of the war; war that was
% suppress rebellion and restore "the
Union as it was"
It was at this crisis that the politi-
clans came TO the front. 1t was
thought that with a government Who'll
ly in their control, a splendidly equip
ped and appointed army in the field,
they could appropriate to themselves
The benefits of the patriotism that had
itself and risen above par
ty and united the union men of every
political creed in the Northern States.
But it was soon discovered that if Nc
Clellan were permitted to capture
and end the war their OBJ
ject would be defeated. Besides Nc
Clellan was then the hero of the hour
aud if he should end the war at Rich.
mond he would be Irresistible as q
for the Presidency on the
Democratic ticket. This presented the
question whether the war should be
terminated and q Democratic Presi.
dent elected, or the war prolonged
and the Republican party preserved.
The latter course was adopted. Nc
sooner had the conflict opened in from,