The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1879-06-05
A Woman's Letter From Washington
BY MARY CLEMMER.

Inc war OF race, the battles OF pOlltlcs,
rage with undated force in the Capitol.
The public opposition to an extra session
of Congress is used as a perpetual excuse
by its members for doing nothing in the
way of actual business. 1t is all "talkee,
talkee,' at a cost of many thousand dol
lars per day but there is no time left for
the settlement of the remainder of the
Geneva Award; for paying the indemnity
to Japan, and thus securing forever the
friendship of that kindly, intelligent peo-
pie; no time to settle the question of our
patent laws no time to attend to the
magnificent collection of books gathering
dust and mold on the floor of the Con-
gressional Library, to provide a suitable
building for them and adequate assist
ance to take care of them. For these
public interests, which concern so closely
our own and other nations, there is no
time or interest; but there is time,
plenty, and unmitigated zeal for assault,
accusation, insult for President-making
for disgraceful sectional battles. The
committees whose business concerns the
vital interests of the people are nearly
idle; but the merely political committees
are as busy as bees. The necessary, in
dispensable business Of Congress increa-
ses every year. There is ten times as
much of it as there was before the war
Yet utter neglect of public interests by
Congress was never SO conspicuous as it
is to day. The excuse is the extra ses-
sion, and the unwillingness of the peo-
pie that it should continue 1t has con-
tinued already for eight weeks, and to
what purpose? Scarcely one measure of
national importance has been consum-
mated
1t is sure to continue another month,
if not longer.
What will it matter when all is done
vast deal Not only because of the
amount of priceless time wasted in talk
ing but because the amount Of harm
done by peoples tongues is terrible. l
do not underrate mentally or morally
the importance of legislative debate 1t
may be the inevitable forerunner of the
concluding vote, that is the final fiat of
the nations veal. The spiritual pathos
in the debate which has held Congress
for the last month lies in the fact that
the spirit, the temper of men which made
it inevitable should never have found
voice or vote again in the highest legisla-
ton of the nation. If the God and Fa-
ther of our spirits cares for the creatures
that cover this little planet, he must be
sorry in high Heaven to see the puny,
piteous battle begun again.
On both sides powerful speeches have
been uttered. Their moral inconsequence
comes from the fact that they should
never have been uttered at all
Treason is back in the majority This
is the whole story. Treason is an old
acquaintance. 1t declaimed in Congress
when Washington was President, and
filled his heart with grief, his mind with
foreboding. Surely it is no less rampant
in Congress to-day, while the memories
of the war give a tenfold intensity to the
race hatred of the Southern people; for,
strange as it may seem in the people OF
one country, race hatred it is.
The lines l quote below, read in Vicks-
burg, before the convention of the Mis-,
sissippi Press Association, one year ago,
and quoted in public since by Jeffer-
son Davis, but voices the inward emotion,
the deepest purpose of the Solid South"
Listen!
sExtend the hand of friendly faith unto your
And heart to heart adown the tide of time go
Should you do this, you would prove false to
And bow your knee to each decree of North
land IS bloody heroes.
GLOW can a man of Southern birth, whose
That they might leave on History's page our
country'S touching story,
Prove traitor to his native land and to his IA
ther's teaching,
By bending ear each word to hear of heartlesS
Northern preaching?
make no rash vow to reconcile race that has
Show forth unto the world your scorn, without
the least concealing.
Give blow for blow, give hate for hate, and
That Gods kind hand will bless our land in
his appointed way.
"Remember all the tyrannies that have been
haa around
Remember all the fiendish wrongs with which
our foes have crowned us!
Remember all the bitter hate that Northern
hearts is rending,
hatred deep, unending !!
Bring forth our fiag-7our Nations fag-our
Southlands deathless pride,
And wave it high, that Southern winds may
ope its foldings wide!
Though trailing in the dust it be and stained
Soon time will see that it shall be FREE SOUTH
LANDS STARS AND BARS.
But once again our race shall rise, on some au-
The Stars and Bars shall be the flag of the sec
And the end Shall be different one from that
which went before.
For victory to nations free will add nation
more"
The two following verses I copy from
| longer poem read on the same occasion
| ssUp! and from thy statutes sever,
With a firm, swift hand, forever,
| All the laws antagonistic to thine august laws
STRIKE FOR STATES RIGHTS This thy mis-
sion,
| Till it finds full fruition.
| Let the blessing of the ballot by Caucasians be
| controlled.
| cup! Rebuild thy ruined affairs,
| That were shattered by aSsaulterS,
| And beside them swear thy children the same
| oaths their fathers Swore.
| Thus the olden, golden glory,
| Flashing through and through the story,
| Like the spIendor of q sunburst, will Southland
| once more"