The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1879-04-17
Y. Y. Tribune.l
The New Democratic Leader.


Mr. Black burn comes into view as The
real leader OF the Democratic House
Until 1880 it was thought necessary Il
mask the steel hand in kid glove. So
Democracy preferred Mr.. Randall foI
Speaker. But its real purpose, the ain
toward which the Democracy moves witt
Randall for its disguise in 1879 and with
Blackburn for Speaker in 1881, is declar
ed by the impatient member from Ken
lucky. For the first time in eighteen
years the Democracy is back in power in
both houses of Congress" he SAYS, ano
then avows its mission thus I'VE do moi
intend to stop until we have stricken the
last vestige Of your war measures from
the statute books" This with special
reference to an act which was framed
five years after the war had closed tC
prevent or punish fraud in elections -
But Mr.. ackburn was right, neverthe
| less that act was a war measure. 1t was
passed to prevent the overthrow, by dis
honest and foul means, Of that loyal
| ma jority which had sustained the Gov
! ernment against rebellion, and which,
when the war had ceased, still maintain
ed the principles of freedom. equality
and justice, in behalf of which the war
had been waged This and all other war
measures must vanish Fl IN the statute,
books The reconstruction acts were
war measures, anl must be wiped out
| The taxation of whisky and tobacco, with
the whole internal revenue system, was
q war measure, and must be wiped out
The creation of a public debt for the
preservation of the Union was a war
measure, and can be met by victorious
South only by repudiation Of the debt
| w hat ha hrnaHop nd or han N
the declaration, except the purpose be-
hind it?
A week ago The Tribune said, in an
article which has caused much remark ::
There is d division of parties which goes
to the very foundation of our system of
! government. To day the rebellion, re-
vived and rehabilitated is encamped in
both houses of Congress. The sectional
spirit of the South was never more ag-
gressive Because the North resists,
there is a radical, irrepressible conflict B"
Some men called this rant; some, fire
eating; and some thought it calculated
| to produce the antagonism which il
merely recorded as an existing fact. Was
| 1t in any respect an erroneous statement?
What else has Mr., Black burn said ? He
has merely put into plain words the de
mand of the eaA gressive and defiant South
who runs may read All the war meas
ures which victorious North held nee
essary for the maintenance consolidation
safety and honor OF the Union, these the
South means to strike from the atute
books. Because the North resists, be-
| cause it still means to maintain and
consolidate the Union, md 10 defend the
peace and honor OF the Nation, there is
an irrepressible conflict The grave and
patient North has not the Southern gift
OF bOasting or ranting aud its calmness
was mstak in 1861 Tor indecision But
time will show whether the North will
give up all that blood was she'd to gain.
During the war, and after it closed,
important changes in legislation were
effected. They were recognized by the
loyal North as necessary. Without them,
it would have been impossible to uphold
the Government in lis resistance to re
bpllion, or in its establishment of loyal
Government after the war had ceased -
These were termed war measures Some
of them, in particular, were found neces
sary in order to make it possible and safe
to treat the rebel communities with
lenience. All their rights as political
organizations, in the Union these com,
munties had forfeited. AS communities
they retained at the end of the war no
other right than to be ruled as conquered
territories. Their people, as many as
had participated in treason, retained as
individuals no other right than to be
hanged. But the eager patriotism and
loyal generosity of the North longed for
a rees blishment of the Union based
upon equality of rights and franchises,
and upon restoration of political commu
mites which had legally ceased to exist
Men longed to have mot one star blotted
from the flag" In order to extend to
beaten traitors this upexampled liberali
ty, in order to make noble experiment
which no other conquering nation ever
has dared to make, in order to awaken
manly and loyal feeling in the hearts OF
Southern men by unexpected trust and
kindness, it was absolutely necessary to
frame and pass certain laws to protect
loyal citizens, to preserve peace at the
polls, to punish vindictive assaults upon
the loyal blacks, to secure the public
creditor, and to prevent fraud at elec
tious. These laws were essential condi
tions of the restoration which the South
now enjoys. Relying upon them. the
North has been generous beyond all pre-
cedrnt. To the last, it has hoped that
greater confidence might awaken in
Southern hearts the spirit of manly fl
deity to the Union.
Instead, we have from the Solid South
at the very threshold of it's advent to
power, the declaration that all the war
measures-all the measures passed in
order to render generosity safe aud de-
cent-shal be repealed We shall see
The spirit and power which conquered
rebellion are not dead yet Mr.. Black
burn Will be defeated in his assault upon
the war measures But it rests with
him, and his Democratic friends, to d.,
termine ny their conduct whether the
end shall be reached 10y the generous and
trustiul process which the North pre-
terred, or by some other If the South
ern communities convince the North
that they cannot exist as States at all
without being rebel States, hostile to the
union and the Constitution, II will then
remain to be considered in what form
the United States shall assert and main
tain its authority over that part OF lis
territory which is possessed by disloyai
populations and revolutionary mobs.