Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-10-10
(From The Toledo Cemaiercisl.)
TIE ROAD TO PEACE THROUGH
REpIIRfICAV guCCFSS


Since the war their political action has
been such as they no doubt thought was
hest for the people OF the whole country
and the South. They we're probably
prompted by feelings OF true friendship for
the Southern people, and this was credita-
BILE. But events have conclusively proven
that they were mistaken in their political
action, just as thousands OF the best most
patriotic aud truest of the Republicans
were mistaken.
1t was thought that the bitter experience
OF the Southern people had taught them a
lesson, which they would never forget 1t
was believed that the deceived but brave
soldiers Of the Confederacy, whose blood
had flowed like water, and who had slaked
everything and lost everything for cause
| in which great majority of them had no
interest, and which for them had better
never have succeeded, would hcnceiorth be
! good, true and loyal citizens of the republic /;
and in this the Northern Democrats were
mainly right. Bu; there was one important
| fact either unknown or not considered by
the Northern friends Of the South, but
which was known to such men as Long.
street, Williamson and thousands of other
| Confederates, who, years ago, saw i'm the
success OF the Republican party and the
utter ruin of the Southern bourbon Demo.
cratic party, the only hope for the Sonlh.
! Northern Democrats and Northern R,pnb-
licans who are prompted by such kindly
| feelings for the South did not know that
these soldiers Of the Confederacy who saw
and deeply regretted the great error OF their
lives, had nothing Whatever, to do with
controlling the bourbon Democratic organ
| ization. They did not know that the peo-
| pile OF the South who had every n'erest in
| good government, law and order, had no
influence whatever, where the burbom or
ganization controlled in securing good
government. The Northern friends Of the
South did not know that any Confederate
or any good citizen who might express SEN
timents OF loyalty to the union, and hon
estly live up to those sentiments, would he
| subjected 10 uncomfortable insult and humil-
iation by the controlling bull-headed bour-
bon element, he would be assassimated like
dog, or that fierce, vindictive spirit
of prescription would drive him from the
country. Indeed the methods used to keep
the organization solid at the South are be-
| ginning to open the eyes OF the Nor. hcrn
people to many fac that had been Taught
to thousands of Confederates years ago,
Gradually, but surely, and with force
that will not be stayed, the conviction is
| forcing itself upon the mind of every in.
telligent friend OF the South, that the
Southern Democratic bourbon organization
| is now, as it has ever been, the worst enemy
| the people OF that section ever had.
! 1t has ever been the fault OF the South
that very large majority OF her best citi-
zens took no active part in politics, conse-
| quently leaving the organizations to fall
into the hands OF the worst enemies of So
ciety. 1t is known that the Suites in 1861
were carried into the whirlpool Of secession
against the will oil il very large majority Of
the Southern people, but it has not been
known at the North to what an extent the
| people OF the South have been misrepre-
sented by their leaders since the war. In
1861, while their deluded followers were
going to the front, where the shot and shell
was raining thick as hail, the leaders and
the secession howlers, and the gallant bands
OF slave drivers, who but recently had as.
sisted in lynching and tarring and feather-
ing all union men, retired to the swamps
and the canebrakes or were mustered into
the home guards to look after the negroes.
|
bear testimony to thi. fact. When the war
closed and the Confederate soldiers returned
to their homes resolved to leave politics
alone for the future, and to try and regain
the fortunes they had wrecked, then these
skulkers from the swamps and the cane
brakes, and these negro drivers, and these
embIttered, learn nothing, forget nothing,
bourbon leaders cane to the front, and
| found the Democratic organization all their
own. Soldiers in pence and citizens in
war, they have ever since been fighting the
battles they were too cOwardly to fight when
there waA hope that their own worthless
hides would get peppered. They gathered
around them all the worst elements OF So
ciety and formed the rifle clubs and the
bands ot bulIdOzers. Hating the Union
and everything that pertains to the Union,
and Intensely despising the innocent and
inoffensivc negro, they have organized hell
itself in some localities OF the South, rs is
Indicated in all OF the horrible details of
the Chisholm butchery. the cowardly and
cold blooded assassination of Dixon and
hundreds OF other maSsacres, which seem
10 have had the cOunten2nce and snpport
in many instances, OF the bourbon orgam-
cation where they occurred. In other To-
calities the organizations are reputable and
appear to encourage good government, law
aud order; but it is certain that any DEM
ocratic success at the North cOnld have in
duced tho Ydzoo Democrats to put forth
their remarkable political murder and as
sassination platform, or obtained for the
| Infamous theories OF the YazOo buurLons
the endorsement OF thrty-One Of the lead
ing bourbon papers in Mississippi, and the
approval OF the State committee. With
! TNa tl,af,
| North, no congressman in MiSSisSinpi
would dare approve the acquilal of Tie
murders in the most dumnabe and horri-
BILE tragedy that has disgraced the ciyiliza.
tion of the country, us Mr.. Chalmers has
placed himself in the attitude of doing
with reference to the Chisholm butch.
cry. Northern Democrats must recognize
the fact that the greatest curse the South
has ever known is the bourbon organization
by which her people are misrepresented
They mu:t know that every vote for the
Democratic party at the North gives en-.
couragement and greater strength 10 the
advocates OF the murder and the assassina.
tiOn theories at the South. 1t is creditable
to the soldiers Of the Union that they feel
a personal sympathy for Generals Ewing
and Rice, Tor they were among the most
gallant defenders OF "A cause for which they
risked and gave their hearts blood. Upoi
the field OF battle, none were more heroic
and daring; and whatever may be his mis-,
takes, the manned veteran who is candi
date fOr Lieutenant Governor must,always
have warm place in the sympathes of Iii,
old comrades. But one inexorahle facl
stares us in the face. lie cannot give hi.
ballot 10 Ewing anI Rice without giving
encouragement to the adheremts of the DO,
litical murder and assassination doctrine,
at the South. lie cannot elect the Demo
cratic ticket in Ohio without giving ad
ditional strength to that bourbon organi
zation OF the South which has not on
brought upon the republic all the creates
woes we have ever known, but is now, nm,
has ever been, the worst enemy the Soutl
4 l,na l,.,I "A II. III