National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-08-27

UTHE SOLID SOtTTH.u

The New York Herald is theorist in pol
itics, without much regard to principles or
probable results based in practical good
sense, However, as it has never made any
pretension to principle or consistency in
such matters, and as it takes all the prob
able chances by having hand in every
political game that is Ollered-sometimes ON
one side and then on the other of the same
question-it would be strange indeed if it
did not occasionally make successful hit.
Having tired itself out for the present with
C1sarism, and being seemingly disposed
to give General GRANT a little rest, it now
turns its attention to the Democratic party
and the Solid South, =" and volunteers some
very good advice in that direction. 1t opens
its discourse by assuring that "the real OBJ
stacles to Democratic success mex year is
" the so-called Solid South" Having estnb-
lshed this proposition as the theme of its
line of remark, it says:
To force the South to be "solid is, there
fore, the most hazardous experiment which
the Democrats can make. 1t is quito certain
to arouse the North, not to unconstitutional
action, but to union for self.protection. If
Mississippi and half-dOZen other Southern
States could this year be swept Ivy Indcpend-
ens or Republicans, far from injurng the
Democratic party next year this would help
it to carry a much larger number of electoral
votes in the North. The solid South " is not
a natural phenomenon, now that those States
have been restored to self-government. 1t is
not worth while for any Southern or Northern
Democrat to hope to persuade tho North that
it is And it is the greatest folly in the world
for the Northern Democrats to foster aud count
upon the solid South. If they were wise they
would insist on an immediate and decided
break in the Southern line.
But let us inquire, what does the Herald
propose to do about it? The South is solid
1t has been made so by the shotgun, rifle
and tissue ballot, through whose agency all
opposition is crushed out, and track is
opened Oh the political course where no
rivals are allowed to enter, if the shotgun,
rifle, intimidation and outrage can possibly
prevent To divide the Democratic party
and depend upon these divisions for n more
auspicious condition of affairs accomplishes
nothing in the way of reform, unless these
cOntending factions shall wage war of
determination upon each other, for both
sides are actuated by the same principles
and motives and have the same ends in
view. The South is to be kept solid against
the results of the war which are distasteful
to that section. The South is to be kept
solid if atall, as Democratic section of the
country, for the reason that the sympathies
and efforts of the Democracy have been
steadily on the side of secession and rebel
lion, while the Republican party has been
as steadily and persstently hostile to these
Southern dogmas, This posture of affairs
led to the crushing out by force of all an
tagonisms to Democracy, and the Republic
can party disappeared under the persuasive
powers of the shotgun and rifle until there
is scarcely an existing Republican organiza-
ton, National, State or local, to mark the
places where but few years ago that party
counted its majorities by the thousand.
For these reasons the South will continue
solid, and must be confronted by solid
North until existing evils and wrongs shall
be wiped out.