New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-06-19
u,KING TgEJR OWN ISSUE.

MAKING THEIR OWN ISSUE.
If is not impossible that there are inteili-
cent nersons. though we cannot believe they
have given much heed TO current political
events or recent history. who believe that tue
present attitude of parties, the revival OF oiu
issues and the renewal, in some degree, OF
sectional questions, are due 10 the NC
ton of Republicans in Congress Iha'
idea has been industriOusly harped upon
by certain newspapers whose mission IL
is to find fault with Republican management
and policy while pretending to favor hepuo-
lcan principles, and in the main To support
Republican candidates. We are told that IL
is the fault of Republicans that the Is
sues presented by Democratic congress
are such as to consolidate the oouth
still more firmly, and cement more strongly
IFS alliance with the Bourbon Democ-
racv of the North. There has been great
deal of speculation, or rather of downright
dogmatic assertion, as to what would have
happcned if the Republicans in Congress had
pursued n more cOnciliatOry course toward the
South. and forced the fighting upon some other
line than the State Rights doctrlnes-say
upon the finances or upon Civil Service Reform
Upon either of these questions, and paItlcu-
larly upon that of finance, it is said, the SOuth
would have been divided, the war issues
buried and forgotten, and final end maze
of sectionalism in politics. There Is a speclouS
sort of plausibility in this view, and they who
urge il shrewlly connect it with free criu-
cisms of Democratic policy, in such way as
to give it the appearance of judicial fairness
and lmpartiality. We believe 1t to be untrue,
unreasonable and unjust.
II il no fault of Republicans that the issue
for 1880 has taken its present FORM a Dem
ocratic majority in both branches OF Congress
have with deliberate reconciliation formu-
lated it and extensively thrust it for
ward. Powerless TO prevent it, the Re
publicans in Congress have neither welcomed
nor avoided, but simply, III the conscl-
enticus discharge of duty and rigid adherence
to their fundamental doctrines and beliefs, az
crpted the challenge flung down to them. 1t
is not the first time that the same question
has been forced upon them; nor the first time
that they have been blamed for stirring mp
quarrel into which they were absolutely dragged.
Ii is idle to say that Republican politicians
have renewed sectional controversy for the
purpose of infaming the passions Of the North
and gaining partisan advantage. The temper
of the North is, and always has been, too
Welding, from the time of the Fugitive Slave
law down to the days Of Reconstruction;
and politicians know it too well to
attempt any such experiment.. 1t was
not in the power of Northern pOliti-
clans of any party to array Northern scnti-
ment against the South, or proftably revive
the old issues. None but the South herself
could do that. However much designing pol
iticians might desire to keep alive the old
animosities and continue the old controversy,
the history of the past eight years is full
proof that in the hearts of an over
whelming majority of the citizens OF
the North the great and controlling de-
sire was, and is, for fraternal union,
reconciliation and peace. This no machina-
tons of politicians could oblitcrate or
change. There was but one power that could
successfully contend against it, That was
Solid South, refusing to abide by the settle
mepts of the war; and striking hands with
its old allies in a renewal Of the con-
trOvcrsy supposed to have been finally closed.
The present attitude of parties is no work
Of Republicans. The country has the Solid
South to thank for il. Republicans could not
avoid it except by absolute surrender of
the results of the war; and that they are
not wiling to do, even for the sake of end
ing bitterness and promoting peace.
And it is as useless to speculate as it is
foolish to indulge positive assertion as to
what would have happened if Republicans
could have had their way and forced the
fighting on some other line. We may as well
urifl ho
Of the Democracy to power in the Southern
States, the present attitude of parties was as
inevitable as doom. There was nothing
more natural than that Southern White
Democrats, so soon as Government pro-
lection was Withdrawn from the blacks, should
assert at once the prerogatlves of the ruling
race. and by fraud, or violence, or both, ex-
tjnguish opposition and resume their old
place. Nothing more natural than that they
should strike hands with their old allies at the
North. instead of with those at whose hands
they had suffered defeat. Nothing NOR
natural than that they should have
longings for power and place, and should
see IN the renewal Of the old
connection the opportunity to regain
them. And certainly nothing after that could
be more natural than the desire, with the first
opportunity, to justify their rebellion and
caabish the principle they fought for. All
the lines of political action, the motives that
govern personal conduct, the attraction of old
associations, the love of power and habit Of
control. the devotion to beliefs which
had not been surrendered though the
cause seemed lost the stream Of all pOlitl-
cal tendencies and social forces centred here.
The contest in the field is renewed in the
forum. Nothing else could have been eX-
pected. Divide the South on Civil Service
Rcform2 They were Democrats before the
m. H.. g.r,, thou ,,,urt 4.