Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-07-31
From Washington.

WASHINGTON, July "A, 1879
Mr.. EDITOR:
What is the meaning Of the nearly
unanimous laudatisn Of the. late rebel
lion. and those participating in it. by
the Southern press and orators at
their public assemblies, and their as
sertipR "that it is not lost, but that its
principles are certain to become the
ruling principles of this great Nation7''
The rebellion was inaugurated' because
the South had failed to establish sla-
very in the territory, which, under the
Missouri Compromise, they had once
agreed should be forever the home OF
freeman. Thereby they knew that in
the future they 7ould be unable to
haGe, the control Of the government as
they had dsne from its foundation,
and consequently the influence of the
government would be in favor of free
dom as opposed to the institution of
slavery. They rebelled and fought to
establish a government that would
enable them to rob the colored man,
even if he was their own son, of all his
rights, and reduce him to the will and
caprice Of his master. The assertion
then that the principles of the rebel
lion are certain to predominant is
nothing more or less than their belief
that under the doctrine of States
Rights, SO thoroughly advocated by
Confederate Democracy at the recent
session of Congress, that they expect,
under state laws, to re-establish sla-
very and, although contributing but a
small portion of the revenues, by a
solid South, to control the legislation
of the country to sustain them in
maintaining slavery under state laws.
There are some who contend that the
South does not desire the re-establish-
ing of slavery, but facts speak louder
than words and by the general predic-
tion that "their cause is not lost, but
only sleeping" do they not show their
determinatio9 TO ze-enact slavery or
adopt some system by which the white
man can rob the colored man of his
rights. for the white mans pecuniary
benefit? Let all loyal people remem-
Der that the rebellion, although de-
feated on the battle field, il to be
fought over again at the ballot-box, in
1880.
Hon. Chas. G.. Williams made a
speech in reply to Mr. Richardson, of
South Carolina. on: the 23d day of
June last, which has lately been pub
lished in the Congressional Record,
which contains so mnch testimony
showing how the majority in the pres
emit House of Representatives was OBJ
tanned. that / feel that cant please
your readers better than by making
liberal extracts from the same:
Mr.. Speaker, after my remarks on
the legislative, executive, and judicial
appropriation bill. deligesed On April
"a, appeared in the Record, the hon
,orable gentleman from South Carolina
{ MIR. Richardson announced in the
House that he should take the first
fitting opportunity to review some por-
tion of them. Not being present at
the time, and at that time not being
aware that the honorable gentleman
had referred to me in his speech, also
delivered April %. I withheld any
reference to the matter until such time
as the honorable gentleman skepld re-
view my remarks. as announced.
Some weeks elapsed, I think. when
happening to meet him he very kindly
Informed me that what be Fefesred to
was some iumbling UP Of the testimony
by which The evidence of democrats
and republicans had been interchanged.
And on being informed that that had
occurred at the Public Printing Office,
and had been corrected the re7t morn
ing for the permanent Record. he in
timated that he should probably not
allpde to the matter In the House.
This being 50. / take the present
method of referring to one clause in
the honorable gentlman's speech,
which feel should not go unnoticed.
And do it. not with any view TO con-
troversy. but to get myself and per-
haps others on this side the chamber
Alright. and which would have been
done before but for the delay occa-
stoned, as / have stated.
I find the folio wing in the honora-
BILE gentlman's speech Of April "a.
The honorable member from Wis