The New York herald., 1879-08-04
The Republicans and the south.

make themselves allies in the Southern
States and among those who are now acting
with the democratic party there. Will you
not kindly explain your reasons for this?
Why ought the republican party to seek
the support and alliance of these men?
We reply, for several reasons, some OF
which concern the welfare of the country,
while others bear upon the success OF the
republican party. In the first place. the
division of parties in most of the Southern
States is on an unnatural and temporary
line-the color line. 1t is so owing to the
abuses practised by the so-called carpet
bag rulers in the South during almost the
whole of General Grants administrator.
The Southern property holders and men OF
intelligence were forced to combine against
this misrule and spoliation, and as the
republican leaders in the North still mani
fest strong disposition to re-establlsh
it they naturally remain ''solid" to
resist that. There can be no doubt
in any mans mind that to confde
State or local governments in the South to
a party composed almost entirely of the
colored people, who are without political
training or intelligence. without property
and not generally amenable to public
opinion, is not to insure good and honest
government But it is largely the dread OF
return of this predominance of ignorance
which keeps the white South ''solid.'
1t is not solid on any other question but
this. On the contrary, in every Southern
State, and particularly in the cotton States,
the predominant party is composed OF such
antagonistic and discordant elements that
it would be very easy for the republican
leaders of the North, by adopting judi
cious policy and one not repugnantto to their
political principles, to draw over to them
large mass of the Southern white voters,
with their leaders ; and thus to create in
every Southern State republican party
made up of influential elements, who
would, by the character of their leaders,
guarantee honest local government and
who would represent in the councils Of the
party the real wishes and aims of an i'm
portant part of the Southern people. This
would make the republican party what,
from various causes, it has never yet been, q
national party, which should represent and
express in its policy and acts the mind of
all sections of the country.
To achieve this would be good thing for
the republican party, because it would Sc
cure to that the vote Of several Southern
States, which it needs to give it a reasonable
chance of electing President next year.
1t would relieve it of the necessity which
4 To II IS
by exciting appeals to the fears and resent
ments of the Northern people-a q method in
politics which is always hazardous, and to
sincere men disagreeable, and of the result
of which, setting aside the certain and great
strain it brings upon our system and the
undoubted and disastrous effect of il upon
business, the actors in it can, after all,
never be sure. Not one of the gentlemen
who during the extra session so loudly cried
ssRevolution - but feels at bottom nervous
dread that the voters may next year turn in
disgust from this stale cry, and find in its
persistence only another reason for de-
manding change of parties.
But the general welfare combines with
mere party expediency in demanding of
the republicans the course we advise. To
force the white and predominant South to
remain solidly opposed to the republican
party is to force it to support. whether it's
leaders and voters believe in them or not
the policies which may be adopted by those
opposed to the republicans in the North,
whatever those policies may be. Thus the
persistence of Northern republican section
alsm forces great body of States into the
arms of the opposite party, contrary to the
wishes and beliefs of at least large part of
its people and of it's natural leaders
1t does not require much intelligence to
see that this is great evil, and that the
mistaken course of the republicans toward
the South is positive and serious injury
to the country. And it is this, without
strengthening the republican party. A
wise and polite course toward the Southern
States would undoubtedly enable them to
carry several OF these, and it could not
weaken them in the North, because the
stalwart wing of the party, which opposes
such a course, will in any case stand by the
party. 1t has nowhere else to 60.
We come, then, to the last of our corre-
spondents queries. He asks, 'sIIow can
the party secure share of the white vote
and the support of the influential Southern
leaders," We reply, by trying to compre.
hend what the South really wants. II is the
custom of party organs and speakers just
now, for instance, to assert that the solid
South is for State rights. This would not
be crime if it were true; but it happens
to bo the reverse of true. There are de-
fonders of the State rights theory in the
South, as in the North; but the majority OF
the white voters in such States as Missis-
sippi, Arkansas. Louisiana, Florida, Ten.
nessee North Carolina and Virginia are so
far from being for State rights that they are
ready to follow the republicans in their op.
1 Ir. L.