The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-10-29
Republicanism and Sectionalism.
detroit Free Press.l

If the result OF the late election in Ohio
Is owing to the cause to which it is at
tribuied by the Republican papers, it is but
another illustration of the true character
and purpose of the Republican party. We
are told that it was carried chiefly by hostil
ity TO the people of the South. Feelings
which had nearly expired from the lapse of
time and the growth of better sentiments,
we're famed by the Republican speakers and
writers into flames again, and as has too
often happened of late years, the passions
engendeled by the war have mastered
reason and stffisd the patriotic instincts of
the people.
The Republican party had It's birth in sec
tiOnalism. During the war ii was, of course,
in its element. To carry on a war of sections
parties more or less sectional were necess ary.
When the war ceased there was no further
need of sectional party, and it would have
been great blessing to the country il the
Republican party had died also. Patriotism
broad enough to take In the whole country
was then the greatest need. The Republican
party however, was too strongly enrrenched
in power to be overthrown at once. 1t did
not, when the National cause triumphed,
become National party. Whenever, in any
part of the country, Republicans attempted
TO rise above sectional views aud sectional
policy, just in that degree they lost their
'Republicanism,' and became something
else-liberal Republicans, Democrats per
baps Grants administration was exactly
the ripe fruitage of sectionalism. A Repub-
lican during the war might have been
patriotic; that is he might have believed
that the triumph of the northern section of
the country was necessary tor the create st
! good of the whole country, asit undoubtedly
was, and he might have been Republican
actuated by an honest desire to see the whole
country united in peace again. Ii so mis-
views were more in accordance with those
of the Democrats of that day,
4 and NTH fhom hQ ,lnOht tn have
baen found. But the whole aim and pur-
pose of Grants administration was to sg-
grandize the great Republican States of the
North and to degrade and debase the States
of the South. Every election, National and
State, in Grants time, was carried or sought
to be carried, by the Republican party, by
appealing to the passions excited during the
war, to the pref udices of the North against
the South. Grant instead of being the pres
ident of the United States. was, so far as the
North and South were concerned, simply
the executive OF laws passed by q sectional
Conerets for the oppression and impoverish
ment of the Southern States When Hayes
came in, with his conventional title and
either because he thought he might
strengthen its tenure, or from his sense Of
justice, and perhaps his real patriotism
sought to rehabilitate the Southern States
and to give them thu rights which. undeI
the constitution, belonged to them, but
which Grant had used his whole power u
keep from them. the Republican party
true to its original and never changing char
scter, abused, vllified and had weIl-nigt
abandoned him. 1t was only when he wen
back upon the most creditable part of hi.
record and succumbed to the demands o.
his party again that he was again recognized
as a true Republican. There has not &C
CURED a State election since 1860 in which
the Republican party has not appealed di-
rectly and principally to the sectional pas
sions and prejudices of the people, eithe
hatred or fear, or jealousy or revenge. Thu
Republican papers tell us that it was not tn
currency nor any financial question, but tn
terror of the Southern brgadiers," that is
the fear of another rebellion. which was tri
umphant in Ohio at the late election.
1t is one OF the strangest things in Amerl
can politics, how effective this old thread
bare, false and hypocritical dodge is anon
the masses of people of the North. Tn
bloody shirt is a more inspiring standsr
than the stars and stripes. Sectionalism
stronger than patriotism. Evidently tn
| country is never to have peace again unit
the Republican party is stamped out 9
existence.