The New York herald., 1879-10-24

Senator Ben Hill, OF Georgia, has pub
ished an ill-judged and mschievous letter,
in which he let's himself loose against the
Northern people with more than his Gus
tomary vehemence. 1t is addressed to Con-
gressman Chittenden. of Brooklyn, in re-
ply to an open letter from Mr.. Chitten-
den. 1t abounds in bitter retorts and
inculpations, as ii he felt himself in
vited to q scolding match and was not q
little proud of his powers in that line 1t
is pity that an able man should thus let
his headlong impulses run away with his
Judgment.
Mr.. Hill is especially bitter toward New
England, reviving the old topic of re-
proach that New England merchants cap
tured negroes on the coast OF Africa,
sold them as slaves in the South, and then.
with the money in their pockets, disputed
the right OF the purchasers to their property.
He also revives the old charge that the doc
trine of secession had its origin in New
England and was borrowed thence by the
Southern States. He maintains that
the majority of the Northern people
have no knowledge of the constitution
or no respect for it; that Northern
money out Of the South. and yet deny to
the South it's simplest and plainest rights.
He even goes so far as to contend that
whereas multitudes in the North made sud-
den fortunes out Of the late war they are
bent on provoking another war from ignoble
motives of lucre.
What good does Mr.. Hill suppose he can
accomplish by this kind of raving? He is
simply making political capital for the re-
publican party. The most reckless and
offensive parts of this violent letter are cer-
tain to be paraded by republican stump
speakers during the remainder of the cam
vass and held up as evidence of the temper
of Southern people and as a justification
of the stalwartism which has become
dominant in the republican party.
We regard wholesale recriminations as
entirely unwarranted on both sides. There
is no necessity for either ''solid South" or
"solid North" But the South, as the
weaker party. can least afford to contribute
to this fell spirit of mutual animosity. 1t
is foolish and almost demoniac on either
side Why cannot the two sections consent
to live in peace? Pray, what has the North
to fear from solid South? The North has
all the new States and Territories it is
increasing prodigiously in population and
wealth every year adds to its strength and
superiority. Unless the South mends
it's ways, unless it invites emigra-
ton and capital, it will dwindle
more and more in comparative power
and soon become mere corner of the
country Time, events, enterprise, emil
grafton, are building up the North and ex-
tending it's power, while the South is
remaining comparatively stationary. It is
absurd and childish for the Northern
people to entertain any fears of Southern
domination when they are leaving
element of moral and material greatness.
Population is power5 wealth is power; edu-
cation, enterprise and the upbuilding and
admission of numerous rising States
in the expansive West are power;
and in all these mighty sources
with incredible velocity and leaving the
stationary South behind. We may safely
let time work for US, and leave events to
their free course, without borrowing any
trouble about solid South, which is
blindy dwarfng its own growth. and
whose influence will soon become insig-
nificant unless it gives freer admission
to liberal ideas.
On the other hand, it is sheer madness
for the South, which is becoming every
year less and less capable of resisting the
ever expanding power of the North, to
offer provocations and fan the embers of
the old quarrel. 1t is for its interest to
cause the old topics Of irritation to be aban-
doned and forgotten, and every ebullition
of impotent invective by the public men of
the South is an injury to their section.