The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-04-18
REBEL FEELING STILL RAMPANT

To the Editor Of the ". y. Tribune:
SIR:-In my opinion there has never
been a period in the history of this coun-
try when the designs of ITS enemies were
more transparent than now. The most
foolish of all the ideas that have taken
root in the minds of northern people is
that the rebellion is dead. A residence
of twenty-five years in Kentucky has the
effect of convincing me that the same ha-
tired of the north, the same blind preju-
dice against everything northern, which
hurried the southern people into rebel
lion in 1861, is as rampant to-day as it
was then. The leaders of southern opin-
ion, and the business men deprecate the
foolhardiness with which some of the
more reckless of the rebel Democracy
ventilate their hatred of the government
but their objection is more because of the
fact that the south is not ready to raise
the flag of rebellion than disbelief in the
widest utterances of the most fanatical
rebel upon the floor of congress. 1t is
well known that most congressional
speeches are eXpet ted to find an echo in
the hearts of constituents, and the south
ern representative or senator knows that
If he would secure his own reelection he
must not fail in his duty to the south by
evlncing the most rancorous hatred to-
ward the north. Mr.. Blackburn is acase
in point. There is not a fibre of that
mans brain that would not thrill at the
mention of another rebellion; he is am
bilious to remain in congress; is 1t prob
able that he is not wise enough to know
the music most pleasant to the ears of his
constituents? For fifteen years Of my
life / have been a voter in the Ashland
district, and think am as familiar
al,
elected Mr.. Blackburn as any observant
man can be, and / say unhesitatingly
that the utterance of one speech glowing
with patriotic fervor, which expressed
regret that Kentucky had not promptly
responded to the call of the president for
troops in 1861, and pledging the support
of his state to put down another rebel
lion, would as certainly secure his de-
feat as a dose of arsenic would produce
his death. No; the music that the old
Ashland district requires now is not that
which Henry Clay piped to them in an
tebellum days.
1t is so all over the south, and that
which produces wonder in the minds OF
southern Republicans is that nOrtherners
are so blind that they look on with per.
feet indifference while their enemies are
binding them hand and foot. What is
the meaning of the opposition of the
rebels in congress TO the law creating su.
pervisors of elections? Or what reason
is urged against the employment of the
United States troops to uphold the pow.
er of supervisors No member has had
the temerity to say that the troops when
so employed have behaved badly, or that
they are not needed. Here we know that
the one objection is that supervisors
stand in the way of solid south Here
and there throughout the southern states
are districts, or, if not districts, there are
precincts, where there is apreponderance
of Republican voters. This fact is gall
and NORWOOD TO the Democratic palate
and there can be no peace while this
state of things exists.
A KENTUCKY UNIoNIoNIsT.
Louisville, Ky, March 81, 1879.