Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-08-05
Dividing the "SoIid south.n

The only thing which will bresk up
Southern solidity is the SUCCESS of the
Democratic party. There are differences
among the Southern people, and very
selves more and more in local elections,
but both sides. come together in National
affairs, simply through the operation of
that law of self.preservaton which the
old adge declares il the first law OF nature.
Whatever Republicanism may mean ut
the North whatever the memories it may
stir or the associations it may recall, TO
the decent people If the South it has but
one aspect, whether viewed in the past
or in the present or the- Republican
party before and during the war the
Southern people practically knew nothing.
After the war it made its appearance
in their midst in the gniae OF carpet
bagism Governments were established
over the Southern Stat by outside force,
which in turn handed over power to the
whole white population was for time
forbidden to take any part in public
affairs, aud when in tune they did return
to political activity, they found their
States governed by what WAS known as
''rhe Republican Party We all know
what il Was II consisted of ignorant
negroes, without Any training or expert
enee whatever in public nifairs, led by
rapacious adventurers, hostile in sentiment
intelligence and property of the South.
This is what the South has seen of Repub-
licanism. Northern Republicanism it has
not seen, but it knows that il sustained, az
long AS possible. the horrible carpet-bag
system. because that system gave it
Republican votes in Congress and in the
Electoral College, and the Southern people
also know that the most effective appeal
TO the great body of Northern Republi-
cans is one to the passions and animosites
of the war, ard that the things ia which
majority Of Northern Republicans are
united are hatred and distrust of the white
Americans of the Southern States.
1t is against the dominancy of such a
party and especially against the possible
restoration of the sort of government it
once gave the South, that the Southern
people are ''solid" It is mere self
preservation, to shy nothing OF self
respect, WHICH calls them to lay aside
their differences and stand together in
opposition TO the continuation in power
Of the party which does not conceal its
dislike and distrust of them. The
southern people are not solid in behalf
of any change whatever in the character
and methods of Northern government.
They have no desire to interfere in any
way with the management of their owr
affairs in their own way by any Northern
states, and the triumph of the party they
support will lot in any way affect tn,
government of any state, majority o
whose people do not embrace it
principles. Tho South is ''solid
because it il threatened, and whel
the mepace ceases through the defeat o
the hopelessly sectional party whicl
makes it, Southern 'solidity" will cease
Independents who do not consider it
sufficient reason for the existence O
misrule that it brings Congressional AN
, electoral votes to the Republican party
and who really regret, for other reasons
Southern "solidity," can destroy tina
"solidity' by removing its cause
, in one way, and one way only, an
that is by voting the Democratic tickle,
= They may dislike the Democratic party
8 but they cannot shut their eye
, to the fact that its success
a the only way to condition of affairs the
, will permit a new division into partie
a on new issues; for, SO long as the bugabo
r of national ruin through the success of on
party can be kept up, tie leaders of til
e other will persist in their appeal to til
a fears and prejudices of their followers in
l. fashion which necessitates "sold South.
h 1t is then in the power of the "Indepent
/. "ents" 10 break the solid South" an
r they are more swayed by prejudice tina
r judgment if they fail to make use of the
q opportunity.