The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-10-07


of parties in this country. In the con-
vention which framed our present
Constitution the lines which,still separate
the two great parties were sharply
drawn. On the one side were the adyo.
Yates of strong government-the
rallying cry of tho Republicans of to. day
while on the other were those who
urged the establishment of government
OF the people for the people and by the
people. Party names havo changed
since those days. but the great aptago-
nistic principles which struggled
for supremacy then still live in the
Republican and Democratic parties.
The former party still 'gravitates'--to
use phrase efits Presidential nominee
towards o strong ernment-towards
Capitalization, while the latter advocates
the ancient Democratic doctrine, strict
construction of the Constitution, conced.
ing to the General Government all tie
legitimate powers. while securing TO the
several States all powers not delegated
by them to the general and common
Government. In the long contest
between these antagonistic and contend
ing principles the South las been
steadily and almost invariably found on
the side of the Democracy. Her vote in
Presidential contests has more than once
been cast against her own hopored sons
because they were not Democrats, and
che has cordially supported Northern
men because they were. All the politi-
cal training of her people, ell the tradi-
tions, all their instincts and all their
interests led them to be Democrats.
They were such by inheritance. In the
old division of parties into Whig and
Democrat a minority of the Southern
people, strong by virtue of the intelli-
gence, their zeal aud their patriotism,
was found in the ranks of the former.
But when the Whig party Of the North
merged into the Free-eoil party, when
sectionaliam unhappily took the place Of
politics, the Whfgs of the South were
forced by the instinct of self-preservation
to enroll themselves in the Democratic
party, or az least to Get with that party.
The South was thus again made solid for
Democracy by that fell spirit of section
alism which has brought such unuttera-
BILE sorrow upon our country, and which,
if not effectually rebuked, will bring still
further misery and ruin. When the war
came all party lines were forgotten in
the South as in the North. Whig and
Democrat, Union man and Secessionist
were all alike drawn into the vast whirl-
pool and again was the South forced into
soi!d!!y &c: sc!f protection. 7 am simply
stating historical facts, not expressing
any opinion on them, but leaving their
discussion to the philosophic students of
history.
Following the order of events, what
was the condition of political opinion in
the South when the war ended? It is
undeniable that there was then great
soreness felt by the Southern people to-
wards the Northern Democrats. We had
seen them fighting for the preservation
of the Union as earnestly and steadfastly
as the Republicans. We had seen them
offering their treasures and their lives rs
freely as those who had been their most
bitter political enemies, ard there was at
that time but little disposition among
the Southern people to renew old party
ties. 1t is q very significant fact confirm
atory of this view that in nearly every
Southern State at the first election of
members of Congress held after the war,
pronounced Union men or old line Wings
were elected as representatives. MY own
State furnishes, n striking illustration of
this fact, There the distinguished and
venerable B. F. Perry, who had opposed
secession to the last, and who had always
been recognized rs n Union man, was
elected to Congress, and james L. Orr,
another strong opponent of secession, was
chozen by the people Governor of the
State. This action on tho part of the
Southern people certainly did not mani
fest q spirit Of stubborn or malignant op-
position to the inevitable consequences
of defeat. 1t rather showed disposition
nr, hQi RI IN ~ r.. ..l.
those consequences, and All honest and
honorable effort to conciliate those who
had fought successfully to preserve the
Union. This effort, sincere and patriotic
rs l firmly believe it to have been, was
destined to fail, and its failure was due
solely to the Republican party. This
party had absolute control OF the govern.
ment in all of its departments, and if it's
patriotism had been rs enlarged as its
power the country would have been
spared the shame Of the reconstruction
acts. / shall not speak of these acts, for
st is net my desire to awaken the sad
and bitter memories connected with them.
They have passed ;..o our history, filling
one of its darkest pages, and in the good
providence of God they have recoiled up.
on those who conceived them. The wea-
pons intended for our destruction have
been against those who forged them.
The action of the Republicans when the
Southern members of Congress presented
themselves for admission is fresh in the
memory of all men. Our representives
were ignomipiousiy thrust from the seats
to which they had been invited aid "a
which they had been legally elected
While war was fragrant, Congress with
singular unanimity and in the most SOL
emn manner declared that. it was moi
waged for the conquest or subjugation oi
the South, but for the preservation Of the
Union, with tho rights, liberties and
squaiiiy OF hii the States unimpaired,
Time and again during the war had the
Southern people been assured in nlosi
authoritative manner that their States
were still in the Union, and that no State
had the right or power to leave it. But
when the Confederate armies surrendered
we were told contemtuously by the Re.
publicans that those great States, several
ofwhtch aided in no small degree to form
thai Union, had been obliterated from
the map of the great Republic, aud that
they were but conquered provinces, to bC
ruled by military satraps. Some philos
opner, with equal wit and wisdom, has
declared That there is great deal Of hu.
man nature in mankind and recognizina
the truth of this maxim, you can scarcely
wonder thet after this action of the fRo
pnblicansthe Sohth became thoroughly
united against the party. Some Repub.
lican papers, actuated doubtless by theiI
ardent love for the South, have assured
Isv -