New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-02
nnr s0rrHERE OPPnRrrNITY.

TO the people of the Southern States It is eX-
ccedjngiy important that ,he late defeat should
not he barren. they realize just now quite
clearly the monstrous folly Of their leaders for
twenty years past They see that slavery has
gone; that bitter and crushing defeats IN war
lave lett marks never to be chaced; that the
stupid leaders Who persuaded them to reject
and resist reconstruction only brought worse
SORROWS upon them; and that every scheme to
GAIN political control in this country for a
marty essentially southern and sectional has
failed and must fail. Probably there are not
hundred intelligent men at the South VINO DO
not see that the North il going to remain solid
lust 50 long rs the South attempts to be sold,
or 70 pursue any policy that has the appearance
of scctionalism. "Why n0tG they sly TO each
other in these hours OF calm reflection; ave
should never have yielded the control IN pol
"itcs. if we had conquered in war. Tae
ayictuIs do not often lay down their arms to
the vanquishcd So long as sectional divi-
"sions remain, our defeat il inevitable" They
see, too that the Democratic party is regarded
at the North a. essentially Southern party.
lis brains and viii are at the South, and nearly
all the electoral votes and seats in Congress
upon which it can count Without the South,
without 0beying the will OF the South, thar
uaIty could not live week. Bat what Object
have intelligent Southern men in keeping. il
alive?
This question they are now asking them
selves seriously They see that, against the
Democracy as an essentially Southern party,
the Republicans will win forever. No matter
what may happen no matter what new ISSUE
may Le found OF what new trick may DC tired,
while the record of the Democratic party Is re-
membered. while Its utter dependence upon
Southern sectonalsm for existence is so APP
narent. and its unspeakabe infamy, the result
of the crimes to which its managers have re-
sorted. is recalled, so long will the Republican
party prevail. There is 10 vlndictve feeling
behind this. Northern men wish most heartily
TO see the South prosper. Bat they do not III
tend to be ruled by the meanest and most
knavish Northern men simply to please Solid
South. 1t does not seem TO the North that q
marty utterly incapable and unworthy, shame
less. unprincipled, and odiOus, ought To be pre-
ferred merely because those who failed in the
rebellion adhere to it.
At this time, therefore, there is a natural in
clination, among intelligent men at the South,
to break away from that "putrid iemnls-
scence" the Democratic party. The dlsDOsl-
ton is more general than ever before to look at
the Republican party, its policy and its mea-
suIes. with some degree Of candid appreciation.
Not a little OF this feeling appeared after the
defeat of 1876, and much more when troops
were Withdrawn, and the Southern people were
asked to manifest their good faith by their
works. Still more exists now, because honor
able and sensible men at the South are con-
seious that the conduct Of the Southern people
has not been such as to cntitle them to the con-
fdence which they desired. They have not
snpnressed lawlcssnesg. They have not pro-
tected all citizens in the equal enjoyment Of
their rights. They have not been content to
seek the share of influence III National affairs
which an honest vote and an honest count
would give them. All decent Southern men
know these things, and feel ashamed of tnem.
The success CT the Republican party, under the
circumstances, seems 10 them not only natural
and inevitable, but just. They begin to joubt
whether real growth and prosperity can c0f1e
Tn the Southern States until the wild, !eck-
less. lawloss. aud desperate men VINO make The
Democratic party what 1t is can be- restrained
and nut down; until the Republican policy OF
strict and equal enforcement OF NIL laws c.m be
| made as elective at the South ~ at the North.
Just now. this is the prevailing temper among