American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-05-29
The Republican Attitude Toward the
South.

Inc course pursued Dy the hepuDucan
party, especially in Congress. toward
the South and its representatives is
simply Infamous. 1t is now fifteen
years since the war of the rebellion
closed. A generation has grown up at
the South since that time; generation
with ends, aims and purposes that have
no connection with or relation to the
war, or the objects for which. on the
part of the South, the war was fought.
The testimony from all sides of impair
tial observers is that, by the vast
masses of the people of the South, the
results of the war have been accepted
and are acquiesced in in good faith. 1t
is the testimony of every Northern tour
list, who goes South for any other pur-
pose than the collection of partisan cap
ital, that, with the exception of few
blatant hot-heads, the people want to
be at peace with their fellow-citizens at
the North, to enjoy commercial and
business relations with them, and to
build up in their own section something
like the enduring and solid prosperity
which the people of the North enjoy.
1t is the testimony OF men like Tai
mage, of Brooklyn, who would I'M
doubleday be quite as ready to bear his
testimony the other way if he could
who visit the South and treat the peo-
pie fraternally or courteously receive
fraternal and courteous treatment in
return. The exceptions, he adds, in
substance, are those who make them
selves obnoxious by insisting that the
South shall assume an attitude of SUBJ
lection. and listen in mute admiration
to recital of Northern deeds of daring
in the war. 1t is the testimony of Cen
eral Grant, whom the third-termers de-
mand as a typical strong man." that
sectionalism at the South is passing
away, that the people of that section
are sincerely devoted to the Union and
the flag. In his recent speech at Cairo
he declared that he had passed through
a little bit of every one of the Southern
States lately in the rebellion and was
gratified to see the Stars and Stripes
floating everywhere. "A great portion
of the speakers in every instance" he
added, "were men who, in the conflict,
wore the gray; and the speeches which
they made show their present devotion
to the flag for which we fought" 81
have no reason TO doubt" he said, in
closing, "that those who wore the gray
will fulfill all they have promised in 10y
atty to the flag and the Union"
All this testimony is sustained and
corroborated by the significant fact of
an immense Southern crop, which
shows as conclusively as anything can
that the people of the South are en-
gagged in the pursuits of peace and in
dustry and devoting themselves to the
development of their resources, instead
of idly repining over the '.lost canse, :.
rs occasionally represented. And yet,
in the face of all this testimony, the
Republican leaders in Congress devote
most of their time to snecrinS ut the
South and accusing its representatives
of disloyaltv. Not II session passes
that Conkllng or Blaine in the Senate,
or Frye, Reed or Conger in the House.
does not go out of his way and out of
the way of the debate, whatever it may
be, to sneer at Confederate Briga-
ders," and to insinuate that the South
is plotting revival of the war or a de-
pletion of the treasury. Even Robson,
whose record of official corruption DIS
qualities him morally, as it should do
legally. for seat in either house, has