The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-10-21

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since the soldiers of our army laid captive tthe
feet of the Republican leaders the States of tho
South. Bound dhand and foot, they delivered them
overto the Republican party for government and
Management. Theirs was the power and theirs
was the opportunity How have they used it?
Almost Immediately thereafter the soldiers of
the Union disbanded and returned to their
homes. They claimed no spoil of conquest who
had secured the conquest. They asked no re-
ward Of victory but that reward which was due
to them from the gratitude of their fellow-men
that consciousness of well-doing which fills
the heart with a greater reward than any which
men can bestow. They retired to their homes.
The lion had secured the quarry and the lack
ais devoured it. They let loose upon the peo-
pie of the South, what? Such a system of
government as amounted to nothing more than
plunder. The people of the South were in that
attitude when every course that could be de-
manded by their hope was also demanded by
the interests of the North-pacifcation, quiet
rest. Good government, cheap, frugal, econ
omical government they should have had.
Then thcy might have turned to the arts of
peace and have striven to build up their fort
unes, their homes, and their industries But
how were they treated? The freedmen were
given ballot, and then the freedmen and
their ballots were delivered over to the carpet
baggers who went there from the North They
put themselves in dominion over the Southern
people And what was the effect? We're the
Southern people in a condition where they
could have received good government? Let
me answer that first by reading the language of
the great soldier who had led our army to VIC
tory. He ought to know, for he made a
special and particular tour of observation With
the view Of finding out the condition and senti-
ments Of the people of the South. 1 read but q
word.
Gen. Grant said, in December, 1865: "My
observations lead me to the conclusion that tho
citizens Of the Southern States are anxious to
return to self-goyernment within the Union as
soon as possible that while reconstructing they
want and require protection from the Gov
ernment that they are in earnest in wishing to
do what they think is required by the Govern
ment, not humiliating to them as citizens, and
that if such course was pointed out they would
pursue it in good faith. 1t is to be regretted
that there cannot be greater comminglng at
this time between the citizens of the two sec
tions, and particularly of those intrusted with
the law-making power"
They were ready to pursue the course of
obedient citizens in good faith says Gen. Grant.
How were they dealt with2 Such course of
government as 1 think probably this civilized
century has never seen outside the realms of
the Turk was put upon that people. And can
portray that i'll authoritative language too
language which my Republican friends must
admit comes from source that from them is
entitled torespect.
Gen. Carl Schurz said of the treatment
which the Southern people received:
"A system of robbery and ruinous govern
ment ensued which has hardly parallel in
history. Most of these Southern States were
with incredible rapidity, burdened with enor-
nous debts without any equivalent. Scores of
millions disappeared as if by magic in the ca
paclous darkness of private pockets 1mpover-
ished as those States were by war, they were
now stripped naked, production diminished,
and; incredible as it may seem, while the rest
OF the country was progressing prosperously,
the value of real property in many of these
States appeared in the census of 1870, after the
five years Of peace, far below the census of
1850. Such has been the effect of so-called
| carpet-bag government in the South. Who is
| responsible for this? Those govei nments were
and arc carried on in the name and under the
auspices of the Republican party"
Gentlemen, however the severity of Justice
may declare that the people of the South
| brought upon themselves the calamities they
suffered 1 appeal to every human Icing if they
were not worthy of pity in their misfortunes.
Their houses were half destroyed, and those
that remained were desolate-desolate in the
external and desolate in all the comforts of the
hearth. Their young men had been killed in
| great numbers their land was full of graves !;
| their fields had been swept by the tread of ar
mics they had been ravaged in the necessary
| support of those armies which had gone gainst
| them; their industries were paralyZed, their
business was utterly gone; there was nothing
| left for them but toll and disheartoning pros
poet of toll. Who but would have said, however
severe the dictates of justice might be- that they
were not entitled to ocommiseration? Within five
years that people, bowling their heads to the Gov
| ernment which the North had sent upon them,
found their States involved in over 5000 900, 600
| OF debt beyond what they had previously suf-
fered to accrue. The money went for nothing.
They had, too, government of ignorance and
| vice put over them, redeemed by no intelli-
| gence but the cunning of crime. Was it not
ttmc that they should act? Was it not time,
when they were given the ballot and told to
take care of themselves, that they should use
| it? Would you accept them as worthy COM
| peers of your own in republican government
if they would not attempt for themselves to re-
| deem their land from such rule? How could
they redeem themselves from that misrule but
by antagonizing the Republican party? To
| them the Republican party stood for all man
| ner of bad government for all manner of vice,
| plunder, robbery and rapine, of every disruption
course for them to take but to stand up
against the Republican party. One by one
those States have emerged from that
rule, and it is the most significant COM
| ment, and it is the most significant
condemnation Of the government which had
been put upon them, that one by one, as they
have emerged from that rule, they have become
| peaceable, orderly, and respectable. In Georgia,
| where first there was an escape made, you have
heard comparatively nothing of the complaints
OF Southern outrage; you have heard nothing
| OF the intimidation or voters or OF "buildoz-
| ing"-a new name introduced in our politics in
the last few years. You have heard only as
| Republican rule continued those statements
from our Republican advcrsaries. Louisiana
and South Carolina, which have at last escaped
| from the clutches of these men who held them
down, have been the last to be complained of.
| They have been the last to be the scenes OF
violence, and even there in those States we hear
of nothing this year. We do not see our presses
filled with the cry of Southern outrage. 1t was
the struggle Of an intelligent and q good people
to put down wicked and bad government ovel
them.
Ali but they say all this means nothing and
stands for nothing. They say the South is still
disloyal and the Democratic party is disloyal
What do they mean by loyalty? What is iii
The Democratic party outnumbers the Repub
lican party or it did four years ago-nobody
can say how much now. -Four years ago it out
numbered the Republican party quarter of {
which is about to flow over our Republican
friends? But the Democratic party is the grea
majority of the people of this country. II
whom are they disloyal? What is loyalty
What is fidelity? Oh! but they say the Soutf
is disloyal; and some of our Republican friend
actually think that Hancock himself is prett,
near a rebel. What is disloyalty? What i
meant by it? Twill not weary you much furthe
by reading the language of others, but do de
sire to read you, right upon that question, thu
language of that great warrior who has givel
luster to our arms, such as no man has eve
given before, and such as I trust no man vii
ever have occasion to give again-languag
which he made use of after he had held th
mOSG exalted pOSlLlOllS III us country, anu alUe
he had visited the entire world, comp airing thei
Governments with ours. What does he sa
upon the loyalty of the people Of the South
This very year, last April, at Bloomington, h
said:
"I passed from Philadelphia to Florida o.
my way to Havana, and on my return came vi
Texas from Mexico, thus passing through n
the rebellious States, and it will be agreeable t
all to know that hospitality was rendered me q
every city through which passed, and accepte
in nearly all of them by me. In most OF tn
cities, upon the reception committees, side b
side, were men that wore the blue and me
that wore the gray, and the reception addresse
were made in part by those who wore the blu
and those who wore the gray. We have n
reason to doubt that those who wore the gra
will fulfill all they have promised in loyalty t