The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-09-25
SectiOnalism and Gush,
By EMERSON BENTLEY.


A leading daily Of New Orleans re-
Gently mentioned, in all seriousness,
that since the close Of the war South
ern military companies had been cor
daily received in Northern cities, and
Northern military companies had
been welcomed in Southern cities,
The editor saw in this cheerful sign
of the disappearance of sectionalism,
which was only kept alive by shall
low-pated political leaders against
the wishes of the masses. He might
have added a number Of incidents to
illustrate his theme. For instance,
since the war;" Southern people
have gone to Northern watering
places and drank and danced with
Northern people; Southern and Nor
thern delegates have met Oh terms of
equality ;n political and commercial
conventions and on the floor Of Con-
gress Southern and Northern briga-
diers have taken oaths of loyalty to
the Union. Also iii dreamy mo-
meut Of gush after referring to the
nomination of the Northern General
Hancock by Southern Democrats, he
might have observed that lie (tle ed
itor) resided on one end of the Missis-
sippi river while another good Demo
crat lived OH the other.
Ikis one of the plainest facts con-
fronting a student of history that all
parts Of the United States are settled
by descendants of a common ancestry,
with originally like traits of character.
The latter have undergone some mod
ifications in contact with the institu-
ton of slavery, which in very few
years after it's introduction on this
continent became a subject of section
al solicitude and defense. The com
mon school and freedom of speech
were restricted and still continue to
be. Churches followed the political
lead, and there are to this day, denom-
nations with South" or " Southern"
as their sectional brand to distinguish
them from denominations OF like doc
trines and Of a national character. All
schemes Of determination between
them are il embryo, if not hopeless.
There is no room for gush on this
point. In elections for office, and
criticism of public men, fidelity to
the ''South" is the main criterion.
Honest, loyal men like John Hancock
Of Texas, or d. H. Chamberlain Of
South Carolina, are politically out
lawed because they are national and
not sectional in their antecedents and
creed.
The "Solid South" made by GRIM
inal defiance of national laws, pledges
her 1873 electoral votes, through her
acknowledged political leaders, to
Gen. Hancock, not because Of his rec
ord as a national soldier, but because
Of his political service to sectionaIists
by order No. 40. All the gnsh and
f1attery Of Democratic editors can not
hide that fact from Hancock's COM
rades in arms, or the great Northern
which embraces in the
highest degree the wealth, intelligence
and craftsmanship Of the country.
The worst enemies of the South are
her present section leaders in the
Democratic ranks. They are post
poning the time Of real reconciliation
and enveloping great material inter-
ests in a torrent of dreamy gush
about Democratic ascepdancy under
the guidance of a national soldier.
The curse Of sectionalism is the most
Of all evils threatening ma
tional prosperity, and the Northern
voters are ready to meet it. They have
met the issue in Oregon, Vermont and
Maine and the verdict is clear Han
cock is to share the fate of Mcclellan,
Seymour, Greeley and Tilden. No
great name or record can mask the
heresy, or atone for its sins. Gen.
Garfield spoke for national millions
when he said:
It is certain that the wounds of the
war can not be completely healed, and
the spirit of brotherhood can not fully
pervade the whole country until every
citizen, rich or poor, white OF black, is
secure i'll the free and equal enjoyment
Of every civil and political right qua, an
teed by the constitution and the laws.
There ia no sectinnalism in II