Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-12-15
Southern Feeling.

Evidence begins to multiply OF a determin
alton on the part of the more extreme south
ern element to maintain the solidity Of the
south and to keep up feeling of implaca-
BILE hostility to the northern people and to
northern institutions. In response to the
suggestion that he and the southern people
should break away from the Democracy and
embrace the Republican faith Bob Toombs
says What Take the principles of the
enemies of your country, the principles of
the murderers Of yonr children. If you go
off and join the royalists you will deserve
the epithet of Calhoun when he denounced
the successful administration as composed
of rogues aud royalists." This savors
strongly of bitter disappointment over that
deferred roll call of slaves under the shadow
Of the historic pile on Bunker Hill, of which
Toombs boosted in the palmy days of the
slave power. Certain disappointed Demo
Gratis in South Carolina have formed
Tiger Club" the cardinal point of whose
faith is the cold shoulder to any man of
whatever "color or previous condition of
servitude" who has voted the Republican
ticket. The "Tigers call on all employees
of laborers to discharge from their employ
all men who are connected with the Repub
lican party, and to employ only Bourbons in
their stead. The New Orleans Picdyune is
not quite happy, and in disconsolate mood
is led to say "The south simply recog-
nizes the inevitable in retiring from national
politics. 1t might very easily secure some
temporary advantages by remaining in
national politics through the sacrifice
of its principles. But the south out Of
national politics is just as solid as the
south in national politics. 1t has gone out
with every one of its states under the con-
troll of its white people, and it will remain
out in that condition until it can return
gracefully and with effect. 1t has gone out
taking with it the fixed idea of reserved
states rights, OF home rule, because it be-
lieves that idea is more imperiled by its ad-
vocacy than its silence" If the south will
have nothing to do with national politics in
the future till it can return gracefully and
with effect" to its supreme dictation and
control of national affairs, the Republican
party will submit gracefully and not en-
tirely inconsolably to the lonesome task of
running the governmental machinery for an
indefinite period in the future. The party is
not wholly unfamiliar with the exclusive
n
riod of years, during which the south at
tempted to retire gracefully and with eff
feet" from participation in national politics,
the Republican party managed, by dint of
heroic effort, to maintain the national gov
eminent, not only without the aid of the
south, but in spite of its armed opposition.
Ben Hill and Wade Hampton, however, rep
resent different sentiment, and we appre-
bend that there will continue to be an active
participation in national politics by an ele-
ment in the south that will not resignedly
sit moping over ''lost cause"--a course as
fatal to southern prospects in this progress
sive century as the old military glamour of
Napoleon and the incidental hatred of Eng
land formerly was to France. In an active
alliance of this element with the Republi-
can lies the hope of better times for the
south, and of more fraternal feelings
throughout the nation.