The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-12-30
PATRIOTISM AND PROFIT y. BOCF-
WELL RECONSIRptTIo

/ Mr.. Boutwell's letter, it appears
was presented as a feelerto discover
in what frame OF mind the people
OF the North find themselves as 10
those of the South. The purpose
expressed by him. LAYING aside all
fine expressions. w@s so again put
the South in the same position il
held towards the Federal govern
ment, when enough wbito votes
were disfranchised to silow the
blacks TO rule. lie cloaks this in
tent under the pretext of protecting
free ballot. The presumption OF
Southern whites in indulging in the
modes established for selecting q
president by free ballot has been
more than Mr.. Boutwell, and the
other Republican leaders can en-
dure, and they seem deter
mined to soon place these pre-
sumptious Southern whites where
their voice will have nothing
more to do in shaping the purposes
of government ii is quite well
demonstrated that the Northern Re
publican masses leave the manage
ment Of all political matters 10 the
leaders; that the masses think alone
of trade and commerce and produc-
tion and employment. and that they
move, politically, at the dictation OF
the leaders. Hence the Boutwell,
policy may become a political fact,
unless q Republican congress and
Mr.. Garfield conclude to adopt some
other course in managing the South.
Should Congress and the incoming
president give sway to vindictiye-
ness and bigotry the Boutwell, pol
icy will be adopted, and the whole
country will be placed at the mercy
of men who delight in oppression.
The educated whites of the South
think; they love constitutional gov
ernment, and the policy Of these cen
tralization schemers is, that none
shall reflect, that none shall revere
the principles of 1876. that keeping
alive the thought of popular instead
of personal government is q crime,
and that those who cling TO such
form of government must be denied
IL voice in government. This plan
inauguratedagainsr Southern whites
would soon be exercised in North
ern states, and the yoke made to
be borne by these people will be
placed in time upon all throughout
this broad Union, who feel or think
or propose 10 act as DO these think
ing men of the South. The first
move, 1t appears, in the establish
ment of the Boutwell, policy is to
begin, when the next Congress
meets, in unseating q number Of
Southern white representatives, and
in placing colored men in their
stead. This will be done to show
the white man, that, like the negro.
he must not think, and that for Gar-
ing 10 do so, he must be made to de-
sccnd to a level with him, aud 10
even ask quarter from, him as bis
-t.~l=.sv-tr superior; 10 show the IN
telliernt whites Of the South, that
they at least have no right to the
free ballot, so long as it is expressed
in opposition to the designs of these
plotterS against free government.
TO carry out such policies, says a
conservative Northern journal
at must be supported by bayo-
nets. 1t cannot be repeated, with
out q resort to force, and the en-
ployment of force means practically
a disturbance of the industry of the
South, a relapse into the worst
methods ofgovernment, and check
to the present prosperity, to be in
evitablv followed by a financla
crash of terrible proportions. The
leaders who are playing with this
fire forget that they are walking on
q magazine which may explode by
any indiscretion, and that the ruin
thus invited will not envelope the
agricultural population ofthe South,
but fall directly upon the capital,
the commerce, the manufactures and
the enterprise of the North. No
man can count the cost of new sec
tional crusade, such as is now pro-
posed by these extremists. ltwould
be a fearful step backward, but it
will be taken if the Routwells con-
troll the new administration, as they
expect to do"
This indeed is the end that must
be reached by the adoption of the
Boutwell, policy, and by damaging
the South the whole country will
again be bankrupted, ruined. Let
us take Texas as a case. III this state
Northern capitalists are investing
at this time a hundred millions in
railroad building. They are putting
this money here because of the pros
pective greatness of the state, be-
cause in q few years, instead of pro-
ducing one million bales of cot
ton, it will produce two mil
lion bales, because instead of
100000 people it will soon have
three times that many, all producing
something by which money VIII be
returned TO these heavy investors.
Mr.. Gould is Republican, but he
would not approve of a destructive
policy, which would obliterate state
lines aud state pride and local en-
ergy and Advancement. 1t is the
history of all politically oppressed
countries that they become poor in
and are tax 10 the rest
of the world, and especially 10 those
who opprcss. The North has pro-
cured, fiches from its trade with the
Soulb. and a statesmanlikc policy
would dictate the greatest liberal
ity towards us, if the Northern peo-.
pie desire to be protited By our ex-
istence. The Northern mind has two
abiding passions, power and gain.
ana one of these-csn not be abused
without damage TO the other. The
policy that secures both ought best.
10 meet the measure of public desire