The comet., 1880-10-16
ABOUT THE SOUTH


'N,'",'"h u'-uay Win Slaf reporter
, sad That TIL" condition OF the Soutl
: now Is admirable in respect to publ,
order, industrial, moral and intcllec
, t'lnl development. He said: "W,
nave not the political thrift of tn,
Norlil, Tor our population is scattered
9 over wider area and for the mos
part engaged in Agriculture, (thougl
we are now beginning mining and
manufacturing largely and is tradi
liolllily conservative; but there Is u,
part Of the world in which the entire
people is so characterized by the cult.
walton OF the great qualities Of SELF.
denial, personal economy, industry
thrift and enterprise, moral and intel
lectual Improvement. This is i'm
direct contrast of its condition under
Republican rule"
a GREAT MISTAKE.
Star :-"What is the temper nt the
Southern people in respect to the
federal constitution in all its parts and
10 the union of the States? Is there
any desire for another form of govern
ment or for any change in the organic
law of the land?
Gen. Gibson :--"Thc S0uther people
are devoted to the form of government
established by the federal constitution
over the Union. The idea prevails
with some in the North that because
the Southern States desired a separa-
ton from the Northern States (undcr
an apprehension that their domestic
security, on account of slavery, was
menaced) that therefore they were
inimical to the federal constitution.
This is n great mistake. The federal
constitution was in the main formed
by Southern men; the only part of it
in which they had no voice was in the
amendments proposed after the civll
war, but which they have now cor
daily accepted, for they embody the
ments prohibited slavery and the doe
trine of secession. With these cXccp-
tiOns the Constitution stands gencr-
ally asit came from the hands of our
torefathcrs, and no Southern man to-
day can be found who would adj
vOcate secession as remedy for
any possible grievance, or the res
toratiOn of negro slavery. The fact
is, slavery would have been abolished
in the south in 1882, when they came
within two or three votes of abolish
ing it in the state of Virginia, had il
not been that political party was
formed on it in the north, which thcat- |
ened the peace and order and security
of southern society, and final v crca-
ted rescntmCnts that no statesman
ship could overcome and that led to |
the unhappy war. ] know Of no other
differences between the north and the |
south than the longer existence Of
slavery in the southern states, and
their more vigorous attempt to vindi-
cate the idea of the doctrine of seces-
sion. 1t must not be forgotten that
the northern states were once slave
states as well as the southern, and that
the dOctine of secession was preached
once in Massachusetts as well as in
South Carolina. AS the two sections
stand now what differences remain?
| can see none. Now, that it is over,
we thank God that we are rid of slav,
cry, and that there can be no sectional
party in the north hostile to the south
Wnich will not at the same ime inflict
similar evils upon the northern people
or to-day we are one i'm interest. II
would he rs foolish for southern man
% rail against the existing establish
nent of government in the United
States as for an Englishman whose
Were loyal to the house of
Stuart to deny his allegiance to-day to
he house Of Hanover" --.
HE SOUTH UPON "REBEL CLAIMS"
Star --" How do the eX-confederate
population regard the question of pay
nent for the losses of the war and
outhern claims generallyW
Gen. Gibson -" say unhesitating- ,
y that the southern people are OPP
'osed to the payment of what are
allied rebel claims--war claims. These
laims are just what General Hancock
escribes them to be--a bugbear-a
mere phantom of republican imagna- !
ion to frighten the northern people
ut of their senses. The amendment
0 the Constitution prohibits the pay
nent Of the claims, and every mem
er of Congress takes an oath to sup
ort the Constitution. There were j
My three or four hundred thousand
laVe-hOlders in the south, and no sane {
nan can believe that at this late day, .
,hen new generation of voters has
rOwn up in the south since the days
f slavery, that eight or ten million of ,
eople, would be willing to tax them
elves for the benefit of a few hundred
lousand. Never in the history of the
Olitics of this country was such an
bsurd hue and cry attempted to be
lised as this talk about the payment !,
f southern claims.n |
HE SOUTHERN PEOPLE WILL PAY
THE PUBLIC DEBT.
Star =" What is the feeling and :
urpOse of the South in respect to the |
ublic debt of the United States?" {
Gen. Gibson -" The feeling and
urpose of the South is to pay the
ublic debt of the United States /
very dollar of it in honest money. We
Dund ourselves fnr it by accepting the
mendment to the cOnstitution-to
~ it as men of honor, for it was one I
the conditions under which we came
lck into the enjoyment of our rights =
I'd privileges in the Union. Public
Dnor and public credit are one. The
ue interest and welfare Ofevcry man,
oman and child i'm this country de- y
and that the public credit and pub Il
/, honor should he maintained inviO.
tc.o
THOSE FOUR NEW TEXAS STATES. y
A western republican jour
Il has spoken of Il purpose to carve
} Texas into four states. Do you
low of any such purpose, and do you
low of any state North or South
at would be willing to consent toa 3l
vision?n u
Gen. Gibson -" The idea of the :,
.mocratic party carving up Texas in
four parts is absurd. Texas was ad
itted into the Union by joint resO- o.
ton, and the United States govern
ent agreed that whenever Texas ia
W fit she could divide herself into IN
ar more states, making five states in
!. This may be done by Texas at =,
v time, rs well under Republican
under a Democratic administration,
the right was guaranteed to her by sl' M
ATTY, and is independent wholly of ~
rties. have not seen anybody from
xas who was not opposed TO the sub -
vision of the state, nor have ] ever Ia ',,
m n southern politician who was 50 ~
lorant of political history rs TO sug-
1t that congress should undertake To
ride the State. Ne
Letting of LeVee work.