St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-08-20
An Open Letter to Hon. Marshall
Jewell.
BY PRES. FAIRCHILD, BEREA COLLEGE,
KENTUCKY.

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Jewell.
BY PRES. FAIRCHILD, BEREA COLLEGE,
KENTUCKY.
Dear Sir Your appointment as
chairman of the National Republican
Committee gives me courage, at the
risk of seeming to mako myself promi-
nent, to urge measure in the conduct
of the Presidential campaign which has
long seemed to me of vital Importance.
You will recognize me as the President
of Berea College in Kentucky, where ]
have labored and watched the progress
of events in the South for more than
eleven years. 1t has seemed to me a
great mistake that the republicans of
the South, the weakest portion of the
party and in the hottest of the fight
should have been left to manage their
from the North. Why, after fifteen
years of peace, do we find the solid
South arrayed against the party that
saved the country, and saved its enc
mics, too, with generosity unparal-
leled Various explanations may be
given but one is sufficient. The South,
| mean the white element of the South,
has been almost utterly neglected and
stunned by the political orators, as
well as the religious teachers and
preachers of the North.
The war was war of ideas. Thirty
years of constant, earnest, persistent
discussion, by lecturers, preachers and
political speakers, prepared the North
to demand for all portions of our coun-
try under the exclusive control of the
United States, equal right for all men.
Against this demand the South rebel
led. Peace resulted from mere exhaus-
tion on the part of the South. The war
of ideas is still in progress, and will
continue till harmony of thought and
| feeling between the North and South is
essentially secured. This will not be
promoted by standing apart and hurl-
ing at each other mutual recriminatiens
and bitter denunciatiOns. The North
and South must meet and reason to-
gether, kindly, earnestly, patiently,
persistently. The pulpit, the press, the
school, the rostrum, should all be en-
ployed to the utmost capacity of the
friends of equal rights and universal
education.
Fifteen years of precious time and
the most favorable opportunity have
been thrown away. While Union men
have slept, the enemy has sown tares.
We cannot commence too soon or too
vigorously to regain the lost ground.
And no better occasion can offer than a
presidential campaign.
Let hundred of the wisest and most
eloquent men of the North be sent to
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all the prominent towns and cities OF
the South, let their themes be equal
rights, universal education, National
and State rights and duties, honest
government, and our glorious common
country, and they would find theil
democratic antagonists striving to sur
pass them in offers of all good things to
all classes, without distinction of race
or condition. cannot say that such an
effort would give single state to the
Republican party, though should hope
it might several. l know it would be
an educational influence which would
greatly modify the moral and political
tone and sentiment of the whole South
Such efforts, continued, multiplied and
Teciprocated by Southern orators at the
North, would soon end this conflict o
ideas, and sectional strife would give
place to National union.
The Southern people are not al
hardened, hopeless reprobates. Argu-
ment and eloquence are no more wasted
on them than on other people. Many
in the democratic party seem to g
Northern man, morally, religiously ant
socially, out of their normal sphere
Seen at the North they would at once
be taken for republicans. There il
where they belong, and thither will
proper effort they may be led. But i
the policy is to abandon the solid soutl
to the democratic party, our prospect
bellious states add the Catholic power
the whiskey influence and the mass o
starving politicians whose only hope i
in change of administrations, and w
have combination which is destine,
very soon, if not on the 4th of mex
March, to administer the gOvernmen
of this nation.
The South must not be abandoned
Having removed the only cause tina
made the Southern people our enemies
we must now overwhelm them wit
such moral, religious, political, educa
tional, commercial and social infiuenc
as will make them our friends. Thi
can be done and will be done, when W
show them, on a large scale, that W
seek their good and not their harm. So
ciety there is undergoing steady an
} permanent change, but SO slow that
fear our nation has much to suffer be
fore it becomes general, unless the goo
people of the North awake as they hav
not yet to sense of their duty and th
necessity.
Is it too much to hope that in consul
tations with your committee this matte
may be taken into serious considers
ton ? have often been asked wheth,
republican speakers would be heard .
the South. l can only speak for Kel
D ! lucky. have no doubt that anv ah