Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-12-10
souTnERN sENrIMENr.

was received from y geuileman with whom
| had q plei4ant acqIamlsuce a. SlauuiOn,
Va. It Is offered for publication as
the sentiments Of an intelligent Southerer,
worthy OF attention, as coming from one
who may be considered as an exponent Of
Southern sentiment His name is With
held tof the reason that the publication Is
not authorized. addressed him. inclosing
various clippings from Southern papers.
Knowing tue man, bis statement With me,
at least, have more weight than anything
might casually meet in my readings. The
writer Is a lawyer Of standing, practicing
in both the State aud Federal courts. and
may be considered a eaderat the South He
is, beside, a christian gentleman. loved and
respected | was indebted to him for cor
dial welcome, aud an invitation TO make
Staunton a permanent home. Inc.
SALEM, Va, Nov. 20, 1880.
Dear Mr. Orosby:-I have just received
your letter, Of the oath, and assure you
that | am very glad to hear from you.
II Gen. Garfield Knew me rs you DO /
would certainly seek an interview with
him, and earnestly impress certain views
upon him.
He has it in his power by manly and
independent course to rid our entire coun-
try Of sectionslism. II is true that the
people south prefer a tariff tor revenue
only, and they are in favor Of what is com
monty called State Rights, " but these are
trivial matters compared 10 the one great
matter upon which the South is at issue,
not with the Norths but with the Republi-
can party. u. 4.rI i.f. .-i l'.
Is it crime for us to desireto keep our
State governments in the hands Of the
honest and intelligent people? Look at
Virginia, for example A wing OF the
Democratic parry, led by Malone, went
off and combined with the so-cailed Re
publican party and got control Of the Leg
islature, and pissed an act not only repn-
dating nearly one-third OF the public debt,
but providing that every possible cent Of
current indebtedness should be paid before
the creditors should receive anything on
the portion Of the debt assumed. This act
was Ielaliated. This fall the negroes-ex-
cept those who always voted with the
Democrats--yOted for Garfield, and you
see what become Of fOrcible readiustment.
Now the facts are YOU can't compel men
to change their opinions. Suppose enough
white men ia every Southern State were to
vote with the negroes to turn over the
State governments to them, the dishonesty
and degradation that would follow would
be curse TO the entire country. We are
here, with our wives and children, and we
want in our States honest and Christian
governments. Look at matters, for mo-
ment, in dispassionate manner, and see
what the proposition is that is made to US.
The Republicans say they are trying to
keep the government out Of the hands Of
the Irish and rabbie, that they are the
friends Of honest and intelligent govern
ment. Yet, they say to us, ''Turl your
governments over 10 the negroes and iden-
ufy yourselves with u.s. Now. candidly,
what tioy0H think or such "A pf0positsofi /?
Could it be expected that any decent man
would identify himself with the negroes,
and thereby aid them in taking possession
of the governments? Is is not the TRUE
duty, even Of rebels, and should it not be
their privilege to keep their governments
in the hands Of those who will make them
blessing and not curse? It is true that
Greece was twice ard Rome was once sub
jected to those less learned and virtuous
than they, but that was the result Of wars;
but where, in all history, is there an in
stance, save IN America, where a civilized
people have been asked voluntarily to turn
over their governments 10 the lowest race
OF people living? But some will say, that
vote for Gen. Garfield would not have
done this. What he will do remains to
be seen, but the party which he represents
have a single issue with the South, and
that is the supremacy Of the negro. But
hnv I
say supremacy, because in any Republican
party which can possibly be organized in
any of the Southern States the negroes
will be largely IN the majority and hence
they will have the supremacy,
Bat the question is this, What must be
done? What should Gen. Garfield do?
i answer-and know that ! am correct
that he should declare that it is tbs chris
tian duty to keep the government, State
and Federal, in the hands Of those most
worthy aud most competent to manage it.
This has not been done by the Republican
party, so far as the South is concerned,
but the appointments made in the South
have in nearly every case been Of incom-
petent men, and in most cases. of men
who are low and dishonest. What com
munity could respect or support a party
which would thus degrade IT?
Now il Gen. Garfield will recognize these
facts, and rise above faction, so as TO re-
move from Office all, in the South, who are
incompetent or unworthy and put in their
places the very best men-which is his sol
emn duty-Tegardless of party connection.
II he will give, his influence to the eleva-
tion Of our State governments instead Of
to their degradation, las his predecessors
have dOne--if he will declare it his pur-
pose to strive to keep true government of
the Southern Status as vol as those of the
Northern States in the hands Of the best
people, and will have the courage fearless
/ ly to carry out such an intention, then sec
tionaism will be at end. And why? Be
cause the ignorant in all sections viii see
that they cannot control and their contin-
ued efforts TO do SO wlll cease, and we can
divide upon qnegtiobs ipf policy. &C., aud
again. have a nnited enuntry -rt
II, on the other hand, the President
elect determipss tptill his messages with
treatises on the negro and negro equality
which, as have shown you, means SUI
premacy7-if he appoints TO Office men here
who are wholly unfit, simply because they
are professed Republicans, God save our
world) and only FOR the sake OF Office, then
things will grow worse and his administfa-
tion will be failure 93~
The South never intended to turn oyer
their State governments to the negroes if
they can help IL and l tell You now that
they would vastly prefer a centralized
government, and If Gen. Garfield deter
mines to keep alive this negro issue, and
E.thngs grow worse, as they certainly will
"a he does, at the next election the South