Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1880-05-22
Tine, Republican Attitude Toward the
South.


The course pursued by the Republican
party, especially in Congress, toward
the South and its representatives is
simply Infamous. 1t is now fifteen
years since the war of the rebellion
closed. A generation has grown up at
the South since that time; a generation
no connection with or relation to the
war, or the objects for which. on the
part of the South, the war was fought.
The testimony from all sides of impair
tial observers is that, by the vast
masses of the people of the South, the
results of the war have been accepted
and are acquiesced in in good faith. 1t
is the testimony of every Northern tour
ist, who goes South for any other pur-
pose than the collection of partisan cap
ital, that, with the exception of a few
blatant hot-heads, the people want to
be at peace with their fellow-citizens at
the North, to enjoy commercial and
business relations with them, and to
build up in their own section something
like the enduring and solid prosperity
which the people of the North enjoy.
1t is the testimony of men like Tai
mage, of Brooklyn, who would un-
doubtedly be quite as ready to bear his
testimony the other way if he could
conscientiously, that Northern people
who visit the South and treat the peo-
pie fraternally or courteously receive
fraternal and courteous treatment in
return. The exceptions, he adds, in
selves obnoxious by insisting that the
South shall assume an attitude of SUBJ
lection, and listen in mute admiration
~ fol Of IanIc of don;
in the war. 1t is the testimony of Gen
eral Grant, whom the third-termers de-
mand as a typical 'sstrong man," that
sectionalism at the South is passing
away, that the people of that section
are sincerely devoted to the Union and
the flag. In his recent speech at Cairo
he declared that he had passed through
little bit of every one of the Southern
States lately in the rebellion and was
gratifed to see the Stars and Stripes
floating everywhere GA great portion
of the speakers in every instance he
added, s'were men who, in the conflict,
wore the gray; and the speeches which
thev made show their present devotion
to the flag for which we fought 81
have no reason to doubt" he said, in
closing, THAT those who wore the gray
will fulfill all they have promised in 10y
atty to the flag and the Union.''
All this testimony is sustained and
co1roborated by the significant fact Of
an immense Southern crop, which
shows as conclusively as anything can
that the people of the South are en-
gagged in the pursuits Of peace and in
dustry and devoting themselves to the
development of their resources, instead
of idly repining over the ''lost cause, ;"
as occasionally represented. And yet,
in the face of all this testimony, the
Republican leaders in Congress devote
most of their time to sneering at the
South and accusing its representatives
of disloyalty Not session passes
that Conkllng OF Blaine in the Senate,
or Frye, Reed OF Conger in the House,
does not go out of his way and out of
the way of the debate, whatever it may
be, to sneer at Confederate Briga-
diers," and to inslnuate that the South
is plotting a revival of the war or a de-
pletion of the treasury. Even Robson,
whose record of official corruption dis
| qualities him morally, as it should do
| legally, for a seat in either house, has
the hardihood to set himself mp as a
censor of men whose only offense is
that they represent the section which
| 1lllCcu yCdlS ~ ltilu uOW IL lUS dIlllS SLuu
abandoned conflict from the results OF
which Robeson and such as he were
immensely enriched.
If there were any honesty in the pre-
/ lenses which these Robesons and Fryes
and Congers make of Indignation
against the South and of belief in its
continued hostility to the North there
would be some excuse for them. But
there is not particle of honesty in it.
| It is deliberate, malignant enGeavor
to irritate the Southern Representatives
and goad them into expressions which
can be tortured into indications of the
pretended hostility, and then used as
fuel in firing the Northern heart fol
partisan purposes. Those men know
as well as any of the witnesses whose
testimony we have cited that the pre-
vailng temper of the Southis an ardent
| desire for peace and the prosperity
which peace alone can bring. But to
perpetuate Republican rule, to secure g
new lease of the power which has fur
nished them such glorious opportuni
ties for stealing, they persist in theil
fiendish work of misrepresentation ano
irritation. And because the Southern
Representatives, as a rule, decline tG
furnish them, even when most outrage
ously provoked, with the capital they
want they become all the more bitter
and persistent in their efforts.
The fragrant dishonesty of this out
! rageous course on the part of the Re
publican leaders is inno way shown more
conclusively than bv the readiness will
which any Confederate Brigadier'
who will vote the Republican ticket O
labor for the Republican party is honor
ed with an office. The stories of Mosb,
and Longstreet are old ones; but the,
have not lost their point. And tn,
same point the Republican press ant
leaders are again emphasizing in thei
commentator of General Wickham
who heads the electoral ticket of th
Virginia Republicans. The General i
real Confederate Brigadier, havin!
actually served in the rebel army. Bu
as he has chosen, in the exercise of hi
political freedom, to act with the Re
publican party. his ofenses are all con
doned; and even such bitter Republican
papers as the Detroit Post take pains t
commend him.-Detroit Free Press.
| MI.