Morning journal and courier., 1880-10-26
Seymour, Oct. %.
Which Party Is Sectional:

To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 The Democrats have good deal to say in relation to the sectional spirit which they think the Republican party shows. They say to us, cease all this nonsensical talk about the late civil war. Mention nothing that is cal culated to keep alive the bitter animosities which that war engendered. Don't wave the bloody shirt.' In other words, to employ the language which many of them used when the war was in progress, let us have peace" Now I would like to ask, in the name of eve rything that is reasonable, which of the two parties shows itself to be the most sectional in spirit-which party has the most to say in relation to issues that were supposed to have been settled for all time when Lee surren- dered his sword to Grant at Appomattox Court House? In the first place, what is the true significance of the phrase often used nowadays, "a solid South ?'' Are northern Democrats so stupid as not to discover any trace of sectionalism in that boastful declara- ton from the States late in rebellion? If SO, they more stupid than their political op- ponents are willing to consider them to be-
 A few months ago, 1t will be remembered, when General Grant was in Chicago, on his way across the continent from his tour in foreign countries, 1t was thought proper to send invitations to certain prominent south erners to be present on that occasion. Bob Toombs, who thus received a courteous re- quest to attend the reception, replied as fol- lows, the reply being addressed personally to General Grant You fought for your country and won; I fought for mine and lost. I am ready to try it over again. Death to the Union." Of course no sectional feel ing dictated that dispatch. Oh, no! And Toombs will march to the polls on the second of November and deposit his vote for Han cock, as a sort of entering wedge to southern independence in case the Democratic party gains and keeps the balance of power. Prom inent southerners have not yet given up the idea of their ultimate independence from federal rule, by any means.
 Again, E. H. Fay, Superintendent of Pub lie Instruction of Louisiana, says: 1.-The heresy, now popular in some sections, that this is Nation, is one that I, at least, Louisiana" This was written to a publish ing firm of school books in New York city, who tried to introduce their ''heretical" edu- cational literature into the schools of Louisi- ana.
 And this is what the Meridian, (Miss.) Mercury says ''If under Garfeld's admins tration President Hayes plan of national system of education becomes andlaw is in troduced in the South the schoolhouse will be burned and the teachers driven away" This utterance, taken in conjunction with Wade Hampton's appeal to the Virginians to ''vote for Hancock as he represents the principles for which Lee and 'Stonewall' Jackson fought all go to show that the real section al party North and South, is the Democratic party; and that those who vote the Demo- cratic ticket deliberately vote to encourage and foster the old sectional, disloyal, State rights sentiment and feeling that inaugurated the recent attempt to dissolve the Union.