National Republican., 1880-08-25
WHAT would LEE AND JAcKsoN poq

WHAT WOULD LEE AND JACKSON no?
This is tho most pertinent Of questions,
and it must he well and lhorougly consid- |
cred. What they did eighteen years ago |
affected some of the people at the north in
a way that is still severely felt, and if they |
haven't changed their principles it is of the |
first importance to find out how they stand |
now Al over the north LEE and JACK !
son made themselves felt. They are still |
remembered for their actions. Every small
farmer who paid a tax of $50 before LEE
aud JACKSON commenced their little circus
now pays $50 every year--$60 every year
on account Of national, state and town
debts caused by the war, and the interest
Of which grinds his face as he follows the
plow with the sweat of blood. But his
farm does not yield any more crop-does
not yield so much; for the able-bodCd son
whose work went in to make the crop, went
down to Charlottesville and Shiloh and
never came back because Of what LEE and
JACKSON did. The strong aid of manly
boy, who was 10 be the support of bis old
age and the perpetuator of the family
name, was cut of in his prime, and hope
died in the old farmers heart, because of
what LEE and JAKCsoN did. In every
northern village stands a melancholy gran
ite column inscribed with the names of the
flower Of the town, the beautiful, the true,
the sainted youth who perished in conse-
qucnce Of what LEE and JACKSON did; and
no day passes and no night passes that
the disconsolate, mourning mothers sisters
wives daughters and friends do not come
to shed fresh tears on the sods that sur
round the shrine The bright hopes born
of patriotism and love Of our fellow man
which animated the people of the north
and led them to think that we had a coun-
try free from the debts which grind
the face of the poor in all other coun-
tries; free from the trials of war, and free
from the dangers of aristocrocy, tyranny
and revolution, were all crushed and with
cred, and no longer inspire our literature,
our oratory and our lives, because of what
LEE and JACKSON did.
The inquiry is immensely pertinent and
we must try and answer it for Mr.. HAMP-
TON. We believe it can be satisfactorily
answered. 1t is fair TO suppose that LEE
and JACKSON would go with their section
and do what the people Of that section are
doing. This was item number one in south
ern education. The idea was drilled into
the very constitution of every southern boy.
1t was the mighty, overpowering, over
whelming idea that drove ROBERT E. LEE
to violate his oath and fire upon the old
flag, at whose expense and under whose
care he was reared, educated, honored and
maintained The same thing is still item
number one in southern education. 1t is
state rights, and is the prominent feature of
HANCOCK's platform. The southern people
are defending this doctrine as the cardinal
idea in politics. 1t is the doctrine which
twenty years ago covered and justified SO.
cession; insidous, deceitfll, devilish. It is
the doctrine which is to cover and justify
any future secession, disintegration and de.
naturalization, We cannot exist rs a ma
tiou upon such doctrine, and its preva,
lence is fatal to national life and free insti-
tutions. LEE and JACKSON will certainly
so with their section in the maintenance OF
this doctrine because they werc so educated,
because their future standing in history
compols it.
The southern people are not only cducat-
ingtheir children in the destructive doctrine
of the Cincinnati HANCOCK platform, but
they are drilling them into the belief that
aparty in power having charge of the reg.
is.ry and the ballot-boxes may manipulat,
them go rs TO forever remain in power nc
matter what the voters may intend, The It's.
sue ballot, the false count, the false return
and the substitution Of bogus box in lieu
Of the real one by those in charge are held
TO be legitimate means for retaining power
aud when these are not likely 10 accom-
pish the desired end, false census returns
are brought in to complete the work. Thi.
is the end Unpopular institutions, but none
the less do the leaders at the south ayai,
themselves OF it and bring up their chill
lren in the belief that it is the Legitimate
way aud just as good as voting. LEE and
JACKSON would do the same. The consti
tuition Of southern society and the vast in.
lereats that are involved in having it done
makes the south solid, and LEE and JACK
son would be part Of the solid south
The tnx.ridden north, paying every yea
three times the amount which it should
tax from which none escape; saddled anC
fixed as burden upon the labor and pro
dnctiye power Of the country for tn,
next twenty-five years, the same as upor
the last twenty years, are terribly interested
10 know whether the ideas Of LEE and
JACKSON are 10 become the governing idea,
Of tire future. We arc glad WADE HAMP-
Toy made his appeal But we are not ye
done with tho question; the answer is no
ompleie