National Republican., 1880-12-24
Isugli.


ator from Alabama, has recently been
voluntarily interviewed, and gives his
reasons why the South is solid.
He is clearly of opinion that ait would
be very unnatural for the people of the
South not to have the utmost confidence
in the Northern Democracy, as it is the
only party in the Northern States that
has done the people of the South justice
and endeavored to secure to them equal
ity in the Union"
The Northern Democracy for many
years past has testified its devotion to
State Rights, secession, revolution, Ku-
Kluxism, night-riding, "white-lining,"
and all other paraphernalia of Southern
Democracy. In these regards it is true
that the Northern Democracyis the "only
party" in the Northern States that has
done the "people" of the South "iustice"
Justice, of course, in the perverted
sense in which it is used and understood
by the Southern Democracy, and not
"poetic justice"
Senator Pugh's definition of the word
"people" is clear and unmstakable.
He means the Democratic "peoplc" of
the South, who precipitated rebellion,
who warred for the dissolution of the
Union, and who, since the suppression
ofthat rebellion, have practically nullifed
the Fourteenth and fifteenth Amend
ments to the Constitution, and made a
free ballot in the South impossible.
Certainly he did not intend to include
within his category of the "peOple" the
four millions of freedmen, nor yet the
Union men of the South. They do not
constitute any part or portion of the
people" in the Democratic vocabulary
and understanding, No man could have
been elected to the Senate from Alabama
who had doubtful opinions on this ques-
ton.
The Senator is also free to state that the
disposition of the people of the South is
to have fair elections and honest counts,
This may be their disposition, but it GER
tainly is not their practice. He says
there is in the South a class of candi-
dates for Office, State and Federal, COM
posed of men without character, fitness
or qualifications for these positions.
These are the men, according to the
Senator, "who secure the votes of negroes
and the irresponsible and ignorant ele-
ment of the South"
In his ingenuousness he might have
added that these candidates are without
character, fitness, or qualifications, be-
cause they are Republicans. Hence, as
the Senator mildly observes, their means
and practices are distasteful and disgust
ing to the decent, responsible, and intel
ligent Bourbon Democratic "people" of
the South. He might also have stated in
this connection, and in the interest of
truth, that the votes Of the negroes and
the Ignorant element" would not be so
Objectionable were they polled for Demo-
cratic rather than Republican candidates.
No reasonable man will doubt or dispute
this proposition; not even the Senator
himself
The Alabama Senator says the great
desire of the Southern people is to be
"let alone" in their State elections and
in the machinery of their State govern
ments. From this we conclude it is the
machinery" (which must be "let alone +"
very severely. Machinery" is not a
bad word to employ, and the Senator is
happy, most happy, in his choice of ex-
preston. The Northern Democracy is
not obliged to let them alone in their
machinery" 1t is the Northern Repub-
licans who must do the letting alone.
The Northern Democracy will, it is fair
to infer, be permitted to furnish lubri-
Gates for the machinery" of their
Southern friends, and they will be corre-
spondingly happy,
The Mississippi "shoestring" district
must be let alone; likewise the First,
Second, and Fourth Congressional Districts
of Alabama, which are largely Republican
on fairvote ofthe negroes and the "igno-
rant element" Any "element" which
does not vote the square.out Bourbon
Secession Democratic ticket must be nee
essarily Ignorant" and hence the let
alone" necessity.
The Senator has not enlightened the
country by his interview 1t has, how
ever, the merit of Grankness, if nothing
more, The intelligent American citizen
understands the Southern Democratic in
depreciation of fair elections and honest
counts" The matter has just been dem