American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-07-24

General Haucock's nomination is to
eliminate the Southern question from
National politics. 1t has been dis
turbing element in our National life for
half n century. Demagogues have con-
stantly appealed to sectional interests
and passions to gain their ends. Doubt
less the slavery question could have
been satisfactorily adjusted on Il basis
of gradual emancipation with gradu-
ated compensation but for the use
made of it by political schemers and
miscreants who cared neither for the
Union nor for the negro. but only to
get offices. And since the war ended
by the total surrender of the Southern
States, their hearty acceptance of the
new order of things, and their unques-
| tionable loyalty, the Southern question
has still been kept alive and thrust for
ward as the sole political issue of auy
importance. In 1868 Grant was chosen
President to complete the subjugation
of the South. although he announced
that he was for peace. In 1872 the old
cry was revived; the bloody shirt was
waved more energetically than ever; all
the bad passions and blistering memo
ries of the war were enkindled afresh;
stories of Southern outrage beggaring
belief were manufactured to order for
campaign purposes; the South was rep
resented as just on the eve of new
rebellion to overthrow the Government
and re-enslave the colored people, and
all the black and lurid images partisan
hatred could con lure up were evoked to
fire the Northern heart against the
people of ten great States, and merely
to keep the Republican party in pow
er. In 1876, in spite of the pacific
illusions of Mr.. Hayes which rome of
his supporters took any notice of, the
campaign was waged on this old sec
tional war issue, and graves were re-
opened, and the bones of dead soldiers
were dug out of the dust to swing from
the stump to excite Northern citizens to
vote for the Republican candidates.
And during the three years since Hayes
was inaugurated the Republican man
ayers in Congress and elsewhere have
kept up the old yells against "a solid
South" '.rebef Brigadiers,' the ''mas-
sacres of negroes" and the determine
ton of the South to seize the Govern
ment. True, sensible men had learned
that these cries meant nothing in par
ticular, but were the tricks of dema-
gogues to deceive the masses. Never
theless they were potent for mischief.
and they prevented the union and good
feeling and devotion to great material
interests which the good of the country
required.
PROFESSIONALLY the nomination of
Garfield. who was political soldier in
the war and has been one of the de-
houncers of the South ever since. was
meant for a continuation of the old line
of party tactics. Despairing of carry
ing single Southern State in the cleo
ton the Republicans hoped to make
Northern capital by revivinS the old
war issues and revamping worn-out
tales of crimes never committed to send
new thrills of terror through the North.
But the nomination of General Han
cock-a non-political soldier, a thor
ough Unionist and patriot who had
fought for his country against the
Indians and in Mexico before |
the Rebellion began, whose first speech |
was for the Union against secession III
California, whose heroic con iuct on |
twenty battlefields earned for him the /
highest military renown, whose con-
duct, as commander, in subordinating
the military to the civil power, and act
ing as the servant of the laws instead |
of their subjugator, stamped him as a
true statesman and patriot-has COM
pletely upset Republican calculations.
And General Hancock was first nomi-
mated by Louisiana. He was the South
ern choice. He represents the Union
sentiment, the Union idea. the Union
cause. If anybody is entitled to appeal
to the soldiers who fought and bled for
the Union, it is this soldier, whose
horse was shot under him at Chancellors-
vile, and who, returning to duty before
his wounds were healed, was obliged
to ride to the front in a carriage. All
the miserable trumpery and sectional
lies used in former campaigns have
been paralyzed by the nomination
of this brave soldier, who incar-
mates the patriotism, the loyalty,
the Union sentiment of the American
people. The bloody shirt has been
buried, and the ouIrage-mill as a politi-
cal factor has gone, never to return.
Sectionalism has struck its last blow.
The people, North as well as South,
are sick to death of this stale and musty
rubbish about rebels and negro raids.
The war ended fifteen years ago by a
total surrender of all combatants.
There is nothing to fight about. The
only States now are the loyal United
States of this Republic. The people
know no North nor South, East nor
West, but one crest. prosperous, hap
py country, with one set OF interests,
with one Constitution, and one glorious
Y at1OnallIy. AL Un0 interests OF all Cne
States demand fraternity and concord.
1t would be easy to fill a whole page of
our paper with statistics showing how
The manufacturing, the mercantile, the
the social interests of our
Northern-States require the immediate
pacification and fullest recognition of the
South. Build up that rich section
n industry and enterprise, de-
velOp its wonderful resources, put ,
capital and machinery and me-
,hanical skill at its disposal,
ill it with intelligent people trained to
abor in modern ways, invigorate its
waste places with the stimulus of new
and every city and town in
he whole North will be the richer for
It. The nomination of Hancock means
lust this practical goodwill and fra
,ernity. 1t means death to all pestilent
1t means new Union
With no black discords nor ugly men,
)ries to ALLEVIATE State from State. 1t
means a new Nation cemented indis-
'olubly by the blood of three wars,
without a seam in its indestructible
Nationality. 1t means Massachusetts
md New York and Michigan, in all
hat makes these Commonwealth rich
md great, all the way to the Gulf. 1t
means the American people rs one
body, with one mind and one mighty
purpose. And his election will begin a
lew era in the history of the Great Re-
Y. Express.