Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-12-02
THURSDAY, DEC. 2, 1880.
FRCM WAsHINGTON.

Journal are so forcible that [ cannot
resist the inclination to copy the same:
SOUTHERN RUFFIANIsN MUST STOP.
The disappointment of the South il
the defeat Of Hancock is deserved.
The leaders OF the democratic party in
that section Of the Union largely con
tributed to the result by their brutal
treatment of the freedmen and those
in sympathy with them The convic-
ton was strong at the North that the
proscriptive spirit which had SO con
spicuously and so Extensively manifest,
ed itself there would be broadened
and intensified under democratic ad-
ministration. And it was this convic-
ton more than anything else which
held the North practically solid against
the Democratic party. Other causes
contributed to the result, but this was
more potent than any other, and did
more than all Others combined to quick
en- the zeal and arouse the enthusiasm
of the people.
And there was reason for it The
injustice and cruelty meted out to the
freedman touched a very sensitive
chord in the popular heart. The sys-
tenn of intimidation, violence and muir
der which had become the recognized
policy Of the South, was, with multi
tudes of voters, an infinitely stronger
incentive to action than any principle
involving the mere material interests
of the country. It reached up into
the realm Of morals and projected a
religious element into the canvass
which could not have been moved by
anything having less direct bearing
upon the sacred and inalienable rights
Of the individual. This, in the esti-
nation of more than voters enough to
turn the scale, gave to the canvass the
dignity Of a religious crusade against
oppression and wrong, and aroused a
feeling kindred to and scarcely less in
tense than that which, in other days,
moved the same class Of mind to war
against slavery. These men cared
comparatively little about tariffs or fl
nances. Indeed, many of them pre-
ferred free trade to protection and
cared nothing at all about candidates
except SO far IS they believed them in
sympathy with the oppressed freedmen
of the South. Aside from this single
vital question, they were quite as much
in accord with the democratic as with
the republican party, and would have
been quite as likely to vote for Han
cock as for Garfield This issue deci-
ded them, and the rufiians of the
South have themselves to thank for
their unexpected but deserved disap,
pointmcnt and defeat.
And as it has been so it will be.
The North will remain practically sol
id SO long as the South continues to
interfere with the constitutional rights
of any class of her people The fun
damental law guarantees all rights to
all men alike; and there will be Meth
er peace, reconciliation, nor harmony
between the sections until the hum
blest negro shall be as free to live and
speak and vote in the South as the
most exalted white man. This is the
decree of the sovereign people, and
those who fight against it must abide
the consequences,
Nor is this a lesson for the South
and the Northern Democracy alone.
It is a lesson which must be taken to
heart by the official representatives of
the Republican party also. The opin-
ion is more widespread than is gener-
ally believed that the present admins
tration has been more lenient than
just in its treatment Of these Southern
rufhans and murderers, and more indif-
ferent than persistent in its protection
of the helpless freedman who are real
ly still the wards Of the nation. Per
haps this opinion would be modified if
the difficulties in the way of perfect
protection were better understood.
There doubtless are difficulties and
complications in the way; but they
must be overcome at any cost or sacri-
fee, or the fundamental law will be
proved impotent and the Government
failure.
This is one Of the vital questions
which General Garfield will encounter
on the very Threshold of his admins
tration; and we believe he will have
the courage to meet it. No man has
more thorough knowledge of the
wrongs that exist or will be more anx-
ious to apply the remedy But Meth
er knowledge nor anxiety will answer
the public demand The remedy must
be applied and the needed power ex-
ercised until every right guaranteed to
every man shall be held as sacred and
be as exempt from interference or in
timidation in Hazoo as in Albany. If,
contrary to our belief, Gen. Garfield
shall not have the nerve or strength to
do this, then the people will keep up
the fight and prosecute the search IN
til they find the man bold enough and
"strong" enough to throttle oppression
If he shall have to throttle the OPP
pressors with it. IF the Republic is
too weak to protect the humblest of
its citizens in all his rights, it should
die; and if the Republican party, in
its membership or representatives, has
not the courage of It's convictions, it
will not deserve to live.
Our hope is that the South will be
wise in time, that she will cease to ty-
rani7a over tho uaaL opl roooop;zo