New-York tribune., 1880-02-21


the Democrats, and by them almost alone as
soon as they had fairly gained the power Oy
the establishment of the Nichols Government
In South Carolina, close upon the heels Oh tue
triumph of General Hampton and his folio"-
ers came the adoption OF measures which nave
already worked the grossest injustice 10 al
creditors of the State, and which are rightly
regarded as manifesting determination 10
yeDudiate entirely a considerable part OF
the debt So it has been in other
Southern States, and IN almost every
Southern city, county or town where IL mas
been possible TO wrong Northern creditors by
repudiating public debts. In almost every case
the opposition to repudiating measures has
been made only by Republicans and
few Democrats of active business relations,
while the great body Of the votes cast IN favor
of such measures has been cast by Democrats
who participated in the rebellion. Nor Is IL
strange that the Confederate Brigadiers and
other leaders IN such localities yield to and
represent the prevailing sentiment of The peo-
ple with whom they have been united so
closely in sympathy, effort and trial through
the civil war.
Virginia is an exception. There is real
active and influential Confcdcrates in that
State have been led to pursue more honor
able and wiser course. lt IS not needml To
discuss the peculiar circumstances IN the local
politics OF the State which have moved the
majority of influential and prominent Demo-
Gratis to oppose reputation; let them have iu'i
credit FOR what they have done. IL Is to
be hoped that their example, and TIE
manifestation of their sense OF shame
at being considered repudlatOrs. may
have some weight with their Democratic
and Confederate associates III the Otner
Southern States. Neither is il necessary to
recount again the peculiar local circumstances
not at all crcditable to the Democrats. which
drove large proportion Of ti!e Republicans III
Virginia to ally themselves with any set OF
men, even with rcpndiatOrs, In order To break
the iutocrablc tyranny of Bourbon Demo-
cracy there. To them, the one thing abs0-
lutely needfh above all others was to cast
of the oppressive rule of those very cX-Con-
fedcrates and highly respectable Democrats
who, in respect to financial matters. were on
the right side. The Republicans of tho North
cannot Justify the course OF their brethren in
Virginia, but, without personal knowledge and
experience Of the great wrongs from which
they were striving To escape, are not disposed
TO Judge them harshly. Possibly, if the Re
pubcans of this city had been treated like
brutes, denied justice in the courts robbed of
the right of suffrage by fraud and force,
swindled in business and labor, socially ostra-
ciscd. and crowded TO the wall by almost every
conceivable form of personal wrong and OPP
preston, they too might have been ready TO
join hands for once, even with Grccnback
voters, 20 cast OFF the CALLING yoke.
But il is 20 be regretted that, IN respect 10
the National obligations. even less repugnaDcc
to reputation il shown by Southern Demo
crats and eX-COufederates than IN respect to
local debts. They might naturally be expected
to have a certain pride in the credit Ot their
States or cities They cannot fail to realize
that population of local debts Will directly
inlure them personally and pccuniarily, as
business men or property-hOders. Seli-inier-
est and local pride ought 10 move tbem--
would move them everywhere, we should sup
pose--to resist any and every form of repudia-
ton of local debts, whatever their feelings rs
TO the National debt. But it does not appear
that men of this class have any hostility Ia re-
pudiation i'm itself. They vote. again and
again, at every session OF Congress. for meas
urcs which involve the breaking of most
solemn pledges of the public faith they sup
mort ut every election, candidates who openly
avOw opinions favorable 10 one form or another
of bad faith toward creditors of the Nation
and they habitually justify themselves in
thought, and often in speech, 10y recall
ing the fact that the public debt wa,
incurred in the suppression of "A Democratic and
Confederate rebellion, and that nearly all thc
public creditors live at the North. As long as
this feeling exists, and is shown in votes at
every session of Congress, the Southern Dem
ocrats and tx COnfederates must expect to be
held responsible for their acts.
Even from Virginia, for example, where
there is a healthy feeling in respect to local
debts among the more influential Bourbon
Democrats. how many Democratic Senators
and Representatives are found resisting in
Congress measures of bad faith 10 public cred !
itors With regret it must be said, not one !
What Senator or Representative from Virginia |
supports Mr. Bayard in his honorable effort TO
redeem the Democratic party OF the South |
from the reprOach of reputation We have |
not heard one mentioned. But let us hope |
that the Democratic members Of Congress !
from that State since they dislike to be known |
as regulators in respect to Local debts. may !
determine so to act hereafter that they shall |
not be known as repudiatOrs in respect to Ma !
tional obligations. When tLey do 50, the fact
will be recorded with sincere pleasure.
UNVEILING mn H1INE CONSPIRACT
If Garcelon Is wise he will follow Pilsburys
example and leave Maine. The first glance at
those recently discovered election returns
reveals one case of fraud sufficient to ruin
what little reputation the baflled conspirators