Litchfield enquirer., 1880-11-25
South and North.


poor fight for the presidency in the MORT
since the war as this November; except il
1872, when they refused to come up to tn
support Of Horace Greeley. That memorable
canvass was in reality no test, and its failur
NO such indication of permanent weakness ii
the section that, If sectional politics are to pre-
vail, must rule the union. A campaign which
leaves Democratic candidate with but four
teen electors i'm the old Free States, and, wors'
still, in popular minority of half million
votes, is one that must convince reasonable
Sousherners that the time has not yet come
when the North can allow them full control Of
the national government That the Southern
whites should stick fast to an organization
which has always proved so plant in theiI
hands As Democracy, so long as there seemed
any Just hope of its attaining full powor over
the government, was no more than we ought
naturally to have expected. Now, however,
il seems impossible for the Democratic party,
as at present organized, not only to attain sue
cess, but TO protect its Southern wing against
very annoying assaults from their Republican
opponents, soon to be In control of all branch
e. of the government 1t cannot seem at all
remarkable, therefore, that Southerners are
thinking seriously of abandoninga political
contest in which they have nothing to gain
and much TO lose. Indications of the preva-
lence of such feeling throughout the South
are multiplying upon us. In recent issue
Of the Charleston Courier, the leading paper of
South Carolina, leading editorial discourses
thus sensibly of the Solid North:
We do not, for moment, imagine that the
American people wish that any State should
agaIn beruled by Scott, Moses or a Bull
lock The truth was that the control that was
necessary and even indispensable in local af-
fOi7s carried with it a considerable influence in
National affairs. With the help of two North
eEn States the South could elect the President
and be master Of the Government We know,
or think We know, that the power would have
been exercised wisely; but the conquerors
were not ready to be ruled, even to their own
advantage, by the conquered. Nor mould the
South haze bess, If Grant, insteQd of Lee, had
surrendered his army # teen gears since.
This important article closes as follows:
When this spectre of Southern supremacy is
laid, the Northern people will be freer to ex-
hibiI their kindly and interested feelings.
And one Of the first questions that the South
ern whites will have tn ask themselves is.
WsotAy the tceifdTe of the South has been, and
y EkSls to b, hBdeTed or GdOGnced 6y the ALI,
GHce Nth The Democrats of the NOrth? 1T does
not hurt those gentry to be beaten. They are sure
to haze just aad equal q0Ueraments in their
States In aag eSeRt. Nor so WITH THE SOUTH
In losing politically the South loses in pocket
GRd IN peace Of mind. WI the South remain
on TIE losing side, and If 90, on sohGt terms and
for rAGt pHrpOse? The Southern peopIe, zoe
JaAoV, eiU make 0temseLOes heard on this su6-
jet b.fore the rinter is past.
A Georgia letter published in one of our
Democratic papers speaks of the situation as
follows:
''What il to be done by the south in the
present posture of affairs?" is the question
greatly agitated by the Legislators and people
TOOmbs says his ticket is Grant and empire
in 81" One wing of the democracy advo-
cafes uou-actiOn In regard to politics in the
future, but the other wing, composed chiefly
OF enterprisiDg young men, contends that the
time has come for the reorganization of their
party, with the exclusion from its platform of
all sectional features and all the issues set
tied BY the war. They insist that the only way
DOW left to the south is 10 engage at once 10
the establishment OF q great national party,
with new name and a broader purpose.
This is likely TO prove the watchword that will
ring through the ranks of the rising men of
the southern states from this time forward.
All intelligent men here concede that the
President-elect Is man of consummate
ability and broad craftsmanship, and l
Ieel sure that the great masses of the southern
people will make no factious opposition to his
administration, but will rally to its support.
All the indications now are that Governor
Brown will be elected United States Sena-
tor"
The Louisville Courier. Journal takes much
the same view: ...t 2
The election of Garfield over Hancock
makes il certain that, as party divisions now
stand, the republicans can elect aay ticket
they put in the field. They can as easily elect
Grant four years hence; an event, indeed
which this present result fore-shadows But
IL 10 equally clear that the existing alignment
OF parties cannot endure, and, as we get away
from the misleading sentimental and sectional
policies which have played Int the hands of
the wicked and weak, we may fairly well
hope that the material well-being of the coun-
try. embracing questions that appeal to the
business OF men. will replace our horizontal
with perpendicular lines of discussion. With
the breakup of the south, which can no longer
be held solid, will come in time the break up
OF the solid north"
One might imagine also that the Northern
Democracy would not be averse to dissolu.
ton Of partnership with the Solid South.
They have gained nothing by it but defeat,
and nothing but the solid immigrant vote has
saved them from humiliation The real diff
Guilty. however, will be to arrange any terms
between Northern Republication and South
ern Democracy which will attract fairdegree
OF support not only from the leaders, but from
the rank aud file of both parties. Mr.. Hayes
made the experiment He called straight
Southern Democrat to his cabinet, as Post
master General, and the controlling spirit of
his Administration was one of fairness towards
the South The weakness of his title, the op-
position of Northern Republicans, the belief
that they had only to hold fast to the old
Democratic organization to come into control
of the whole government in 1880, all com.
bined to prevent Southern Democrats from
giving Mr.. Hayes any real support. Doubtless
they will yield more to Garfield but Republi-
csnism is more inclined to be Stalwart now
than it was four years ago; and will Garfield
be able TO treat the South as generously as did
Mr. Hayes. and still retain his hold on his
own party? e.a4i st-'a. ..a3- a.e.
Our own proposition for an accommodation
would be simple one. In South Carolina,
Alabams, Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana,
reading qualification like that Of our own
constitution should be adopted perhaps, also,
there should be added payment of poll taxes
as prerequisite to voting, as in Massachu-
setts. These restrictions we believe to be
indispensable for good government in the
states specified, as they certainly are not in.
dispeusable In any New England State. To