Morning journal and courier., 1880-10-11
POLICY AND DUTY,

In an article with the above heading a writer in the Providence Journal says some things which ought to be brought to the at tention of every voter, and which deserve careful consideration by every voter. There are two ways, he points out, by which it is proposed to break up the sectionalism of the solid South which is such an injury to itself and such menace to the political progress of the country. The one to give it it's own way, allow it to control the government of the country and satiaate it's am bition for power and plunder, trusting that it will quarrel over the spells and divide when it has no longer the necessity of success to keep 1t in cohesion. It was the argument used before the country was fairly reused by the firing upon Sumter, that it was better to let the southern States go rather than undergo the cost in blood and money of a war, for it was highly probable that they would event. ually return one by one, under the influence of self-interest, and attracted by the greater prosperity of the North This wss not -ac- cepted as wise policy at that time, and it was recognized that there were other things that went to make up the political action of communities rather than pecuniary interest, and that pride, passion and prejudice would have their influence in maintaining the solid arity of the Confederacy. The other course is that indicated by Gen. Grant in his speech at Warren, Ohio, and that is, to break up the solid South by the continued defeat of the Democratic party. This is akin to the meth oJ koI- hoe o1i oo11o1 ba Confederacy and attempted to accomplish it's purpose in arms, as it does now by destroy ing the right of citizenship within its borders. The action of the nation then was in recogni- tion of the fact that submission to treason was not the way to destroy it, and that per mitting the country to be rent asunder for the qualification of selfish ambition was not the way to reunite 1t.
 It is not too much to say, as the writer does, that no system of government that permits or tolerates the crimes against the ballot that are committed in the South is fit to call itself republican or can have any con- fdence in it's continued existence. The question is more than question of policy. It is 8 question of duty. "The line must be drawn and the declaration made that it is an injustice and wrong, and that there can be no end to the irrepressible conflict until it is righted, as decidedly and strongly as in the case of slavery" We earnestly commend the following section of truth, :" which closes the article in the Journal to the minds and consciences of our readers:
 If the Republican party had been defeated in the election of 1860, slavery would have been strengthened, and it would have con- tinued to grow and increase and sol1d1fy It. self so long the party it ruled remained in power. It is the same way with the condl- ton of political oppression that exists in the South to-day It will have every temptation to be continued from pride, ambition and po- litical selfshness, and the same causes which have created it will perpetuate 1t. 10 think otherwise is to believe that prejudice, ,shrewd- ness and self-interest will lose their force simply because they are successful, and that the intelligent leaders of the South will de- stroy the source of their own power because they are unable to agree upon division of the spoils The question cannot be ignored any more than slavery could be ignored. The nation cannot be silent and indifferent con- corning 1t any more than patient can be silent and indifferent under disease The South will always find itself ssprovoked,?' as it complained that it was provoked by the protests against slavery, and no agreement can possibly hide the question of whether an American citizen shall or shall not have the privilege of casting hls ballot as he pleases and of having it counted as he cast it? The declaration must be made as to what is the opinion and the purpose or the nation in this matter. The brow of the ship must be pointed toward the open sea and not be suffered to drift upon the lee shore. The party must be sustained that recognizes the evil and the danger, and not the one that would ignore it, even if the exact method of cure is not yet apparent, and neither violent nor precipitate action is intended. It is bet ter that there should be influence and en- deayor toward the right than submission and encouragement to wrong. And this as policy as well as principle, wisdom as well as duty.
 Remember on election day that every vote cast for Garfield and Arthur is protest against the solid South and the crimes com mitsed to keep it so. Already there are signs that the breakup will begin in earnest with the defeat of the Democratic party this fall. No greater blessing could come to the