The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-05-26
The Antl.Rourbon Partys

Hsy The bourbon Partys i
The essential faotin American politics
is thilt n Solid South is q standing mem
ace to the peace and prosperity OF the
The experience, of fifteen
years has convinced the people OF tho
North that defeat In the held has not
changed tho purpose. Of the Southern
The Northern people would
gladly think sothcrwise; would gladly
believe that the party which staked oil
and lost, In Its rule or ruin venture,
had relinqu|shod Its design, and was
willing to abide the results OF tho stern
to which 1t appealed. un-
happily thero has boen no exhibition OF
any such disposition, no sign OF any
such acceptance. The Democratic par
ty Of tho South Is to-day what II always
was, with tho single exception that 10
not the Institution Of slavery to light
for. II II anttprogrossivo, arrogant,
intolorant, hostile to freedom of speech
and of tho ballot--n Bourbon oligarchy.
This Bourbon oligarchy Is In minority
In tho South, IL has gained power by
violence and fraud, and II Is resolved
to perpetuate II. To this end II perso-
cutes It's opponents with all the rough
and violent methods of earlier times, u
exalts itsof above tho law, and upon
the impudent assumption that only the
Bourbons are competent to rulo wisely,
justitios Its resort TO fraud; and against
all opposition Il wields with tho force
of long habit tho unmanly and cow
ardly weapon of social ostracism.
Bourbonism at tho South sits intrenohed
In tradition, habit, tho ties of long as.
sociation, tho memories of mutual sac-
ritice for u lost cause. and tho forco OF
social caste; and IL does not change or
budgc an inch. Whoever becomes inn
bued with progressive ideas, or eX-
presses n desire to promote the welfare
Of the South by other means than the
continuance OF Bourbon intolerance
and Bourbon rule. Is ruthlessly OK
PEELED, no matter what his rank or social
POSITION. .E ..... e... .H.4 go
1t Is just this Bourbonism that Sena-
Tor Malone and his party in Virginia
attacked In its citadel. II Is Bourbon-
ism that stands at bay to-day in the Sem
ate of the United States, obstructing
tho regular order OF proceedings and
delaying the public business for the
sake of putting down the only formida-
BILE insurrection that has ever arisen in
its own ranks. The Bourbon Senator'S
have 3 very clear comprehension of the
s.tnation and of the peril to their pow-
er that it involves. Up to the present
time they have had no difficulty in put:
ting down any symptom Of rising
against them. When an individual
protested against continuing the con-
troll of the politics of the Southern
States in the hands which had brought
so much mischief upon them, and were
working in the same direction with pur.
poses unchanged, they have either
of Georgia, virtually confesses that they
did him. by making it uncomfortable
and unsafe for him, or they have simply
labeled him as Republican, with the
implication of renegade and traitor
which they have contriyed that the
name shall carry-as in the case OF
his Influence. They have apparently
settled one thing. and that i that nc
man can as rule be safe in the pursuit
OF his business, or have any social, rec.
ognition, or stand as aireputable. citi.
ZEN, who is known as . Republican, OF
who votes the Republican ticket
In this state of affairs is there any
key required to the savage onslaught Of
the Bourbons upon Senator Malone,
who cannot be driven by threats mol
cajoled by promises; whose influence
cannot be wiped ont by putting the
Republican label on him, but who
makes his own fight on his own ground
and in his own effective ways? What
Mr.. Ben Hill started out to do At the
opening of this debate was to force Ma.
hone TO call himself a Republican. To
this purpose all The catechizing and
nagging and bullying. the slurs, hints
and insinuations of the Bourbon Sena-
tors have been directed. To bring this
about Senator Beck resorted to the
most unusual and indecent course ol
refusing to permit Democrat to make
pair with him unless he should con.
fess himself n Republican. When we
consider the treatment which Republi.
cans receive throughout the South, the
bitter hostility and the social ostracism
visited upon them, and the fate oi
prominent Southern men who have
Joined the Republican party, the ankle.
ty which these Bourbons manifest, and
the desperation with which they pursue
their purpose to compel Malone to cal
himself Republican, are easily under.
stood. Let him once say he is a Re.
publican, and proposes to act hereafter
upon all questions with the Republican
party, and their point would be gained
In their confidence that the Republican
party of itself. and in its own name, car
make no headway in dividing them, the
Southern Bourbons would yield the
moment that admission was secured,
and then stake all in their fight against
him upon an appeal to the rooted preju'
dice against the Republicans among the
citizens of the South.
Let there be no mistake about the
real meaning of this struggle. 1t is q
fight, so far as the South is concerned
between the Bourbons and the Anti.
Bourbons. The local issues in Yir.
ginia on which the latter party sent
AR. Malone to the Senate, sink into
insignificance beside the larger one
which the Bourbon demonstration has
forced into prominence. The party in
Virginia might well lay aside the name
of Readjusters, which has no meaning
outside the State, and adopt name
under which thousands of young men
throughout the South, imbued with the
spirit of progress and eager for the
rise OF new dispensation and q new
South. can rally-that of the Anil
Bourbon party. That name would de.
fine its purpose with clearness and
precision, at the same time that it re.
moved all ground of prejudice and
took ont Of the hands of the Bourbons
one OF their strongest weapons. The
uprising of such party, though it had
no sympathy or atliliation with Repub
ilcans, but aimed simply to promote
progress and prosperity in the South
by breaking the intolerant rule which
has SO long cursed that section. would
be hailed with Joy by all true friend:
of the South everywhere. And per
haps even Senators Brown and Hill
both of whom, if we rightly under
stand them, deprecate the continuance
of Solid South, but agree that the
Republicans of themselves can never
Aivtho ~ fho, 70 soi,