Morning journal and courier., 1881-04-08
Friday Morning, April s, 1881.
TEE soUTHERN INDEPENDENTs.

In connection with the report which comes
 from Washington that there is promise of a
 general and organized movement of the Inde-
 coming summer and autumn, some forcible
 and pointed remarks by the Vicksburg (Miss. )
 HerdJd are interesting and significant. The
 Herald reminds its readers that in 1860 man
 who favored the nomination of Stephen A.
 Douglass to the Presidency was bounded down
 as 8 traitor to the South. The few who
 voted for him in Mississippi were barely tol-
 erated. The blundering politicians and the
 short-sighted newspapers could find no epi-
 thets sufficiently strong to expreFs their po-
 itieal contempt for the men who dared to
 support for President the Little Giant of the Democratic party. The party lash was used without mercy, the Charleston Convention was split, war ensued, and the present gen. eration will hardly recover from it's effects.
 That is the price it cost the whole people of the South, whether they were in favor of splitting that Democratic party to please ex- treme Democrats or not. No matter how well satisfied the great majority would have been to see MT. Douglass President, they
 were whipped in, and compelled to share the terrible sacrifice.
 The HeroId alludes to these things only to
 point out certainlpoitical similarities between 1860 and 1881. It says: We have to-day
 the high priests of Democracy, who lash
 without mercy and excommunieate if provin-
 cialism is not placed above nationalism, and
 extreme policies and methods are not advo-
 cated as wise and just The men in 1860 who
 said it was wise and conservative to follow
 the extreme Democrats and secuted the idea
 of danger, promising that not enough blood
 would be split to stain pocket handkerchief, are closely initiated by the Bour- boqs of the present day. The extrem- ists tell us that it is necessary to array the Solid South against the Solid North, and that it is sound, wise policy to pretend that the constitutional amendments are freely accept ed and lived up to in every portion of the South. But it is for the young men to do their own thinking and acting. It is for them to say whether they will take the advice of those who temporize and pretend to do things, and who will not tolerate free speech, free thought, and fair ballot. It is for the young men to say what the future of the South shall be. If they wish section arrayed against section, and eternal irritation to exist, they have only to follow the lead of the extremists and cover like CUTS when some old Bourbon calls them q Radical or hints they are traitors to the South. If the young men wish to make the best of what the blunders of the Bourbons of 1860 left them, they have only to do their full duty toward themselves and all other cit izens without regard to the past. They have only to adopt a just, permanent policy of toleration, full protection of all in their rights. Instead of arraying race against race, or section against section, they should do just the opposite. The way to begin to do this is to inform the extreme leaders that they will not follow them, and that they may read out, excommunicate or do what they like.
 This is first rate advice and timely also, for the situation is very favorable for success ful independent movement in the southern States. The best men in the South are sick of Bourbon ideas and Bourbon management, and ready for something better. They see that the best interests of the South demand a different policy from that which has been pursued. The change must come sooner or later, and the voters of the South will show wisdom in not delaying it.