American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-01-01
An Aggressive Programme Outlined.


Mr.. George S. Boutwell, energies inn
mediately after the election from his
hole in the sky to present in the North
american ReUieU a programme by which
the Republicans can make the best use
of their triumph. Mr.. Boutwell, claims
that the victory is due "in the largest
degree to the presence and active la
bors of General Grant, Senator Conk-
ling and their friends and supporters"
the faction to which he belongs himself.
In view of this he insists that the Re-
publican policy toward the South lin
its present political attitude must be
determined, bold and aggressive" This
truculent and -vindictive fanatic then
proceeds to unfold a new programme
of reconstruction in the South. Boldly
assuming that republican Government
does not exist in the South he proposes
to bring into exercise that clause of the
Constitution which provides that "the
United States shall guarantee to every
State in the Union a republican form of
Government, and shall protect each of
them against invasion" Mr.. Boutwell,
argues that with this provision of the
Constitution the Republican majority in
Congress can seize the Southern people
by the throat and put them once more
through the processes of reconstruction.
As first step in this - bold, deter
mined and aggressive" warfare upon
the States of the South our Massachu-
sets fanatic proposes that every South
ern member of Congress be turned out
of his seat who cannot make clear to
the majority that his record is net
"tainted with fraud or stained with
crime" By this method of inverting
laws of evidence, it will be necessary
al, Is
and brflldozing against a Southern men,
Der and put upon him the burden of
proving his innocence before tribunal
of partisan enemies. Mr.. Boutwell, ar
CUES that whenever the majority of the
Senate find that a State Legislature is
an unlawful assembly, then q person
claiming a seat in the Senate of the
United States by the vote of such an
assembly should be rejected. By the
same Boutwell, method it would be an
easy thing to declare invalid the Legis-
lature of every Southern State and re-
fuse its representatives admission to the
Senate. First, reject every Southern
representative against whose election
chcrges of fraud and bulldozing may be
brought. Second, declare the Legisla-
lures of the Southern States unlawful
assemblies on the same ground, and
finally, overthrow the Governments
of these States and put them under
the heel of the Republican party
on the plea that they are
not republican in fact, and that it is
the duty of Congress to guarantee to
each State a republican form of Gov
eminent
This Is the delightful political feast
to which General Malone and Senator
Brown, of Georgia, have been invited
with so many caresses and compliments
upon their wisdom and moderation
Let them contemplate the entertain
ment that is spread before them by
leader of that portion of the Republican
party that claims the largest share of
credit for the triumph of sectionalism
Let them and all conservatives consider
in the light of Boutwell, essay what is
III store for the country in the event of
the complete restoration of the .sbold,
determined and aggressive element TO
power in the Government. Mr.. Bout
well has been somewhat premature in
unfolding the stalwart programme of
policy toward the South in the midst
of the negotiations of the party leaders
to secure control of the organization of
the two houses of Congress through
Southern votes. His paper was evil
IDENTIFY sent to the press before
the returns were all in. In the
first flush of victory when the Re-
publ;cans claimed every thing, Bout
well saw in Imagination Republican
majorities in both houses of Congress,
and new visions of bayonet reconstruc-