New-York tribune., 1881-12-05
4 ruINc nE LIE PAST.

ginia election, anu the dlScusS'oH ol tiO 9""
iect by the Press of all sections OF the country
has served TO strongly confirm the opinion we
pyprpsSrd at the time the first news OF the ANU
Bourbon victory came that the result makes the
Solid South a thing of the past. For several
wears past the leaven of new ideas has been
ot work in all the Southern States. In Nu-
ginia it first takes the form OF IA vigorous po-
litical organization, and wins a decisive VIC
tory. That other States will follow III the
same path during the next three years we
cannot doubt. There is nothing frothy ant
transient about the new movement. IL Is
based Oh the slowly formed and firm ccnyic-
ton of thousands of intelligent people that the
time has come for the South to east OF the
old rcpressive shell of Bourbonism and put
itself in line with the progress Of the rest ot
the country. Regarding, therefore, the Solid
South as a political phenomenon which we
shall never see again, it is interestmgt to recall
the main facts Of its history.
In some Of the rebcllous States the recon-
struction acts of Congress were accepted by the
white population with sullen acquieSence; III
Others there was a year or two OF angry re-
slstance: but in the end the acts went into ef-
feet in all of them, and at the start produced
the results intended. Under the protection OF
National troops Republican Governments were
installed in all the eleven States that tried to
leave the Union The beginning OF the year
1870 found Republican Goyemor established
in every Southern capital from Richmond
to Austin; and in some States, ike South
Carolina, where there had been early
acceptance of reconstruction, "A second term OF
Republican administration was beginning.
The ex-rcbels, now become Democrats almost
IN a man. did not rest quiet under this cOnd-
tion of affairs. They formed the most power
fnl, widespread and effective political con-
spiracy known to history The Ku-Klux
KIau, as it was popularity called, spread with
marvellous rapidty until its organization en-
braccd almost every county III the South.
It's purpose was, by occasional MUIR
der and systematic brutality pcrpeuated IN
the night by bands of masked horsemen, to so
trrrify and subiugate the blacks as to Take
them abandon their newly acquired right OF
suffrage. In some counties scarcely a cOlOred
man escaped a visit and toggng from the
mysterious midnight riders. Many of the
white men. natives and Northern settlers who
were active rs Republicans in politics were
killed. and many more were forced to abandon
their homes, sacrifice their property and take
refuge in the North.
The United States Government attempted to
deal with this monstrous barbarism, and, under
Il special act of Congress- arrested number
of tLc Ku-Klux in South Carolina, tried them,
and sent them to the Albany Pententiary.
This action had the effect to break up the or
cauizotjon, but its members merely threw
away their hidcous masks and gowns, and car
ricd on openly their work of terrorizing the
Republican vote. In some quarters they formed
White League associations; in others, Red
Shirt clubs, or rifle companies. They refused
TO hire colored laborers who voted the Repub-
lican ticket or to associate or do business with
whitemen who declined to Join them iii their ef-
forts to crush out the Republican party. by such
methods and 10y the practice OF the most out
ragcous election frauds one State after another
was capttlred. All this time, however the
Southern politicians cared little for the Demo-
cratic marty as n National organization. Their
ONLY purpose was to get control OF their States,
nullifv negro suffrage and manage their local
nolitics without interference from the Federal
authority. 1t was not until 1876 that the
ambitious scheme of seizing the National Gov
crnment got into their heads No doubt it
was put there by the Northern Democratic
leaders, who told them that if they could
carry their section solid for Tilden his
election was certain. The success of the
shotgun campaign of 1875 in Mississippi
showed the feasibility of destroying the
Republican vote in whole counties by organ
ized and open violence and terrorism. How
near to winning the scheme of the Solid
South came in 1876 every one knows. Moth
ing hindered its full accomplishment save
the fact that three State Governments were still
held by the Republicans under the protection
of United States soldiers. Those Governments
rectified the returns and threw out the vote of
the bulldozed counties and precincts, and thus
produced a strained though just majority for
the Republican electors.
The adoption of the policy of non-interfer-
ence by President Grant in the last months of
| his administration, and the withdrawal of the
| troops by President Hayes in accordance with
that policy, enabled the Democrats to take
possession of the State Governments in South
| Carolina, Louisiana and Florida. Thus, in
| 1877, the whole South was in their possession.
| The scheme of 1876 was only postponed till
| 1880. 1t seemed certain of realization. Wher-
ever the Republican party showed signs OF
vitality and attempted to reassert itself it was
suppressed-in South Carolina by tissueiballots,
! in Alabama hv false counts. in Louisiana hl