Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-11-10
SECTIONALIsM AND PARTYISM.

In THE great country and under our
free and benefcent institutions why
cannot we have harmonious and
happy people, accustomed TO speak IN
terms of respect and confidence of
each other in all sections of the coun-
try2 Why should such sectional and
partisan bitterness and malignity exist
as that manifested in our political dis
cussions and newspaper publications
Why should representative men be
tolerated in saying that anything, how
ever immoral or criminal, would be
justifable if necessary to keep political
opponents out of office? After the
war and the abolition of slavery, and
that, too, at the expense Of the South.
ern people, every dictate of propriety,
policy aud wisdom required that obll-
vion should be thrown over the un-
happy events of the war.
The lapse of time has been sufficient
to abate the passions and animosities
of the war, yet the radical clamor and
abuse of the Southern people, the ar
gument of the "bloody shirt" is as
rife and as vociferously proclaimed
now as it was the first year after the
war. If we cannot have n harmonious
Union if the Southern States cannot
be trusted as equals with the other
States in the Union according to the
Constitution, then the war was fail.
ure, a terrific failure, in which the loss
of life and treasure, the desolation and
destruction, the mourning, sorrow aud
suffering caused by it were all in vain.
Politicians and newspapers in the
Northern States have undertaken TO
show that there was not and could not
be homogeneity between the people of
the Northern and the Southern States ;
that the people of these several sec
tions we're so different in civilization
and habits that (to use the expression
of one of their radical organs) "they
were as wide apart as heaven is from
hell" Hence, according TO the radical
doctrine, a harmonious Union of
Northern and Southern States would
be impracticable. The land of Wash
iugton, and of Jefferson, and of Jack.
son, and of Clay not homogeneous
with the people of the Northern
States Whence and how came this ?
The people of the Northern aud South
ern States fought the battles of liberty
and independence side by side in the
war Of the Revolution. The Southern
and Northern soldiers fought letle by
side for the rights and honor q Athe
United States in every war uytil dis
cord was produced by the radical Re.
publicans. Want of homogeneity, in
deed The Northern and Southern
people speak the same language. are
educated in the same literature aud are
Of the same religious belief, and have
been extensively connected in business
and kindred by blood aud marriage
for more than century and half,
They formed the Union Of the States
together, aud lived happily and pros.
perously under it until the evil genius
of radical Republicanism entered this
Paradise of their liberties. When Sa-
tan entered the Garden Of Eden his
policy was to divide and conquer; and
such appears to be the policy and
spirit of radical Republicanism. Now,
what is radicalisml AZ applied to
religion and politics it means the doc.
trine Of the extremists, who carry out
or seek to carry out their dOgmas to
their ultimate consequences, without
deviation or modification, regardless of
the wrongs and human sufferings con.
sequent upon their dire result. In both
religion and politics all abstract doc
trines have to be modified in their
practical operations for adoption to
mans frail condition. In religion they
are qualified and tempered BY charity
and benevolent regard for the weak
ness and frailty of human nature. In
politics all civil government 10 its best
forms is but compromise, in which
man surrenders a part Of his rights
for the protection of the balance, and
in its wisest administration conserva-
tive measures and conservative views
are essential to accomplish the highest
aims of true craftsmanship, which has
always in view the happiness and well
fare Of the governed. But radicalism,
regardless Of the existing condition of
things and all charitable and humane
considerations, tramples down with
atrocity and violence existing institu-
ticns and attempts TO gain its ends
even through bloodshed and suffering.
In the nameof religion radicalisni has
stretched mau upon the rack Of tor.
ture and drenched the earth with the
blood Of humanity. In the name Of
liberty radicalism has, at different pc.
RODS Of the world, torn down the e.
sential safeguards of human happiness
and made countless millions mourn in
struggles to establish impracticabIe
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