Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-08
The Meaning of MahOneism.

The Meaning Of MahOneism.
In ''Off' years the mass OF the American
people, could they be interrOgated one by
one, would be found to be agreed In their
judgments as to the Just relations between
the Federal and State goyernnsass- :.
in the heat UI Presidential contests tnA1
party spirit runs highest, aud that party
lines. which would st other times vanish
into each other. Hre distinctly drawn BY the
marty leaders s1d organs. The American
neonle sre at hesrt Democratic, and, how
ever they may diiFer on questions Of detail,
they are united On essentials.
Sec.ioualism, the prime agency in the
stirring up OF strife, has been the bane Of
the republic for generations. 1t is the fell
spirit Of hatred that it evokes that smothers
conviction and las put the people Of the
South on tie defensive, and converted the
greater part Of the North from sensible
American citizens Into jsnizaries OF party
tyranny, ready TO applaud anything that the
leaders might decree.
Though the spirit OF seetionalism is yet
powerful for evil, with the flight Of years #
is fast losing its potency, aud in time, with
he close bands Of commerce and inter
course that are binding sll parts Of the
country together It must cease to be
power 10 further party ends.
The evidences Of its decay are many, but
the most striking proof IS found in the
efforts which the Radical leaders are max
ing to disrupt the sostYled "solid South. I"
| The support Of Malone in Virginia. and OF
every a. all promising fusion Of the discOn-
| tented elsewhere in the South, shows clearly
that they are fearful Of the future, and are
striving TO make up here for losses at the
North. Could they be brought to see to
what these new tactics are likely TO lesd,
they would pause ere they determined to
pursue them.
/ While the intelligence Of the country Is,
IN the main, conservative, the Radical party
has placed the ballot in the hands Of MI
lions Of literal tools, that can be handled
BY skillful demagogues for any purpose.
throughout the length and breadth Of the
North there are thousands of honest, hard
working citizens, who in times Of pros
/ psrity are satisfied, and wish for nothing
more thar plenty 81 work and good pay.
OF late years propsgands of destruction
hiss been preached among these, and the
] sole obstacle 10 their conversion
has been the return snd continuance OF
| prosperity. But IN the dark days Of ad-
ve-sity, which may be near at hand, these
men, wOntedly dOcile and eontented, would
require but leader, and that leader the
nucleus OF party around which to rally
them, and 81 sgeucy fAr more destructive
than secttOnalism with al the ills 1t hss
eutsled would be ready FOR its work.
! Despite The sse4dy discharge OF its obliga-
/ tons this country Yet owes enough to make
The shibboleth OF reputation alluring.
From the Potomac to the Rio Grande this
battle cry would rally cohorts that would
swell the army that the North would mus
ter.
Here IS the rev party, and the only new
] party that the future is likely 10 see. As
| sectional hste dies out the masses Of both
parties must draw nearer together. There
| is naught left for RadicSlism to do but to
/ efIaee the lines Of the States This it can
not do. Bsrefl Of sscdonalism Snd stripped
Of its eentralziag tendencies, Radi-
ealism becomes Democracy. 1t Is
in the power Of tie Republican press and
leaders 70 bring about an era Of harmony
and g0Od feeling. There should be no diff
ferences between tie people on the funda-
mental principles CT the government, and
t1ere really are none. The long sway Of
Democracy 50 moulded popular belief to
he creed Of its early eounseuors that
nSught else can permanently replace II.
While Democrats Ilsy differ from Republi-
cans on economic matters and other rela-
tons Of government and people, yet, as
Americans, they sre one.
Once before the Republican party had 8
choice between pes.e and war, prosperity
snd disaster. Il chose destruction and
called on tyranny n defend its blind folly.
I To-day Ii has the choice between the bar-
mOny aud well being Of the republic and
the encouragement Of energies Of destruc-
ton, the measure CT whose work cannot be
estimated. The spctheosis Of John Brown
was pregnant with prophecy Of waste and
wee. So, TOO, the endorsement OF Malone.