National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-06-07
THE SOUTHERN SITUATION.
What a Young Georgian Has to Say on
the Subject.


| To the Editor of THE REPUBLICAN:
ApropoS to the successful revolt agains;
and the victory over Bourbonisrn in Virginia in
1879, and the encouraging condition of the Liberal
movement there at present, it will not be untimey
| for a native Southern Republican, the son of an
ex-confederate to give brief review of the po-
litical situation in the South, with few sugges-
tions as to what might be done by Republican
| journals toward creating more liberal political
| sentiment throughout the South and the planting
of Republican foothold among the white people
there There being at present no political excite
ment in which majority Of the Southern people
are Immediately concerned, reason can the more
freely enter into the formation of their judgments
on political questions To correctly understand the
relationship ofthe Southern people to the two great
parties will be necessary to refer to the late war
WHILE THE SOUTHERN LEADERS
very properly teach their followers that Republi-
| canism represents the principles for which the
Union soldiers fought, and that Democracy repre-
sents mainly the principles for which the eonfed-
crate soldiers fought, these leaders studiously
and persistently withhold from the masses the
! significant fact that the magnanimous Republican
North gives to the confederate soldiers all honor
| for their bravery, all sincerity of purpose and
everything that pertains TO heroic endeavor while
all that is asked in return IS that they practice
what is preached about the results OF the war IN
national Democratic platforms. The masses in
| the South, and particularly the yeomanry, have
never heard of RepublicaniSm, except through
channels which distort and poison every measure
that would elevate their political morality, power,
and freedom Because the bright sunlight of truth
is denied them is why Bourbon demagogues and
an unscrupulous press can lead them now in po-
litlcal warfare as they once did
IN ARMED REBELLION
against their and their country's true inter-
eStS. 1t Is but human nature that when eX-con-
federate soldiers appealed to for their votes by
their late leaders, with laudatory apprOva. of the
cause for which they fought, and glOrifying the
part they took in that cause, that the effect would
be to to arouse the feelings which actuated them
in battle. Thus, while the Southern leaders put on
a holy horror when Republicans appeal to the
Boys in Blue to defend with their ballots the prin-
c1ples for which they fought, these same dema-
gogues are trying to accomplish their ends by the
same means; They hold that the Republican ear
party wants to put the white man down and the
negro ON top, and that they can never regain their
rights until the principles which Lee and Jack
son fought, and which BOurboniSm represents, Iri-
umphs over the Republican party. That these
principles will never triumph, however, they are
about to realize.
NOW LET REPUBLICAN JOURNALS
devise some method by which those brave ex-con-
federate soldiers, who showed on many battle
fields that they could fight for principle as the
light was given them TO understand lt-let them
be reached by Republican journals and taught
that the Republican party and eX-Union soldiers
entertain for them only the kindlieSt of feelings
1t is to their interest TO aid in establishing in the
South sentiment which will not permit political
ostracizng to be persisted in, and prove to them,
which can be done, that their interests are best
Let this course be followed by Republican jour
mails, which can be done in strict conformity with
Stalwart Republicanism, and surprising results
will follow. YOUNG GEORGIAN.