The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-03-19
RepublIcanism in the south.

We quoted some days since 4 recent
remark of General Longstreet to the
effect that the Republican party could
never be permanently established IN the
South as long as the negro was its cor
ner-stone, and the white element prac-
tically ignored altogether. The New
York Times, in an editorial elaboration
of Longstreet's idea. has these sensible
words:
II seems to have been largely the notion
ofthose who have controlled the Federal serv-
ice in the South that a Republican party con-
ssiing almost wholly Of colored voters could
this was a mistake. 1t Is, rs we have always
| held. necessary that the negro should have
his rights in tee South as elsewhere. but 1t has
where has been practicable, to build mp . Re-
publican partly largely composed OF whites
This cannot be done, however, unless the Fed
many OF those heretofore appointed. They
should. of course. always be men who accept
absolutely in theory and practice the prfn-
they should be men Of high character, OF ac-
knowledged ability, identified in property and
business interests with the section for which
The Times might have strengthened
its argument by inquiring why it has
thus far been impracticable to build
up Republican party in the South
largely composed of whites?' The
character of Federal officials in that sec
ton has comparatively little to do with
this confessed failure. We must go
back to reconstruction to find the true
cause. The policy known by that name
was based on the assumption that the
blacks were the only portion of the pop
ulation whose loyalty could be depended
upon; that the whites, no matter what
they professed and promised. must
necessarily always be disloyal; and con-
sequently that political power must as
far as possible be confined to the blacks,
with the privilege of using it as they
pleased. regardless of the interests or
the rights of the whites. 1t is unneces-
sary to describe the result. Enough to
say that reconstruction rotted itself out,
by driving every respectable white citi-
zen into an opposition which was his
only means of self protection. The
Southern whites-who represented and
still represent the capital and business
enterprise-went over to the Democrat
ic party in q solid body, not so much be-
cause they were specially partial to it, a.
because the Republican party was sys-
tematically depressing and plundering
them. And they are Democrats to-day
because, although reconstruction has
rotted out, the Republican party de-
tends the iniquities of 1861, and, if
we may believe the declarations made
during the late campaign, will bring in
a second edition of them at the first
convenient opportunity. Southern Re-
publicanism will remain in the helpless
condition it now is until the Southern
whites are convinced, by acts as well as
words, that they have nothing to fear
from party from which they have suf-
fered SO much in the past. just so
long as the stalwarts are the dominant
Republican faction, just so long will the
dominant race in the South reject all
proposals for utilization with the Repub-
lican party.
The Times may see how little the
character of Federal officials has to do
with the status of its party in the South,
by referring to the case of Longstreet
himself. Here was Southern man of
unimpeachable public and private repu-
tation, Southern soldier, inferior only
to Lee and jackson in popular estima-
ton, branded IS traitor to his people
for no other reason than his conversion
to RepubIicanism. Men who would
have shared their last cent and their
last crust with him turned from him
with contempt and hatred the mo-
ment he identified himself with party
from which they had received nothing
but evil. and that continually. They
could not see how q Southerncr could
honestly and honorably act with those
who had inflicted upon the South
worse curse than unsuccessful war.
This feeling still exists. and naturally
prevents extensive imitation of Long
streets example. II Mr.. Garfield Is
disposed to adopt the suggestion of the
Times and bestow his Southern appoint
ments only on ''men of high character,
acknowledged ability. identified in
property and business interests with
their section where could he find
such? Not in the Republican ranks
certainly, and the stalwarts insist that
none but Republicans must hold Office
in the South. The fact is that Re-
publican Administration cannot possibly
Till Southern Offices with the right kind
of men until the Republican party
adopts such policy toward them as
will make it possible for the right kind
of men to accept Office under It. And
whenever such policy is adopted.
not as temporary expedient. but as .
permanency, the Republican party in
the South will have something to stand
upon and something to grow upon.
That to-day it should be composed of
nine parts blacks and one part whites,
the latter, with few exceptions, utterly
destitute of inHuence among the better
classes-is just what might have been
expected. Under similar provocation
it would be the same in the North.
Human nature is very much of piece
everywhere, and those who when smitten
on the one cheek turn the other to the
smiterar no more abundant in the North
than in the South. st. Louis Republican.