Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-02-10

Garfleld's Course Towards the South.
The probable course which General
Garfield viii pursue, as President OF the
United States, towards the South has
long been a subject of much speculation.
Ever since his election it has been freely
reported that he would, in The main, be
governed in his administration by
motives of patriotism: that he would en-
deavor to destroy sectionalism, and that,
to accomplish this end, and at the same
time build up the Republican party in
the South, he would be extremely liberal
towards this section. 1t seems, however,
that this mooted question has at last
been settled; that Garfield has committed
himself to stalwartism, and that he will
be a sectional and partisan President.
We are justified in arriving at this con-
clusion from the report of the result Of
the recent visit Of the Conkling delega-
ton to Mentor, which was published in
the News of Tuesday last
The determination of the President
elect is not to be wondered at. True, no
President was ever offered more bril-
liant opportunity to make an enviable
reputation for patriotism. and leave the
heritage of a good name to his children,
than will be afforded him. Radicalism
is obnoxious to the great masses OF the
Southern people-and is therefore con-
fined within sectional limits-because
heretofore the aims of the Radical party
have been to humiliate and degrade the
whites of the South, destroy society and
mongrelize and ruin our people, and TO
accomplish this, that party has relied for
strength on thieving carpet baggers from
the North, and the very worst element
Of both races in the South. Hence Rad
icalism has been made odious amongst
US, and it has become to be regarded as
traItorous to our section for a Southern
man to affiliate with what are acknowl-
edged to be our worst enemies. This is
why the South is solidlY Democratic.
The result of the recent Presidential
election, however, has left the Southern
people in frame of mind in which
the odium attached to the Republican
party might readily be removed. The
treacherY Of certain Democratic leaders
in the North. which defeated Hancock
and turned the country once more over
to the tender mercies of the Radical
party, taught US that some of the most
powerful Of our so-called Northern
Democratic friends are ready to aban-
don their principles at any moment, If
by doing so they can advance their own
selfish and political ends. Thus. while the
South still Iemains-as she ever will re-
main-true to the grand principles of the
Democratic party, she feels that as far
as her personal interests are concerned,
she cannot rely upon her Northern allies,
and that she has little to hope for
from either political party as at
present constituted. Were Mr.. Garfield
to take advantage Of this condition Of
affairs, and pursue liberal, enlightened
and wise policy towards the South,
while he could not convert this section
to Republicanism, he would undoubted-
ly remove from his party much of the
odium and disgust which now are at
tsched thereto, and would take decided
step onward towards discriminating
politics, and making himself recognized
throughout the land as the President
of the whole country.
But great as is his opportunity for
making for himself so enviable a reputa
ton, Mr. Garfield will not avail himself
of it, because he cannot He is a Re
publican, thoroughly and wholly identi-
fed with his party, and the great object
OF his administration will be, as has been
the case with his predecessors, to make
party supremacy superior to public veal.
To desectionalize the Republican party
means to destroy that party. 1t
was born in sectionalism, nurtured
in discord, and hate and
venom are its natural food. To make it
a national party, therefore, would be to
deprive it of its natural subsistence, and
it would die This Mr. Garfield well
knows, and it is matter of no wonder
that he has announced his intention TO
make his administration thoroughly radi-
cal in its character The South has no
right to expect anything else, and the
only course for the Southern people to
adopt is that which we have so often re.
commended-while remaining steadfast
to their principles, develop their
material resources, accumulate money,
and keep it among themselves. With
wealth, and, unfortunately, with wealth
alone in this country, will come political
power