Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-09-05
The Truth UnWittingIy.

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"Why, since Maine was a State, never
from that hour to this in the sixty-twO
years that have interviewed has the feel
ing between the North and the South
been as cordial and fraternal as it is to-
night"
The above truthful remarks were ut
tered by Mr.. James G. Blaine at the
close of his great "effort" at Portland
few nights ago. He had lauded the
Republican party and abused its oppo-
nents to the best of his ability, with the
hope of saving his machine, which is
badly out of repair and threatens to go
to pieces. He avowed that the Demo
cratic party since the Republicans rose
to power had done nothing, nor offered
anything to right human wrong or pro-
mote the public good. HIS closing re-
marks, above quoted, however, completely
falsify this glittering assertion, for. as he
well knows, in the pacification of the sec
lions the Democratic party had the
largest share, and whatever assistance
was rendered by Republicans was given
against the will of the party and to the
displeasure of its leaders, foremost
among whom was Mr.. Blaine himself.
In what respect carpetbagism and
bayonet rule continued down to the
fraudulent installation of Hayes tended
to reconcile the sections the world has
vet to discover. The departure from
the Grant-Sheridan regime was forced
upon Hayes by Southern leaders, who
plainly assured him that the bayonet
must be sheathed. 1t is needless to speak
of the motives that impelled Hayes to
agree to place it in its scabbard. he
agreed that the South should enjoy
local self government, and the very
first act of Mr.. James G. Blaine when
he reached the Senate was to denounce
the administration for this very act and
malign the South. So convinced was he
that the conflict was ''irrepressible" that
he himself coined the term ''stalwart, "
which then meant hater of peace, but
has now come to mean foe to Blaine.
The Republican party has done moth
ing to tranquilize the country. Its
motto from it's birth has been revolution
and turmoil, whatever the cost, and it is
primarily responsible for the ''irrepres-
sible conflict" which brought on the war,
with all the woe and destruction thereby
involved 1t set back this section twenty
years in growth and prosperity, and it
would have even changed the character
of our Federal system itself had it not
been fought so resolutely by the men
who revered the teachings of the found
ers of the republic. The Democratic
party could not prevent the rise of Radi-
calism, but it has lived to see it brought
to open robbery to prolOng its existence.
The fact that the country is tranquil,
and that the sections are more in &C
cord than for years past simply
proves that Radlcalism has failed
or despaired of its final purpose. 1t has
done all the mischief in the way of re
volution that was in its power, and lives
now only upon the plumber that it is en-
abled to secure from Federal officials
and its own corrupt leaders. 1t has de-
ceived the people often, but they have
at length taken the measure of its coffin,
and its obsequies will not be long de-
layed.
Radicalism was the embodiment of an
idea, and became a destructive force. 1t
succeeded for a season in reducing COM
monwealths to satrapies, but when 1t
sought to set up an irresponsible central
ism in place of the system Of govern
ment that has commanded the admira-
ton of all the peoples of the world, it
met with a stern rebuke. In that effort
it overreached itself, and, though it I'm
gers yet, it dealt itself mortal hurt. 1t
will die hard. but die it must, for it
is past all cure. When it shall
have been consigned to the oblivion its
excuses have merited the harmony OF
the sections will be complete and the
country will again enjoy the boon of old
fashioned honest government.