The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-03-09
WHO ARE THE 1sOURBoNs:

,nows was a needless, unwise thing. Il
PHoNo. ::
WHO ARE THE BOURBONs: t
AS used inzthe North, this word T
Bourbon" designates a class OF 6
white men composed chiefly of the
citizens of the Southern $
The Bourbons are the prin- Q
business men, lawyers, physi- s
teachers, clergymen, mer-t
and farmers of the South
They are everywhere the leaders OF
society in the best sense of the word.
They sustain the churches, and give
such efficiency to the moral activities
and discipline of the loyal communi-
ties as they have thus far attained.
Taken broadly or generally, the class
Includes the best people of the
South, or most of them. They are
Bourbons because in politics they
are Democrats and act in opposition
to the principles, policy or methods
of the Republican party, which has
administered the national Govern
ment since the time of our civil WI.
In the Southern States the term
Bourbon has no distinct significance.
1t is applied indiscriminately, by all
classes of politicians, to anybody |
who differs with them. 1t is there a
convenient t Tough empty epithet or
name of ~reproach. Every politician
insists that his party is tie party@
progress, of improvement, the repre- I
sentative and embodiment of the
only ideas by which society can ex-
list or civilization be maintained; and
he is, of course, entitled TO stigma
tie. his opponents as Bourbons.-
THE word is q sham or burlesque
weapon in the South, and is used
There by everybody in political VIA
CLING for call it is worth"
AS to the Southern men who com,
pose the class to which this name is
unusually applied in the North, lam
compelled to say that, aside from
political matters, they are much like
other people, or like the best people
in Northern communities. They do
not love what is wrong for its
sake, prefer falsehood, ~baseness, cru
city or injustice 10 the virtues and
good qualities which are elsewhere
revered by good men. They are ami
able, truthful, conscientious, kind,
PUBLIC spirited and religious, resem-
bling very closely the foremost men
in our New England towns in all the
important elements of personal char
scter; differing only, in general. in
being more communicative and hav-
ing less reserve than is usual among
New Engla-ders. As to their poli-
tical action, it seems to me to have
been for some years largely inevita-
bic; the necessary product and result
Of the peculiar conditions of life and
! society in the South since the civil
war. 1t does not appear to have
been owing to sheer depravity on
their part, nor to any choice or agen-
, cy of theirs, that there was for some
!, years a disturbed and unsettled state
, of things in the Southern States
Collisions between different classes
/ followed unavoidably upon the ele
y walton of the emancipated slaves in
! to political superiority " the dis
| franchised white citizens of the coun
try.
, There has never been any such
completeness of organization ampne
i the people of the South since The
q war, rs many persons believe to have
I existed there. That part of our coun
try is distinguished by much great
err feebleness of community aud {
less organic life than belongs Il
northern society; and the Bourbon:
are not responsible for everything
that has been done south of Mason
: and Dixon's line. 1 shall have NOR,
: to say hereafter of Southern politics
Here | wish only to place the so call
: ed Bourbon type as plainly as posi-
? bic before my readers. The mel
, thus designated are, as a class, emf
= nently social, h~ospitable, honest ant
= upright men. They have, in a large
: measure, built up and maintained
: such moral, social, industrial and re
ligious organization and activity a:
the South now possesses; and mucl
= of what's best and most encouraging
= IN the present state of things in thu
~ principal Southern States is due tt
> them and to their efforts for practi
. cal recognition in a time of extreme
difficulty and uncertainty, when their
{ resources were so discouragingly
). slender, and when they had no pre-
cedents to guide them except sucl
. as were furnished by the experience
{ of mankind in the long contest be
!, tween civilization and barbarism il
the past. I think they have mad,
{ mistakes and have done wrons
g things since the war. l am not Ger
II tain that we or anybody else wrul,
y have dong better than they.-Febru
l. arg AtaRtics
e The New York Herald, oil the Is
y says:
~ The Tsmmany Republicans coali
ton made noteworthy progress IL
. Albany Yesterday The R~epulAicaI
Clerk If the Senate flied up his roI
OF lsubordiuates with iainmany ap
pointments, just as the Republican
~ Clerk ofthe AS mbly lid last weel,
- The Senate rules tncn we've aItere
by a solid coalitiouist vote to enabI
- the Governors nominations to b
= CONFIRMED by Il majority of Il quorum
:, oTtic Senators. instead of the pre
se!itrrQii rrment OF a majority of ia