The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-01-11
The Bourbons Warned.

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There are many signs of the disinte-
grafton of the Bourbon Democratic party
IN the South. II there were no other in
dications Of an approaching change the
constant and querulous protestations on
the part of the Bourbon newspapers
would be sufficient. This Is q case in
which. the Bourbon doth protest too
much. Now and then, as If resolved TO
give timely warning. newspaper speaks
out, and while lamenting the folly of
making any attempt to liberalize public
sentiment in the Southern States, pro-
ceeds to demonstrate the impossibility of
doing anything to change the existing
class is the Augusta (Ga-) Chronicle and
Constitutiondlist, which lately sounded q
note Of alarm in an editorial article
headed "The Coming Storm" This
journal thinks that there Is q political
disturbance ahead, but that it win not
be much of q storm unless the Democra-
cy should happen to prove itself .' an
asylum Tor blundering, an event which,
we must admit, is by no means improb-
able. The Republican party has SO often
been saved from disaster by the unac-
countable stupidity Of the Democratic
managers that even the slender hope Of
the Bourbon sentinel on the wall seems
misplaced.
The editorial utterance above referred
to, with variously mixed metaphors and
allusions to a. the velvet glove and the
hand of mall" 'the tigers claws and
the plush of rhetoric, and 1.-The usu-
fruct of individual rogues," may be
summed up as followse The writer sees
in every Southern State preparations to
organize an anti-Bourbon party; the
tariff discussion is being used as wedge
to split the Democracy In twain; the Re
Publicans in Congress win try to corrupt
the South WIN lavish appropriations; and
a general onset win be made, all along
South. This programme, it is finally
concluded, will fail miserably, unless, as
previously said, the Democratic party
blunders in its defense. Obviously, the
! Chronicle is not one of those watchmen
upon the walls who cry s.All's wellr'
when She enemy is at the gates. This
yigilant sentinel viii not permit the
gorged and self-confident Bourbon De-
mocracy to be lulled with false notions
of security. This time, the danger is
real and imminent.
To read an editorial article like that
to which we have referred is to gain an
impression that civil, religious and po-
litical liberty in the South is in danger
of being overthrown by the disruption
or defeat of the party now in power.
1t is part of the religion of the Bour-
bon Democrats, apparently, to be ever
lastingly haranguing about ss the South"
as an independent factor in all National
problems in politics and economy. The
geographical distinction is maintained
by these pestiferous politicians as rigidly
as it was when there was peculiar in
stitution for the South to defend. 1t is
necessary to feel, or to affect to feel. a
devotion to % the South, ;" as section of
the country, more passionate than that
which the most ardent patriot of any
race feels for his native land. Amy COM
ment on this unnatural and sectional
| jealousy is resented as an invasion of
" Southern rights" and any domestic
movement to disturb the existing order
of things is denounced as reasonable
and revolutionary. 1t is difficult for
cool-headed and temperate men to un-
derstand why there should be so much
fury about so small matter as a change
in the balance of political power any
where.
For example, the Chronicle, after say
ing that there are preparations in Georgia
for the organization of party which
shall unite Democratic minority with
the solid negro vote, says: s' This prom
ises to demoralize business and cause
bloodshed." That is to say. if there is
an attempt to build up party which
shall become a majority party by the
sheer weight of numbers, comprising the
negro voters and white contingent,
there will be a violent revolution. Busi-
ness will be disturbed and blood will be
shed. Who is to shed blood and para
lyze the industry of the region, in case
the Bourbon Democracy are assailed by
the peaceful weapon of the ballot-boxP
Is not this free country, in which men
may divide on political lines without be-
ing threatened with violence and blood?
The more practical observations made
by the Bourbon alarmists are those
which seem to disclose the weakness of
their defense. 1t is assumed that there
is danger that the tariff question will di-
vide the psrty. Therefore, it is solemn
ly enjoined upon all true Democrats to
avoid the tariff question as if it were a
lighted bomb. Its also alleged that the
Democrats, while in power in Con-
gress, ..got the reputation of being
stingy." The people, it is declared, did
enormous. II the Democrats were
voted stingy in the last two Congresses,
we should be sorry to be obliged to wit
ness what they would call extravaganza.
But now, say the alarmists, the Repub-
icans promise liberal appropriations for
the South, and then "they may secure
popularity in unexpected and unfamiliar
quarters Finally, however, all will be
well if :" the Democracy of the South
will wake up and realize that it is now
"to be confronted with peril and temp
tation." There is a strain of lamenta-
ton through all this fustian and rhetoric.
There is q well-grounded apprehension
that the Bourbon Democratic party is
falling apart by its own weight. With
mortal terror the sentinel cries out that
new party is coming Ito kill oppo-
sition and intrench itself in authority
with unbridled license. IN Y. Times.
@. The facts published the other
day about the frauds in the last Missis-
sippi election are not disputed by any
body. The Democratic editors unani-
mously ignore them, which is more
discreet and honest course than their
former one of denouncing all such rev.
elations as g Radical Hes, The Mem
phis AudIanche, an independent Demo-
cratic paper, which keeps a close eye on
Mississippi politics, says: " There never
was more fraudulent election than the
Mississippi election, and the State is
filled and ruled by office-stealers, and
everybody knows it. Such thing as a
fair election is unknown in that State"
This is notorious fact. Yet Senator
Lamar expects to be reelected to the
Senate by these "ofice-stealers," and