National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-01-25

SON.
The IrrcprcssiDlc Movement
1t would not be easy to name single |.
Southern State in which there is a re-
liably cohesive Bourbon majority
Throughout almost if not quite the entire
South consolidation ofthe anti Bourbon
elements would sweep that party from
power, and in q number of States bury
it under an overwhelming popular ma
jority.
Strong as the Solid South has seemed
to those who have looked only at the
surface, whose investigation has been
confined TO consolidated returns of So
called elections, its soldity has been
lacking in all the elements of enduring
strength. 1t was created and has been
maintained by methods which the best
men of the South have never approved.
A very large proportion of those who
have heretofore quietly acted with the
Bourbons have had no sympathy with
Bourbon ways, but have drifted with the
tide against their better impulses, alb
horring the brutality and contemning
the intolerance to which they seemed to
assent
AS in 1850 and 'G1 States were swept
into rebellion by few bold leaders
against the judgment and wishes Of ma
jorities so in these latter times the same
class of leaders have been able to con-
troll communities and States in which,
could n union of opposing elements have
been effected, there would have been an
honest acceptance of the results of the
war, Il fair chance for all citizens to en-
joy their political rights, and as an inev-
liable consequence the citadel of Bour-
bonism would have been razed, never to
rise again.
1t is impossible in this country, in our
day, for any party to long maintain as
cendancy if its policy will not stand the
test of candid avowal and free discussion.
A policy that is generally denied, or, if
confessed, is confessed resevedly and
apoogetically, has no cohesive quality.
The BOurbons got power and have held
it by practical annulment of the Fifteenth
Amendment. BY violence and by fraud
the great mass of the colored voters Of
the South have been denied or deprived
of voice in local government or the
National Legislature. This assertion is no
longer liable to be contradicted by any
prudent Bourbon. There are no events
of our history more clearly established
than the deeds of bloody violence and
political rascality by which minorities in
Southern States have dominated maiori-
ties. The Bourbon system, as n tempo
r0ry eXpedient, served the purposes of
those who devised and used it, but such
thing could not last for there was moth
ing in it that appealed TO manhood or
inspired enthusiasm. 1t antagoniaed the
progressive spirit of the age. 1t said to
the South: ave must shut out the light
of freedom; we must grope in the dark
ness Of barbarism we must be strangers
to progress"
The example of Virginia was all that
was needed to set in motion the influences
that must be fatal to Bourbonism every
where. AS the elements of opposition to
Bourbon rule were united in that State,
and, thus consolidated, were found sufli-
cient to control the election, so they will
be brought together in other States so
they are now coalescing in many States
and 50 they will continue to combine and
do the work that awaits such cOmbina-
tion until nothing is left of BourbOnism
brt ia had record snnrrogront memory
Tho brnoEing Of the hridgo of q violin
docs NOT morc snccdiry and onnctroIIy
LOT down tho tone of that instrument
thor tl,n croshino or tbc Rorrbor rrort
~ Wir,inio has snhduod Tho hnrohty In.
s",ont ,ano or tLat nart,, H.. nh no Stotns
,yhore Il has held swoy When men
Frht for a GOOD cause wien tbcv rcoI that
tbo svn,notbies or Good mon oyoryyLoro
orc Win them. when thev oro snrc That
fbev are riobt, n defeat only intonsifies
tbcirzeol But the first great defeat Of rsnch
system as tbat ON Which tbe soliditv Of