The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-10-28
The southern polltlcn, situation.

Inc DloOuy slllL nttS not Decn swung
10 any extent north OF Mason and Dixon's
line in the campaign this year. In fact,
rs the saying goes, it has been conspicuous
by its absence from tho political arena
This has been interpreted as evidence OF
tile fact that We arc not only getting fur,h.
or and further from tue war, but also rs
evidence Of the existence OF better feel.
ing North and South. No doubt there is
II better feeling than there was some years
ago; it would be deplorable, indeed, il
some progress had not been made in this
direction; but that there is such feeling
MS many suppose, and still greater mum.
Der desire; that is, that tho embers OF hate
and luminosity have died out, cannot DO
assumed in view Of recent legislation in
South Carolina providing for a multiplied.
ty OF Dallot-boxes) or from, the comments
OF the Vicksburs Herald Dem on the out.
ragcous denial of free speech to such re.
spected and prominent native born citi-
zen Of Mississippi as Col. Alcorn.
As throwing considerable light on the
present political situation in the South we
would call attention to the following views
expressed day or two ago at Cincinnati
by Col. ~. NJ. Swope, Of Kentucky, q ci,i.
zen Of high respect and prominence in that
State. In speaking Of tho negro Question
in Kentucky and III the South generally,
he said:
The negro question is the second great
difficulty in the way Of Republican success
in the ex.sluve States. The man who thinks
this is d dead issue in these States doesn't
know the temper Of the people and the
motives that control them. Ii. the negro
question did not originally make the Dem.
Ucratic party, one thing is certain, it holds
the purity together to-day in the entire
South. You may not" continued the
Colonel, Sind it 50 fully set forth in Dem.
ocrltic platforms, State and National, but
the creed Of the average Democrat ia about
this: we believe in The sovereignty OF the
States US taught in the memorable resolu..
lions Of lbs; in tho divine origin ofslayery,
and our constitutional right to maintain
the same; that secession WIS u consti.u.
tional measure, and that the slppres,o
OF the rebellion and tho freedom OF our
slaves were but robbery and murder com.
mitted on our people We do not believe
in negro citizenship, sntlrsge, or civil rights,
and 10 this end we fought the thirteenth,
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments, and
We now hate tho Republican party because
they freed our negroes, made them better
than white man, and refused TO pay us
for them" ~. T..
''Do you sincerely think, Colonel, that
these Southern people expect payment for
their slaves ?"
"No, they do moi; but they are mad be.
cause payment never was made, and they
hate the party that has declined TO make
ii. Tariff, finance, taxation, &c., may do
for blinds and side issues, but the negro
question il the one great question with the
average Southern Democrat. When
father has son 81 years old, ready to cast
his first vote, the old man doesn't discuss
tarili, taxation, &c, to make q Democrat
ont Of his son. lilo simply says: My son,
We must stand solid and vote against the
negroes and Radicals. That's all that's
necessary There is nothing in the cur:
rent politics Of the day to make the solid
lis there much Of the Old Whiy element
leftiu Kentucky? ?" 5lsss., !,
In spirit YES: have known thousands
tho s,o,c who onon men mere IN
tho Democratic party, md who feel n, heart I
that the Republican party has been right
on ny inc great questions for tue past quar-
loss Of husinas: iosS ~ o'se Ing
ostracism would be visited on them Il thew
joined tho negro equality party and hence
.hey are deferred i
lt,stn's coha'.'on o. paolic opinioni in the
soa.'' .aae .l"aone ',nu ms ,c,lo"efs are