Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-12-27
POLITICAL PASSION.
Strange Changes in the Political Feeling. as
Experienced by Southern Editor.

Special to the Commercial Gazette.
Mr.. j g. Fowler, editor of the Bris-
toll (Tenn.) News, was grossly insulted
lately by the intolerant Bourbons of his
section, on account of his bold express
sions of friendship for Malone and the
Readjuster cause. The persecution was
malignant and persistent that the report
started that MIR. Fowler had made up his
mind to emigrate to escape it. The free
circulation OF this report called from the
gentleman a sharp letter, of which the
following is an extract:
Sin the twenty-three years I have
lived in this country, have witnessed
often the compensating swing of that
public pendulum which b.ats and meas
ures the struggle between thought and
passion, vice and virtue, have lived
to see slavery declared to be OF divine
origin and a blessing to mankind, aud
then, before the expiration of single
Senatorial term, the same people de-
clare it had been a curse to our country
and they would not see it re-established
If they could. l have lived to see Abra-
ham Lincoln, when dead, mourned as
great, good and generous by the same
people who, four years previous, had de-
nounced him as chimpanzee and an
! idiot. | have lived to see Andrew john
son run out OF Tennessee, pressed and
pursued with weapons, and then well
coined back as the deliverer of the
same people. have lived to see the
same people who applauded the pulling
of his nose and the slapping Of his face
in Bristol. in 1861, whoop and hurrah
for him as an incorruptible President in
1865.
81 have lived to see Benjamin F. But
Ter crowned with the GoxernorshiD OF
one of the greatest States that fought
the long battle of American Indepen-
dence, by the party Il section of which
had previously outlawed him as a spoon
thief, degrader of women and an en-
envy OF mau. have lived 70 see nor-
ace Greeley denounced as the original
or and develo per of National seditiOn,
and as the author OF every Southern
misfortune and sorrow, and then
quickly proposed aud pushed for the
Hottest pedestal of honor aud power by
one and the sane Southern people.
have IiVed to see John Z. Massey
proposed and voted for as the repre-
sentative OF Virginia in the American
Congress by the same party and people
who, little more than a year previous,
had denounced him as the embodiment
of all that dishonOr could mean or deg
radiation imply. 1 have lived to see
Hunnicut, like Massey, stoned and
/ egged in Richmond, and then voted for
by the same people TO represent them
and their proud city in the Congress OF
the United States, and afterWard i've
respecJ ed and die regretted on Virginia
soil. have lived TO see Robert W,
Hughes hooted by a state-line mob
wien he attempted to present his views
as candidate for Congress, and then,
by the same people, pronounced a hui
name and model Federal Judge. |
have been, and am now, engaged in a
movement which some persons seem
unequal to the task OF comprehending
or approaching. 1 have Deileyed thaE
Liberalism and National free su1fIag e,
free education, Iree thought and 1ree
speech restored, State sovereignty and
the resumption Oh protection by Virginia
to ali her weak and unfortunate chill
dren, were worth u struggle, and Would
command Tie respect 0L maaAihu.
beEsYe that struggle camiot fail.
know that pubic opinion viii, il The
end, always be Just.