Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-12-01
"BLOODY sHIRT.o

This repellant title forms one of the
most euphoniOus expressions for the
average Democratic newspaper, that
seeks in the absence of argument to
create prejudice against the people of
the north as ii they were full of malice
and thirsty for blood, when in reality
these hypocritical shriekers know that
their wild cries are to draw attention
from foul murders committed by Demo-
Gratis upon Republicans throughout the
south to further the political interests
of the Democratic party.
If objection be made to the slaughter
of helpless negroes to deter their race
from going to the polls, these murder
supporting sheets accuse those making
the protest as guilty of waving the
"blOOdy shirt" There must be silence
and acquiescence when human beings
are knitted and shot to death, for adverse
criticism means to them, the bloody
shirt" Nothing is palmer than "sOlid
south in the next Presidential canvas
maintained by the shotgun policy. The
south is as solid for the Democracy that
encourages them in butchering helpless
negroes as it was for slavery. and will
fight for the next Democratic candidate
with the same zeal it fought the bat
ties of rebellion. The battle will be
with the same men for the same princi-
pies as in 1861, the means of arbitration
being politics and the pen, with the un-
derstanding that where there is posi-
bility of negroes voting the Republican
ticket as in Virginia,a sufficient number,
Oh the eve Of the election must be killed
to keep the rest at home, as was done at
Danvllle in the November election, and
thus by intimidation and murder, give
clean sweep for the party that endorses
basest crimes as means of climbing in
to power. The Democratic party seeks
to stir up and embrOil the south and
have it arrayed against the north as de-
family, aggressively and uncomprOm-
isingly as ever. The south hates the
negro with deeper hatred and has for
him stronger contempt than when he
was their slave. 1t scOrns his assump-
tiOn of manhood, and before the ballot
box is armed, to threaten and Stay him
If he dare vote for the parry that gave
him liberty. The Democratic party
aggravates the south to hate and despise
the Republican party as it does the ne
gro. 1t sees In that party the liberator
Of its slaves, the cOnfscator of its prop
erty, the destroyer of its cherished insti-
buttons, and its conqueror in the battles
for the Union, the country. the crushing
of treason, and the freedom of man.
Wherever slave was owned there
is Democratic majority, not because
there ia majority of Democrats, but
because of Democratic methods. Were
the negroes permitted free ballot there
would no longer be "solId SOUTH" The
shotgun and bowie-knife are the effec-
tive workers of the Democratic party of
the south, they are the arguments used,
not to secure votes for the Democratic
party. but to prevent them beng cast
for the Republicans. AS ever, there is
arrayed against us solid south, which
is not met as in 1861, by a solid north.
but with thousands of war Democrats
who bravely fought secession, now fight
ing for what is misnamed Democracy"
The government property was seized in
1861 by Democracy. that fred our forts,
spiked our guns, crippled our shipping,
burned government store-houses. tore
down the stars and stripes, trampling
them and bidding defiance to the United
States. In DemOcracy's wicked, waste
full hands, the government was dis
graced by the rule or ruin" policy of
the party. 1t is to-day fighting for the
same principles of Lee and Jackson in
citizens dress. The people of the sonth
do not pretend to deny this. The Re-
publican party is committed to freedom,
it matters not for what party the negro
or any other man votes for, but he must
in everv part of this America have the
unquestioning right to vote as he
wishes, freely and unmolested. The Re-
publican party did not make the "bloody
shirt" but there is such thing and it
is fast cOlors, drove through and through
and clinched on the other side by thous-
ands of glittering southern bowie-knives,
and the Republican party will not have
done its mission until this bloody shirt"
10 q thing Of tho mast and ovory mon IN