National Republican., 1883-11-20
The Issues OF 1881.

lnOsc GepuDllCHnS VINO were wondering n
few weeks ago upon what issues the presi-
Dental battle of 1884 would be fought had
forgotten tho shrewd saying of Gen. Grant
that tho democratic party could always bo
relied on for its periodical blunder, out of
which issues would come. The American
people were drifting along pleasantly enough
attending to their business affairs, and
occasionally listening TO tho shrll democratic
cry of turn the rascals out" alternating
with the feeble wall of some of the
frightened republicans, promising to reform
something or othor if they could only dis
cover what needed IL, when crack went the
democratic pistols in Virginia, aud the south,
again made solid by violence, gave proof to
the world that the irrepressible conflict be-
tween freedom and caste was as far from set
tlement as ever. The slavery rebellion led to
constitutional freedom, both civil and
political. Three times have tho pso.
pie of the United States amended
the constitution to make this secure. There
is no law in any state in this union for white
man which is not equally for the black There
can be no such law Such an enactment
would die in being born, for the constitution
of the United States, which is the supreme
law of the land, will not permit such thing
to exist And yet recent events have clearly
shown that powerful, unscrupulous, and
lawless faction exists In this coun-
try, governed by hatred of race
and by lust for power which SCOTS at ma
jorities-which tramplos upon the constitu-
tion and frantically declares that this is "a
white mans government" At tho mass
meeting held in Richmond on the thirteenth
instant to rejoice over tho bloody victory of
this faction one of the speakers is reported in
in the Dispatch, of that city, as follows:
But now a new issue has arisen in southern pol
itics-an issue which appealed with equal force to
the disciples of Calhoun or the followers of
Webster-an issue which can perhaps be most
forcibly expressed in the language Of that emf
nent statesman of Illinois, the Into Stephen A.
Douglas, " That this Is II white mans government
made by white men, for white men and their
posterlty forever"
1t was this feeling of nature this inherited
pride of race, this tradition of the Anglo. Saxon
emblazoned all along the centuries of blood,
which have marked his struggle for supremacy
and empire In the Kingdoms of the world this
heirship and kingship of the ages, which have
been acknowledged to him as of right by all the
civilized people of the earthj that inspired the old
whig and the old democrat. the old men and the
young mon, the war men and the peace men, the
veteran of an hundred battles and the recruit to
unite together as one man for the preservation to
themselves and the perpeluatlon to their posterty
the civilization and supremacy of the Anglo-SaXon
race upon American soil, in spite of statutes and
constitutions, dungeons aud chains, or prlncpali-
ties and powers. [Applausel
Let no man mistake the hot determination
of the people who applaud such utterances rs
these. Let no dull optimist imagine that
the man-hunt in tho south will give way to
respect for mems rights. Statutes and con-
stitutions are but as tow in the flro of such a
rage us that which just now consumed tho
popular will in Virginia, and remanded n
race to political slavery Tho thirst for
power and the hatred of all impediments to
it supplement their own fcrocity with a
general use of arms and a disregard
for life Which few understand who
have not seen it. The idea of peaceful re-
sistanco to such n power by arguments and
votes is to the bourbons comedy but to the
victims of their violence fearful tragedy.
TO prevent tho invasion Of tho north by this
deadly enemy of republican government is
| a., 4.
people arc becoming thoroughly aroused.
The nation will not permit political faction
to obtain power at Washington by forciblc
suppression of the votes of tho nations friends
at the south. To this complexion has il again
come at last. The nation has been outraged,
insulted and dofcd in the persons of its
citizens in Virginia, as had been the case be-
fore in other states. Matthews, whose MUIR
der in Mississippi on election day was tho
logical sequence of party resolve, was a
United States deputy collector, and his
ofenso was tho exercise of citi-
zens political rights. At Danvlllo
tho United States revenue collector has
uocllCu ~ pIuuSnJ 10 hCSp ullns0lI AZ nome
lest similar fate might befall him. Tho main
issue of 1884 will be whether the consttu.
tional rights of citizens shall be overborne by
party hate, and whether the south, linked to
the few northern states required to make VI
forty eight electoral votes, shall complete the
overthrow of republican liberty and equality
To avoid this direct issue as much as posi-.
BILE there seems to be a growing inclination
among tho democratic southern leaders tC
give battle to the republican party on the
tariff question, with "a tariff for revenue
only" as tho shibboleth. This will be wei
coined. Then we shall see the democrati,
party trampling out majorities in tn,
south under the hoofs of the night.
riders horses, while in tho north they
will be engaged in attempting the debase,
ment of the laboring people by destroying
the tariff which protects American labor
Everywhere the republican party is the
friend of the people, If it has sometimes
thought its work accomplished aud allowed