The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-02-20

the Union, and are willing to march un-
der the s.Star Spangled Banner n
even submit to the execrable music oil
yankee Doodle" But they are also
loyal to the memory of their dead COM
rades. whose bones still lie dumped into
the bitches at Point Lookout, Elmira,
Johnston's Island, Fort Delaware, and
elsewhere. where they were-starved!
poisoned !-shot!-hanged murder
editor the sake of the State, whose
troops are % known as the state
Guard"
One of u correspondents, whose
rank is above that of Captain, says he is
.struly loyal'' to the Guard, and 20 the
Democratic party. and tor that very
reason he will refuse TO haul of his
Grey uniform, and don the Blu
| He thinks the change will undermine,
and possibly break down, the orsanlza-
ton. Many old farmers and tax-pay-
ers already look upon the Guard" as
unnecessary-a Estate Army IN time
of Peace. They argue that the Sheriff,
and the local militia companies can al
ways preserve peace,-wlthout costing
the State 5000 a year in taxes.
Many intelligent Democrats fear the
matter will result in loss to the party
this fall. They know that North Caro-
lima, at heart, is not Democratic. The
State has always been nearly evenly d.
between Why's and Democrats. The
States Rightists' and "Federalists'
(or Republicans, were well balanced be-
fore the war; and that UaS before 3d.
600 neqroes were added to the Republican
side. 1t is true that fifty thousand old
Wings have been voting with the Dem
| ocrats since the war, and thus have usu
ally carried the State for the Southern
Rights ticket.
But anybody can see that the bonds
of unity, or cohesion have weakened,
year after year; and that this weaken
ing has been in direct proportion with
the lapse of Democracy from its
erect attitude as the Southern White
Mans Party New issues. Gree
leyism, Negro troops, Negro Magis-
trates, Negro Orators in Tucker Hall,
Prohibition, Tariff, Railroad Politics,
Wire-working, ETC., have broken down
the distinctive feeling between the two
parties, until already you can hear fire.
u%uently the remark by Democratic
Youths that 1.-The South was wrong
yankee Civilization is SUPERIOR
"War Records are played out, 1.-THE
Democracy is too Old Fogy for the
Times"-etc., etc.
What has been the result? Why. that
within seven years the Democratic ma
iority has dwindled from Is, 900 70 less
than IS votes, if we omit the Disgruntled
Republicans, in Guilford, Forsythe, ETC.,
who last year voted for Col. Bennett.
Next November the Republicans will
present a solid front: will the Democrats
continue to drop out of Ranks? That
brings up the previous question.
Many a young Democrat will cast his first
vote this fall. AS a child he was a true
Southerner, but as the years rolled by,
he witnessed the ''old flag" again popu-
lar; negro troops" marching in our
streets, State troops dropping the Grey
to don the blue; - Beast Butler treated
as a breakfast and yachting companion
and Yankee methods extolled as superior
In all respects to our own.
"Well'-he refects-"I'm sorry my
poor old father was starved and tortured
to death in the Yankee prison; but it
looks as if he fought on the wrong side.
If Yankee Civilization is superior to ours
now, it was also in 1861 aud if that be
true, then. the South was wrong and
if the Yankees were right, then the Re
publicans who control the North ale right,
and we have been foolish to follow the
Democratic old Fogies. Ten years age !
wouldn't have voted for Gen. Grant, but
now I'll pop in a ballot for hummer
Sherman"
We don't assert hat this will happen,
but the tendency is in that direction.
And while the misfortune which would
flow from a Democratic defeat may not
be SO apparent to Gen. Jones Whose card
in favor Of the LIBERAL Republican ticket
will be remembered, we feel that the
the matter is a serious one.
There are several negro companies in
ting state Guard let them wear the
blue"
1t is urged-as the main argument in
defence Of the tuIn-coat Order, that the
object is not to crafty the Yankees, but
simply to get all the troops uniformed
alike. This sounds strangely when you
reflect that a majority of the companies
already have handsome Grey uniforms,
and it would have been only reasonable
for the majority to rule, and decide the
color. But the point is a weak one,-
view it as you may. This idea of create
ing a fixed, CAST-IRON UNIFORMI-
TY, among purely ciul troops, is not at
all desirable. 1t may be gratifying to the
vanity of General officers, or His Excel
cellency,'" with glittering staff, and fut-
terlng plumes, to pompously prance ION
a livery-stable ''hoss"), at the head of a
long column of Blue-clad infantry urudg-
ing in the DUST dressed like Regulars .
and marching like clock-work, or some
other machine. But in a Republic, all
such Machines" are undesirable; and
the more msohineslike - army becomes,
the more dangerous It is. Anything
which tends to make the citizen or State
soldier forget that he is more of a citizen
than a soldier is to be regretted. Grant
made his "Blue-coats" eject the lawful
iy elected Legislature in several States
B%rownlows Blue coats cast eternal
shame on Tennessee. kirk's blue
clad' %cut-throats obeyed their master.
and forgot their duties to their fellow
citizens. They had become mere "sol-
diers,' who obey any order, right or
wrong.
We have no idea that the estate
Guard will, or could be used ip any such
way; but We feel sure also the Guards
would be as useful to the State while main
tanning their distinctive uniform, and local
names, as they will when frozen into
Blue automata, as ordered. Why did
the South whip the Yankees during the
two first years of the war? Because the
troops were still citizen-soldicrs, full of