The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-01-31
The Cause in the South.
Reasons why Northern Republicans Have
Not sfnmped the Southern states.
TO the Editor of the Press:

TO the Editor Of the Press:
In your comments this morning upon the
resolution of the Republican Congressional
Committee to "carry the banner into ths
South" I do not notice any reference to the
reasons which have initiated against sach acs
tion in the past; and stranger to our politics
not familiar with tho history Of oil attempts 10
organize the Republican party in the So1th
might infer that the Republican leaders have
heretofore been ashamed to advocate their
principles south Of Mason and Dixon's line.
Such, of course, has not bean ihe case. But
the long line of political outrsses which have
resulted in stamping out all vsstigs of the Re-
publican party in most Of the Southern States,
and the recollection of the fate which, in the
ante bellur days, attended all strangers whs
dared to express an opinion at the South con-
trary to that maintained by the mass of Soath-
ern citizens, may well have deferred reasona-
bly, discreet men from persmbulating the
South, preaching the doctrines of = party
which prosecuted to a successful conclusion
the war which our Southern friends very nat
urally remember with emotions not at all akin
to satisfaction and delight,
presume there has never been a time since
the close of ths war until the present, when it
would have been safe, in very many parts of
the South, for Northern Republican to have
advocated opposition to the Democratic party,
With the freedom with which ex-Coniederate
SELLERS have denounced Republican principles
aad Republican leaders from hundred Dsme-
cratic rostrums in the North. And doubt il
the time has yet come.
1t is doubtless true that very great effort
would be made by the lesders of opinion In the
South to protect prominent Northern men
who might visit that section for that purpose.
They would dread the result upon Northern
sentiment, of the violent death of one of its
prominent citizens for political opinions sake
at the South. But this comparatively obscure
men al the South, through whose organizing
efforts alone the oratorical delive on th~
stump of Northern Republicans c9l pslSaSsus q,
of any practical political effect would fall to-
day, riddled by Southern Democratic bullets,
as they have fallen during these fifteen years
past whenever and wherever their efforts
threatened continued Democratic ascendsncy
in any particular State or in any particular le-
eality.
And, as these leaders of Southern Democrat
ic political opinion have utterly refused to sx-
tend their protection to these humble men in
the paAt, so the recent outrages at Coplsh and
Danville justify Us in the belief that scores
of Southern Republicans, who might by
Northern eloquenoe be stimulated into politi-
cal activity, will pay with their property and
their lives for attempting to exercise ths rights
guaranteed them by the law with the silent
acquiescence if not the hearty approval, and at
the instigation of the men who would mean
while pet and fete our visiting statesmen for
the moral effect of such hospitality upon the
North.
1 know that Just now it is not deemed coz
siderate or polite to refer to any topic which
may disturb the meditation of the Southsra
Democratic Lion The Southern Rspub-
lican Lamb is in his stomach, and ne
lies quiet for the purpose Of healthy diges-
ton. But so long as Southern Democratic
sentiments suppress all freedom OF political
speech and action among q third Of the popals-
tion of this country, 50 long there will be men
who will cry alodd and spare not until the
humblest Republican may work and vote for
the party of his choice in the Sonth with as
much safety as the most blatant Southern IN
reconstructed rebel can preach Democrats
doctrine at the North.
Nevertheless, approve Of the action Of
the congressional committee. Good will come
of it. The Southern leaders know that devc-
tion to freedom of political speech and action
is not lost in the North, and through fear Of
arousng it into indignant and utter repudis-
tion of their Northern eo-adiutors, will doubt
less see to it that no more outrsges are COM
mitted than are absolutely necessary to prevent
Republican success in any Southern State.
Meanwhile the blood SO shed will the more
fully emphasize the lasting demoralizing inhR-
enoe Of that institution, which, through the
Democratic party, sought to blot our country
from among the nations of the earth.
O.C,