Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-11-11
SECTIONALISE.

W llcII Vtl s0dtuitisL} We NttldISu tildI inc
Republican party made mistake in the
late campaign in basing its canvass for
Blaine and Logan on the tariff issue We
were perfectly certain of the soundness of
that view. Long prior to the nomination
being made this journal expressed itself
forcibly and frequently to the effect that
the time had not come for making tariff
questions national issues, and we do not
remember any serious protest was made
against the position. Webelieve that these
questions might be contested in Con-
gressional districts, for the present at
least, but that the true policy of the party
should be declaration in favor of perfect
political liberty, and against the solidity OF
the South as a menace to the perpetuity
of the Union. The result, as we demon
strated on Saturday, has proved that though
local interests should have divided South
ern States on the tariff question, neverthe-
less the South ignored it and stood to-
gether rs n section. Ifany doubt fingers in
any mind upon this question, perhaps the
following extract from the New Orleans
Times Democrat of October 26th may tend
to disabuse it. (The italics arc oIlrs)
With the expiration of another week we shall
be on the eve of the most important election
ever held in the country since that which
plunged us into war since IS6l 1t is the most
important because the issues involved are no
longer those of conflicting theories Of gore7pmeat,
the cold distractions Of political lhiosopty. Ques-
tons Of reconstruction Of national fndRcc-Hoae Of
The ordinary controversies Gr0irHg ont Of our de
teJopme1R compare in Importance to that which
is before the country to-day and upon the de-
termination of which the next four years of
destiny depend. The contest represented by
Mr.. Cleveland on the one hand and Mr. Blaine
upon the other is between the honest and the
dishonest, the good and the evil forces OF our
population.
As we said on Saturday. we repeat to-day,
the Southern States refuse to accept the
living issues of the present; they are united
for sectional reasons, and the accomplish
ment of purposes distinctly Southern.
The South maintains its sectional attitude
because it has hoped, through the apostacy
of two or three States from the Northern
section of the country, to regain its ascend
ancy in this nation" The reasons for this
action relate back to the issues of quar-
ter of a century" 1t may be that the fool
ish act in Georgia on Friday of last week is
net approved by the body of the best of
the South, but it remains true that on re-
ceipt Of news Of the claim of the election of
Cleveland, the rebel flag was hoisied over
the State House at Atlanta, " amidst the
gIce " of many Of the people 1t will not
be denied that If the Democracy is seated at
Washington, it Will be most largely con-
trolled by the section 10 which it will owe
It's restoration and lis continuancein power
Sectionalism should have been the main
issue in the campaign. The war against
sectionalism should have begun in the Ma
tional Convention, and never ceased until
the last ballot was voted on TUESDAY last,
and not then. 1t is simply impossible for
this Republic to endure, with one section
dominating, that makes that dominance the
sole aim of its Soidjty. We have fifth in
the conviction that the country will realize
the truth OF these remarks at an early day.
and arrive, with Us, AZ the conclusion that
the great labor deyolying upon lovers of
their country-the task standing foremost
before all others-is the destruction of sec
tionalism such as now solidifes one grand
division of the country, subordinates to it
all questions of national policy, and arrays
itself against the States north of a given
line