Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-05
The RepubIicans and the South.

The Republicans have actually had the
audacity to establish a Southern branch
of their National Committees headquar-
tiers at Nashville, and have issued a circu-
lar in which they pretend to give reasons
''why Southern men should abandon
Democratic BOurbOnism and free trade"
and in which Blaine is held up as the
friend Of the South and the representative
Of true Americanism.
The circular is an ingenious appeal to
cupidItY and aYarice. The rObber tariff
is held up as that which viii develop and
] build up an unprecedented era Of indus
trial prosperity in the South. The address
advises against political consolidation,
and concludes by saying: ''Wn the
South continue TO offer TO Northern reac-
tionists, theorists and ineapables the hope
Of gaining, through her solid vote, the
power to make Americans the subjects Of
England under free trade, or will the
South that is soon to show her power and
glory and promise in a great worlds
fair make its teachings her politcs?"
1t is but Just to say that the document
is a very straightforward and candid one
from a Republican point Of view, and its
very candor is what viii cause it TO fail
to win over any appreciate number Of
the few thousand Southerners who ac-
tually believe that Southern prosperity
viii be FASTENED by a continuation Of the
present high tariff schedule. 1t makes
no apology for the war the Republican
party has waged for the last twenty years
on the wealth, Responsibility and virtue
Of the South. 1t does not regret that
hordes Of carpet-baggers were sent to
harrass the South. and that they, together
with few natives, aided by an ignorant
negro vote and Federal bayonets, were sus-
tanned and cOuntenanced by the RepuSli.
can party in every scheme they put on
foot 10 humiliate, impoverish and rob the
South.
The address is simply the drgtHlentltm
al crltmenam of Satan. 1t takes those
S0utherners whose desire for individual
wealth and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT excludes
every idea OF justice 10 the masses of the
people up into an exceedingly high
mountain and shows them all the king
doms Of the world and tie glory of them,'
and offers TO give it them in exchange for
their votes. 1t makes no difference that
the Republican party is as powerless to
deliver the goods" as was the devil in
the scene of the great temptation. The
Republicans want votes, and they have
shown that they are at all times ready TO
make any promises that may be required
in order to get them.
The audacity Of the party that issues
this address to solicit the support Of part
Of the pc ople whom it has robbed and ma
Hgned and abused cannot, under present
circumstances, be considered as an evil
dence Of innate boldness, but is the result
Of desperation. 1t is engaged in
a desperate struggle for existence.
Ii has been encouraged, no doubt,
to make this effort for help in
the South by the tone Of certain Southern
journals. But the masses of the Southern
people are tried and true. They could
not be bulldozed or bought in the past,
and they cannot be deluded now. The
South has seen too much of Republican
rule. The South is yet solid, and it will
remain solid as long as the Republican
party clings to its present principles and
stand Of morality.