Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-30


intend that the white people oil the
South should resume their duties ana
meet their responsibilities as citizens
why did they force them to remain IN
The Union? If they considered that
joining the Republican party, or acqul-
cscing forever in any rule which it might
see fit to impose upon the States OF the
South. were essential conditions OF the
reconstruction Of the Union, why ala
they not enact them in an Amendment 70
the Constitution? II is stultiyins pHe-
rility for Mr. Sherman to cry out against
the former rebels for performing the
duties and claiming the rights Of citi-
yens in holding Office, when they were
compelled by force Of arms to resume
their citizenship and had their diSabili-
ties removed by a Republican Congress
for the express purpose OF opening the
way to the service Of which the Senator
from Ohio now complains. Either the
war was a bloody farce or every eX-
Confederate now in the service OF the
nation has just as good a right to be
there as John Sherman has. The stu
pendous qualification Of the Republi-
can leader is increased by the fact that
his own party has placed in Office, and
is now in alliance with, some OF the
worst and meanest Of the COnlederateS,
while the Democrats have brought for
ward, as a rule, the best and ablcSt OF
them.
senator Sherman knows that his
spectre has no existence. it -
manufactured spook, set up, in Its mil
dcwed bloody shirt, As campaign
ghost to frightcn ignorant voters. lie
knows that the results Of the war
can no more be reversed, and that there
is no more wish in any quarter to re-
verse them, than the results Of the war
for independence. And his dishonesty
in again parading this thrice-discreditcd
spectre is only equalled by his stu
pidity in thinking that it will be eiiec-
tive
Again The Herald, noticing SHER'
MANS allegation respecting the per-
version of "ncgrO suffrage at the
South" ond his declaration that the
power Of the Federal Government ought
to lie exercised to secure free and fair
elections, and If the Republican
party is true to its principles it will
enforce this doctrine" says:
THE answer to this has been made
a hundred times. Why did not the
Republican party enforce this doc
trine when it had the entire power Of the
National Government at its command;
Does Mr.. sherman wish the country to
understand that he is ambitious to en-
act the role Of the man on horseback,
which he says must be the issue if Re-
publican majori les are not in some way
restored At the South: Does he think
that he could do, or that any living Re-
publican could DO, the work at the
South which three Republican Presi-
dents failed to accomplish; The coun-
try will simply laugh at the idea that
any Republican can support upon bayo-
net props or by moral force the negro
governments which President Grant,
the grim cOnqueror Of the rebellion, was
unable to uphold.
senator Sherman is chewing wind
to no purpose in talking over these old
abuses. and trying to blow the en-
bers Of cxtinguished animosities. Six
months of Democratic rule have dis
proved all his auguries of the evil re-
suits Of a change, and his familiar
spectre has had 10 scare in it for the
past six years.
1t would appear that if the above
comments leave Mr.. SHERMAN a leg
to stand upon it will take the Nebraska
microscopic to find it. But the I'M
kindest cut Of all is yet to come. Even
our Stalwart friend the Providence
/ formal is disguised with JOHN, and
administer. 10 him series Of rebukeS.
While, as might have been expected,
the Journal lets JOHN down easily in
respect Of his charge Of perverSiOn of
negro suffrage in the South-the Jour-
nal cannot help being little eccentric
on the negro question-it says:
"Scnator Sherman. speech At Mount
Gilead will not give the keynote Of the
Republican campaign in the nation,
even if it does in Ohio. The national
Republican party must and will take
broader and higher views and adopt
newer and fresher issues, if it is to
succeed at the next contest, or, what is
Of more consequence, be true to the de-
msnds of intelligent progress and the
best interests Of the country"
Here is another Of the JowaaFs
shots
1.-The Republican party has been pro-
perly ready to forgive and reward the
soldiers of the Confederacy who were
in advance of their party in adopting
Republican principles, and Longstreet,
Key, MOsby, and many more have been
welcomed and honored without cayil
under Republican administrations. Sec
tioral pride, party discipline, and kin
bred reasons kept the majority in oppo-
stion TO their party, but now they have
come over with it, and the last division
from sectional strife based on the late
war has passed away, and should be
heard of no more forever, unless it
should be revived by the other side and
not by US. So long a. the X-COnfed-
crates are Union men it is not only a
folly but crime TO revive the cry Of
eI-Iebel."
And still another:
THE memories of sectional strife
should be buried when the vanquished
have become one with the victors, as
there is every evidence that they now
have. The division of the future will
be on new issues, and that party will
triumph which most wisely, intelligent
~, and periodically meets them"
T Unless HALsTEAD and REID stand
bySHERMAN with all the yindictiveness
they are capable of, he SHERMAN may
Yet do the country great service by
ileeing to some vast wilderness.