The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-09
THE FAIR ELECTION ISSUE.

| speech at Mt. Gilead. 1t will be remembered
that Mr. Sherman took decided ground against
the solid South and the desperate and bloody
methods by which it had been secured. AS
was expected, the principal argument in re-
ply was embraced in the words "bloody shirt"
and the majority of his critics contented
themselves with this very conclusive if not
reasonable reply. Such as attempted
a decent and dignifed answer
to Mr.. Sherman's opening speech
were scarcely moro fair, and sought to destroy
the force Of its logic and truth by distorting
it and misstating its arguments Of such
unfairness Mr.. Sherman justly complains
and in his speech last night he shows how
unfair Governor Iioadly has been in this mat
ter. Feeling that he could not meet the
arguments on their merits, there was nothing
to do but to purposely misinterpret them, and
then to deliberately draw deductions from
false premises. This has been the course of the
Democratic press and such of the mugwump
press as was mean enough to take such a dis
repu table advantage. There is no 'bloody
shirt, in that narrow or partisan sense, in
what Mr.. Sherman demanded at Mt. Gilead
There was no fighting over the issues of the
war, further than to ask that the excellent re-
suits of the war be not perverted or destroyed.
It would be reasonable we think all will con-
cede, that any attempt to re-enslave the negro
should be rebuked. There could be no ''bloody
shirt" cry in such case This being so, it
is hard to understand how anybody can deride
as unworthy Of attention a demand that per-
sonal freedom shall be supplemented by po-
litical liberty, for this, too, was one of the
early-bought fruits or the war. Senator
Sherman, speaking for 5, 900, 900 men behind
him. protested unequivocally against the
methods, whether of trickery or Of violence
whereby onehalf the vote of many of the
Southern States has been suppressed and the
majority practically disfranchised. One of
the most contemplate replies to this most
reasonable protest comes from the Boston
Herald (mugwump), which out Herods the
Herods caught in the act of preventing
elections in the South The Herald says
eff John Sherman and his party did not
wish or intend that the white people Of the
South should resume their duties and meet
their responsibilities as citizens, why did they
force them to remain in the UnionY If they
considered that joining the Republican party,
or acquiescing forever in any rule which it
might see fit to impose upon the States Of the
South, were essential conditions of the recon-
| struction of the Union, why did they not
| enact them in an amendment to the Constitu-
tion9 It is stultifying puerility for Mr.. Sher-
| man to cry out against the former rebels for
| performing the duties and claiming the rights
of citizens in holding Office, when they were
compelled by force of arms to resume their
citizenship, and had their disabilities removed
| by 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 bloody farce, or every
ex-confederate now in the service of the
Nation has just as good right to be there as
| John Sherman has,
| Such monstrous peIversion of ones ideas
| is unworthy reply, and it is reproduced here
only to show to what depths Of baseness
| journal may 60 when actuated by spite.
John Sherman nor the Republican party OBJ
ject to the election of ex-rebels by ex-rebels.
| That were indeed ''bloody shirt" with all
that the term implies But Sherman. and
millions of other good and patriotic citizens,
do most earnestly object when ex-rebels or
anybody else suppress, by violence, intimida-
| :: 49, &c
number of people. The Republican party did
| let the South back into the Union-in fact,
compelled it to come back-and eventually
restored it to all it's ancient political rights,
including those Of voting and holding Office.
Whether this was or was not
mistake, is not here considered, and has not
been for years. Neither does the Republican
party purpose or wish to interfere with the
peculiar methods by which Southern State
affairs are conducted Everybody knows that
there have been monstrous perversions of lib
erty and justice in the South since the match
less magnanimity of the Republican party re-
| stored to Southern voters their every political
right. But even these have to be passed over
and the Republicans in those States left to
their fate until such time as enlightenment
and a more liberal spirit shall prevail upon
| their enemies to accord them the same social
and political rights enjoyed by ex-rebels.
This, we think, is a most reasonable demand,
and it is hard to conceive how any man, how
ever blinded by partisan prejudice, or pulled
up by pharisaical egotism, can deride or deny
| it.
Senator John Sherman only gave voice to
Republican sentiment at Mt. Gilead. The
al has