Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1885-07-02
The Bloody Shirt.
Toledo Blade.
IOlouo blade.
The Ohio Republican platform has q

The Ohio Republican platform has a
national significance, not only because
it is the utteranee of the generally
dominant party in the third state Of the
Union, but 1t il tho first party decara-
ton since the presidential contest last
November. 1t has been widely discussed
by the press OF every state. 1t receives
the mos6 cordial communication from
Republicans everywhere, and unsparing
abuse from the Democrats and the mug
wumpS.
OF course, it il assumed that the war
issues are dead" and that the planks Of
tho Ohio platform that are stigmatiZod
as waving Of the bloody shirt" are so
much burned powder-a futile endeavor
to keep UP sectional issue. Tho papers
which make this charge, however, are
careful not TO give their readers the
platform itself TO read, in order that
they may Judge for themselves whether
they are really dead" issues, as they
assume them to be.
The platform declares that the nation
al election last fall was won by the
Democrats, not by an honest prepondsr-
| ance OF the votes Of majority of the
states, but that in certain of the South
ern states their electoral votes was east
| for the Democratic candidate because
their voters were deprived Of the right
to free ballot and an honest count.
Nobody pretends that this allegation,
regarding at least six Of the Southern
states, is anything but true. 1t is not
only acknowledged by the Democrats of
those states. but is defended by them, on
the plea that the negroes are not fit for
salf-g0vernment, that tho whites will
never submit to be ruled by the negro
majority. and that this is white mans
government. anyhow" That this state
Of affairs is in plain defiance Of the con-
st1tutiOnal guarantees concerning the
| rights of very numerous class Of citi-
zsns in the South, is plain to every one.
1t is equally plain that the Ohio plat
form speaks nothing but the sober truth
when it declares that 1t is a matter OF
national interest; and, in the language
Of Chairman Taylor, ii is threatening to
"hurl tho discovered fragments of the
nation into the vortex of anarchy and
dissolution" The cry of bloody shirt"
is not likely to dissuade any true lover
of his country from casting his ballet
with the party which pledges itself to
| shall have his rights az q citizen sacred
|
Another plank which receives the
"blOody shirt" anathema Is that which
arraigns tho Democratic administration
for putting ex-rebels. whose censtitu-
tional disabilities have not been rsmOv-
cd, into positions Of honor and trust.
| There are ex-rebels and ex-rebels.
There are those who fought bravely and
we'll for the cause that went down In de-
feat, who accepted the decision of the
sword, accepted the constitutional
amendments in good faith, and have
done all in their power, as loyal citizens
of the reconstructed Union, to build up
an united people; and the Republican
party has done honor to more than one
of these men, as was right and fitting.
But Cleyeland's administration has dill
igently sought out men who gl0ryin the
name of rebel, who spit on the amend
ments, who s0ught offico ON the ground
that they were rebels; and has done
honor to men who at heart are traitors
to the nation. We may forgive defeat
ed enemy; we may relieve him of the
punishment for his treason, even though
he still boasts Of his course; but it is too
much to heap honOrs upon him because
he still claims to be q traitor. Ii is this
that the Republican platform condemns,
! and every loyal man cries out amenl