Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-19
Is It Moral Treasonp

Is It Moral Treason
The attempts Of the bloody-shirt fac
ton, twenty years after the close of the
war between the States, to revive the
bitter memories Of that war, and dis
solve the Union in effect If not in name,
ought to call down upon that faction
The fierce denunciations Of every patriot
in the land. II the southern people
are not fit TO hold Office under the Fed
eral Government. they are not fit to be
in the Union. If they ought to be IN
the Union, they ought to hold all the
Federal Offices in their States. Ours
would no longer be republican or free
government If the Federal Offices in the
South were filed by northern men sent
hither for that purpose.
The MuRATHALsTEADso If the North
are much worse than the most in
tractabie Of the southern rebels"
50 called. These "rebels" tried for.
only four years to establish separate
government. Mr.. HALsTEAD tries to
disfranchise the southern people twenty
wears after the close Of the war. Their
secessionism was short-lived. His sec
tionalism has grown hoary with age.
For twenty years they have been will
ing TO be peaceful citizens, owing
allegiance TO the United States Gov
eminent. For twenty years he has
tried to make them hate the United
States Government, and done all
that in his power lay to prevent
them from being recognized as
the equals Of the northern people. Is
il not moral treason for man thus to
seek to sow discord amongst his coun-
trymen, prescribe innocent men, libel
whole communities and States, de-
nounce the best of people as " rebels "
and traitors" and devote his entire
life to the unholy work of stirring up
strife and making enemies of sections
which ought to be sections no longer?
Last week we commented at some
length upon the platform which the
Ohio Republicans adopted at their re-
cent State Convention. We began by
asking:
AIS it possible that the war between
the States ended twenty years ago?
Who could believe it, and believe also
the declarations Of the platform adopt
ed the other day in State Convention
by the Republican party Of Ohio? Why,
MIR. Morton, Of Indiana, in his worst
and most malignant mood, scarcely
ever out-Heroded these Ohio Herods
in bringing fierce and unfonnded charges
against the poor innocent people Of the
South
The following is Mr.. HALsTEAD's
comment upon the above:
"Thc editor of the Dispatch should
compose himself, and cast his eye
calmly over current circumstances.
The Republicans of Ohio are in the
habit of comparing their State with the
great southern State Of Georgia. There
are good many points of resemblance
in the two States. But there is one
difference that we do not like, and that
we are not willing TO put up with.
1t is that the vote of citizen Of
Georgia counts for twice as much
IN national afiairs-in the Electoral
college or the Congress of the United
Staies-as the vote Of citizen
Of Ohio. We insist that this condition
Of affairs, this additional and extraor-
binary power in the southern States
Georgia being cited as an example),
arises from the violation Of the fifteenth
amendment Of the Constitution, which
is the treaty OF peace between the States
engaged in the war Of the rebellion.
The first section Of the fifteenth amend
men, is made dead letter. The sec
ond section, which prescribes the power
Of Congress in this matter, is neglected.
1--WE propose that the power Of Con-
grcss, under the second clause Of the
fifteenth amendment, shall be exerted
to restore the equality Of States and
citizens of States. IL the southern
black citizen does not vote, then the
southern white citizen (being Demo-
crat on account Of the intimate sympa-
thetic and helpful relations Of the Demo-
cratic party with the rebellion) shall
not vote for him, but only for himself.
We take it that this position is not IN
friendly toward the people Of the south
ern States. 1t is only claiming fair
play for ourselves"
How are we TO answer such a TRADE
Perhaps we cannot do better than e
call Mr.. HALsTEAD's attention to 9
prediction made In the House of Repre-
sentatiyes at Washington by Mr.. GAR
FIELD, Of Ohio, who, in October
1878, said
81 want to say another thing Tn,
man who attempts 10 get up Q poltica
excitement in this country on the ole
sectional issues will find himself with
out party and without support. Tn,
man who wants to serve his country
must put himself In the line Of its lead
ing thought, and that is the restoration
Of business, trade, commerce, industry
sound political economy, hard money
and honest payment Of all obligations
and the man who can add anything in
the direction Of the accomplishment Of
any Of these pprposesis public bene-
ACTOR
Nov. let MS quote the fifteenth
amendment, which Mr.. HALsTEAD
says has been violated " in Georgia.
II is as follows:
" PARTICLE Xy.-Section 1. The
right of citizens Of the United States to
yole shall not be denied or abridged by
the United States or by any State on
Account Of race. color, OF previous con-
&sSs>~ ~ sae..s..S.