The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-02-10
FROM ONE WHO KNOWS.
Views of an Ex-Governor of South CaroItn
on the Southern Question.


Views of an Ex-Governor of South Carolina
on the Southern Question.
In the current number Of the NeU
Highlander, Mr.. Daniel H. Chamber
lain-of whom, as Republican Gov
ernor of South Carolina, the country
once heard a great deal-breaks long
silence to discuss the present and pros
pective aspects of the Southern ques-
ton. We are bound to say that his re-
marks, as whole, are among the best
yet made on very fruitful subject;
and coming from such eminent Repub-
lican authority, are especially deserv-
ing the thoughtful consideration of all
honest members of that party. 1t will
be remembered that Senator Sherman
while unintentionally helping to elect
Democratic Governor in New York last
faII-recommended, as an infallible
panacea for Southern ills, the reduction
of the basis of representation in those
Southern States where fewer Repub-
lican votes are cast than theparty man.
ayers think ought to be. Chamberlain
devotes more attention to this charac-
teristic proposition than its impudence
merits; declares that the alleged REM
edy would not, even if it could be tried,
reach the disease, and that the latter
must be left to cure itself. He says
and let us not forget who it is that
says it-that
The evil in question is plainly the result OF
ottf} rsft1A
Judgment on the part OF the class who are de.
prived Of the right to vote, and of the race
prejudice and political ambition OF the class
which infiicts the wrong, intensified and made
the insupportable corruption and maladmin-
istration of most of the Southern State gov.
ernments from 1868 to 1876
In other words, if in any Southern
State colored citizens are deprived Of
any of their political rights, it is MAIN
ly, if not entirely, the fault of the Re-
publican party. First, in comforting
citizenship upon class not even now
possessed of sufficient ''intelligence,
experience and good Judgment for
the proper recognition and fulfillment
of its obligations; and second, by the
establishment and maintenance of
"the insupportable corruption and
maladministration of most of the
Southern State governments from 1868
to 1861 = : - go
This is the whole Southern business
in a nutshell. The freedmen-as Presi-
dent Lincoln 80 well knew-were not
prepared for citizenship, and should
| have been allowed to wait until some
degree of preparation had been at
tanned. But in spite of their unfitness,
the ballot was thrust into their hands
| by an INSCRIPTIONS Republican policy;
and then, in order to consummate that
| policy, they were used to fasten upon
the Southern neck the meanest and
| dirtiest of despotisms. The results of
which Republicans complain are, says
Chamberlain, inevitable 'swhenever in
any community those who hold nearly
all it's property intelligence and ex-
perience in self-goyernment are set
against those who are for the most part
without property, education or expert
encc of public affairs" We may add
that if Massachusetts or Maine had suf-
fered for eight months "the insupport-
able corruption and maladministration'
which South Carolina and Louisiana
endured for eight years, they would
have risen in righteous wrath and
driven every negro and carpet-bagger
into the sea. The wonder is, not that
the Southern people, under such intense
provocation, did some things they ought
not to have done, but they were not
utterly reckless in their resistance to
the ineffable iniquity. The greatest
wonder is that, in less than ten years
after the provocation was removed by
the destruction of Republican rule in
the South, the two races are working
together for a common prosperity in
peace and harmony; that there is SC
little real trouble between them that
during the last Presidential campaign
Republican otfice-holdcrs and travelling
newspaper correspondents could no!
find a single Southern outrage worth
reporting.
Chamberlin urges his political asso.
ciates to ''abandon all efforts to pro.
long, through party proclamations and
appeals, a controversy which has re.
suited so disastrously to those in whose
interests it has been carried on, and
to leave whatever difficulties yet re-
main in the Southern situation to be
overcome by the National forces now
at work. That is, let the South man.
age its own affairs in its own way, un.
veXed by Northern interference or in,
struction. 1t is most devotcdly tc
be wished that Sherman. Logan anc
their co-laborers in the making of sec
tional mischief, may follow this sensi
bic and patriotic advice; butt if they 10
what VIII become Of the bloody shirt.
and without the bloody shirt what
would become of 1.-The grand oit