Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-04-06

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will not go with him into the Free Trade
! camp.
The Terrible Bourbon Rule in South
Carolina-How it can be Overthrow.
A political movement but little understood
| in the North is now on foot in South Caro-
lima. IL is revolt against the intolerable
dominion of the Bourbon oligarchy. 1t has
been entered upon death struggle be-
tween political slavery and freedom and like
the free soil struggle it has been consecrated
in blood. 1t is not race movement. for
white men in goodly numbers are its leaders
and the negroes are also interested in its
success. The eyes of the nation should be
upon it and the North can do much to bring
it to a successful issue. Probably nothing
has held out larger hope of a speedy break
ing of the solid South and relief from sec
tional politics. The subject is brought to
the attention of New England at this time by
the mission of the Hon. j. Hendrix McLane
dents of the State in three campaigns and
was undoubtedly elected Governor in 1882,
had fair count been possible. His present
object is to obtain funds to start in Columbia,
:. C.. a strong. aggressive newspaper, and
with this effective weapon he claims that
the State can be redeemed. Mr.. McLane
possesses the confidence of such men as Rev.
Il. T. Hale and President Capen of Tufts
4 al .u. 10 pnsfl nv
them.
1t is old time Democrats of S nth Carolina
who have entered upon this crusade in the
name of good government and political liber-
ty. Though at present known as 'indepen-
dents" their natural course is union with the
Republican party, and this course they will
take if met in the right spirit. There is no
Republican organization today in South Caro-
lima Ii went out with the carpet bag"
government, so-caled, in 1876. There is
probably little doubt in the minds of most
candid people that the southern people and
the confidence of northern Republicans were
abused under the carpet bag" regime, but it
was succeeded by something infinitely worse.
In 1876 the Democrats by fair promises
wheedIed about % 900 freedmen into voting
n Democratic ticket and Republicanism went
out of existence 50 far as South Carolina is
concerned Within two years many of the
Democrats who had worked hard to place
their party in power realized that they had
done the work not wisely but two well They
saw when it was too late that they had hand
ed the State over to an unprincipled and
grasping oligarchy. From 1876 to the
present time this oligarchy has held sway
and by class legislation and by suppressing
votes has preserved in the hands of its mem
bers the power and wealth for which they
coerced the state into rebellion rs years ago.
The Independents organized in 1873 and
were able to make successful campaign in
| 1882, but their candidates were counted out
| by such tricks as only the Southern Bourbon
knows. In that campaign they supported in
| Columbia for four months paper known as
the Reform Signal and it was their most
useful ally. But the Office was destroyed by
| fire Immediately after the election, and with
it went out the Independent hopes for the
time, as their slender means had been eX-
haustcd by the heavy expenses to which they
had been subjected. Their organization has,
| however, been maintained and its efficiency
increased, and if they can again have news
paper to advocate their cause they are conf
dent of ultimate victory.
We in the North have stories of Southern
election outrages and are often skeptical and
n kind of campaign skeleton, dangled before
the credulous once in four years for partisan
effect In fact, the half has not been told,
and the stories of these Southerners, many
of them ex-Confederates, and nearly all
sometime Democrats, show that there is no
more vital issue before the people, for free
country is an absurdity when a part of it
exists in political slavery. The writer has
! listened to the solemn story as told by Mr..
| McLane, told with all earnestness and SINGER
ity, and its details are terrible. They cannot
be recounted here, but specific cases are
numerous enough and accurate knowledge of
them is not hard to obtain, if we go to the
right sources for it. The press of the Caro-
linas is under the Bourbon lash and not a
paper in either the North or South State
dares to tell the truth.
The voting population of South Carolina is
| about 2lo. 200. Since 1882 the Democrats
have no, claimed more than 1900 of this
number, which would make the majority
against them at fair election % 900, allow
ing for 81, 900 stay -at-homes." Not a single
man now in the Senate or House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States is entitled to
appear there as representative of the State
! or people of South Carolina. Here is a
wrong against the whole country. and of
the North shall not do our duty until we do
| all in our power to correct the evil. We can
do much. There is nothing" says Mr..
McIane, speaking of the Bourbons, THAT
those men are afraid of except the Northern
people. If the Republicans of the North will
give us some aid financially. and let it be
known that their moral support is behind us,
the success of our cause is assured. The
Bourbons of the South have feared the
North ever since the war, and there is moth
ing else in Heaven or earth that they do
fear" All that is asked of the North is its
moral support and few thousand dollars to
establish newspaper. In referring to this
matter. the comment of the Rutland (Vt.)
Herald is to the point. That loyal Repubi-
can journal says; This will probably solve
the whole problem. 1t will not cost thou
sandth part so much as sending troops there,
nor as year of Observation-Disclosures of the
general government BY the usurpation that
now holds it, +. A. S.