Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-19
Observation-Disclosures 10, 1883.
The Responsibility.

The Responsibility.
Mr.. RrDDLFRERGRR understands that
il is his duty as a southern man 10 do all
he can 70 close the mouthsof the bloody
shirt shriekers in his own Iarty. We
said "in his own party" but we might
have omitted those qualifying words,
seeing that there are none such in the
Democratic party either North or South.
1t is the duty OF every southern Re-
publican to follow Mr. RIDDLEBERGER's
good example. 1t is within the power OF
the leading Republicans in the southern
States to put an end once for all to sec
tional strife. The Charlottesville Chr0l-
icic reinforces what we have heretofore
said upon this point. We quote its eX-
cellent article in flll-as follows:
1.-THE Djspofch hits the nail square on
the head when il charges Malone and
the other Republican leaders in Virginia
and throughout the South with response
bility for the bloody shirt waving OF such
northern politciansss Sherman, Foraker,
&c They, Malone & Co.. have the lead
ership OF the Republican party OF the
South. They have only to speak and
the rank and file of southern Republi-
csnism, constituted largely as it is Of the
docile negro. will obey. They have also
the ear OF the Republican party Of the
North. If they we're to say plainly to
Sherman and the other blOody-shirt
aspTants to the Republican presi-
dental nomination This villitcation
of our people must stop right here.
The southern States and people must be
recognized Us the full equals OF those
of the North, or you cannot expect our
support either in convention or ut the
polls. IL, we say, the southern Repub-
lican leaders were to assume this manly
and patriotic attitude who can doubtthat
the Shermans and Forakers would harken
TO the timely sdmonition, and that the
floods of Islander now poured out upon
the South would cease ? Until they
(the Republican leaders at the South /
take some such decided stand AS that IN
timated above the southern people have /
a right and will hold them responsible /
for all the harm coming to them from /
the sectional attitude of the Republican /.
party of the North.
We regard this as a matter of no little |
importance. Every Democratic speaker !
IN the South should "ring the changes
upon the criminal silence of the Re.
publican leaders when their own section |
is misrepresented, and the best people in |
the Union spoken of as if they were
enemies TO good government and traitors
to the republic Every Democratic |
paper in the South ought to join in the
good work of eliminating sectionalism
and prejudice and the diabolism of
bloody-shirtism from the politics Of this |
country. What possible good can result |
10 anybody from a continuance OF this !
unholy war ? Who is to be benefited by |
it Has the country ever reaped any
harvest of good from the devilish acts OF |
northern malignants in sowing the seeds
OF sectional hatred? As long ago as
1874 the Democrats carried the national
House of Representatives by large |
majority after having had to meet |
a storm Of detraction and SANDER
from such men as OLIVER p. MORTON.
The people of the North refused then TO
be influenced by speeches which were
addressed to their preiudices and not to
their judgments. This was less than ten
years after the close of the war between |
the States, and now, twenty-iour years
after that war ended, the northern Re
publican leaders are still as firmly per-
shaded as ever they were that they can
elect President of the United States
upon a sectional issue.
These facts ought to teach the south
ern Republicans who have for years re-
manned silent and allowed their own
people TO be misrepresented and ira
duced that they cannot hope to profit by
thus criminally consenting to the wrong
done this section 10y their northern asso-
ciates.
The Virginia Republican leaders would
be ashamed to confess that they had ever
encouraged that work of detraction,
Yet what other construction can be put
upon their conduct? Day before yes
terday several hundred of them assem-
bled in convention in this city, but had
not one word OF censure for Mr.. SHER-
MAN for his shameful treatment of that
distinguished southron Mr.. Justice LA
MAR. Are the people of Virginia to be
asked to cast their votes for Mr., SHER-
MAN, who appealed to sectional preju-
dices in order to secure the defeat Of Mr.
LAMAR?-the same SHERMAN, by the
way, who has dared topropose to reduce
southern representation in Congress