Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-27
AsoUTHeRNER's VIEWS.
M. sempie Pronounced in His Opposition
to tho Boycott Idea.

Hon. Henry G. Semple. prominent citi-
zen OF Montgomery. Ala, and staunch
Democrat, who is under treatment at ST.
Luke's Home, was called on by Dispatch
reporter yesterday and asked what action.
if any. the South should take with refer
ence to the force bill and whether he
approved the proposition to boycott the
North. He replied:
:" have been confined to my room by an
Inflammation of the eyes for some DAYS.
but have had read to me the articles IN the
Dispotch relating to General Gordon's pro-
ject for commercial boycott AGAINST the
North and West as o means of preventing
the passage of the force bill by the Senate.
think the action of the Chamber of Com
merce of Richmond eminently wise so far
rs it goes. but that IL would have been
much better to condemn the project at
once and decidedly as unwiso and unstates-
manlike. If ANYTHING could have insured
the passage Of the bill by the Senate the
threat of this boycott would certainly
have done it. As the Herald well remarks,
the people OF the North sell their goods.
but do not wish TO sell their votes we Of
the South should always remember that
the war has settled forever that revolution
airy measures as a redress of grievances Will
always recoil on the originatVrs."
The BALLOT THE HIGHEST POWER.
ut has been solemnly determined by
wager of battle that no State or association
of States must ever appeal to any other
power than that OF the ballot tor redress
of grievances. In moments of passion
measures will be enacted oy Congress from
time to time unwlse and reyengetul In
their character. but to us of the South no
redress remains but an appeal TO the sober
q g 1. Ia, Ila
bill, if enacted into law, may change q
dozen Democratic districts in the South
into Republican representation. but this
measure will at once appear so dangerous
TO the Liberties of the whole people that
tho Republican party will probably lose
moro members at the next election IN the
North and West than they can hope 20 gain
in the South. for all wise men will under
stand that il is impossible TO convert
southern constituencies by such means TO
Repubicanism Tho States will preserve
Democratic governments, and thus avoid
the dangers to the growing prosperity OF
the South, which would be destroyed by
the ascendancv Of the Republican party IN
the southern States.
WILL STRENGTHEN HONE RULE.
This measure. instead OF weakening the
determination of tho southern people 10
exercise home rule in the management OF
State affairs, will intensity this resolution
by uniting the whole white race o. the
South for what appears to them 10 be the
necessity of self-dofence. Many OF the
wsest men in the South now consider that
secession was premature so long a. the
Democracy continued in the majority in
the House of Representatives aud III the
Senate or the United States.
THE action Of the South in secedlng
from an apprehension of the effect of Mr..
Lincoln's election produced that thorough
unanimity in northern sentiment winch
was absolutely essential to the perpetual
union of the States and deprived our
friends at the North of all power to help
US. The proposed boycott. in my judy
ment, will tend only to strengthen the
hands Of our enemies and deprive our
friends Of the power to correct the evils OF
which we complain"