Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-07-30
Views of Heury Waterson.


From long letter by Henry Waterson
written in the Tennessee Mountains to his
paper, the Louisville, KY, Courier Journal,
July 10th, we make the following ex-
tracts:-
"The Republican party enfranchised the
negroes because it thought it could, by the
aid OF their votes, rule forever. 1 failed
to discount their ignorance. As a conse-
euence it gave the South, against the
South's own protest and better Judgment.
an increased representation in the Electoral
College and in Congress- Its mistake has
returned to plague the inventor: and now.
in order to retrieve it, these architects of
folly and ruin propose to revolutionize our
electoral system, and, in doing 80, they
strike at the essential principle of constitu
tional freedom. ballot free from military
or other inte, ference. In order to reform
alleged electoral abuses, local in their char
soter and ephemeTal in their .ature, they
propose to abolish a free ballot altogether.
and, in room of it, to set up an internal m a.
chine, to be surro lnded by troops and man.
aged and controlled by Federal officials ap.
pointed by the Federal power, and select
ed, practically, from single practical Or
| ganizatiOn. For this the whole people are
| to be taxed. For this statehood and all
domestic government and local authority
are to be set aside. For this the civic pro-
cesses of home-rule are to be superseded BY
Federalism, martial law and the army of
the United States, directed by the Republi
cans against the Democrats. Politics in
mexico and South America never went to
lengths more violent and extreme.
In its inception it is an invitation to race
war. Who can tell, if persevered in. that
it may not end in civil war? 1t was long
ago prophesied that these madmen would
never stop in their career Of liberating the
black man until they had enslaved the |
white man, and this Force bill is driving
furiously in that very direction. The Re- |
publican party is war party, or it is no.
thing. 1t is sectional party, or it is no.
thing. 1t cannot think, it cannot act for a
state of peace; and, therefore, all its legisla-
tion is inspired by the higher law of force,
Moreover, it is party Of jobs and jobbsrs,
rings and ringsters, and its plan of cam.
paign deriving all its powers from the usu.
fructs OF pillage, it can only live and thrive
during state of disturbance.
Gov. Nichols Cof louisiana is the yery
type and embodiment of an upright Execu-
tive. a brave soldier in time of war. a
modest citizen in time of peace, a gentle.
man of perfect integrity, he is trying to do
bis duty in the face of extraordinary trials.
But the Republicanism of the Quay.Reed
order, with its Wanamaker attachment.
finds in him two objectionable sins; first.
he Is an honest man, and, second, he is
Demoorat. He is, therefore, to be struck
down in favor of all that is vile in the soci-
ology and politics of Louisiana. Nothing is
too base for the combine of sectionalism
and plunder, ID favor of which the good
people of the United States are asked to
themselves.
Upon what evil times have we not fallen
that men, Of such stripe, shoald arrogate
to themselves the powers of God himself?
VI what material can the Republican party
Of the North be composed that such depth
Of degradation can be expected and rsquir.
ed of it? Has the insanity of party passion ,
so possessed the minds and hearts of the
Republican masses as to make them forget
all honor and duty, and to turn them into 2
human beasts of prey? Is there nothing
out can't in Republican culture; nothing :
out hypocrisy in Republican piety3 Are we
! nation of freedmen and Christians, or =.
mere huddle of Mexicans glad to be alive, ,
md only too willing to submit ourselves to
he combine of ssctionalism and plunder.
which is ia broad daylight robbing us of
'ur hirthright2 9