The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-08-18

| great deal has been said about tns
bitter animosity Of ]. b. Weaver, the candi'
date of the Third party for President. to the
Democracy and the South. and frequent
illusions have been made to speeches de-
lysred from time TO time by him, in which
he vents his spleen against the party which
has been the firm and tried friend OF the
South ever since the war and has stood as
her only bulwark between her enemies and
herself But in all the barangues he has
ever uttered he has never been more ylo-
lent as in remarks made by him in keokuk
September 16. 1871. On that occasion be
used these words
The record Of the Republican party up
peals to the candid Judgment of all men as
unimpeaohsble. save. perhaps. that IL was
too lenient with the leading Democratic
! conspirators The same old gang. save
/ those VINO were shot or hung. are again con-
spring to get possession OF the Government
next year. Woe to them. for the loyal hosts
will crush them and crush them forever
| and forever out OF all possible danger of
| such misfortune 10 our common country.
Now these sentiments were spoken
during a political campaign when the Demo-
cratic party was making desperate efforts to
release the South from the bonds IN which
il was then. and had been already for six
years. held by the Republicans. AT that
time the South was still suffering from the
devastations OF reconstruction. and carpet
bag rule was being maintained over her at
the point of the bayonet just as the Radi-
Gals of the present day would like
10 see. and as they will see If
the Republicans. through aid given them
by the Third party score a sweeping
victory in November. Then numbers
OF Southern whites were DISTINGUISHED, and
the fight that was being waged was on the
issue whether the reforms instituted by An
drew Johnson for their emancipation should
be endorsed, or whether they should DO de-
nounced at the polls and the screws IN
which the South was held frightened. The
one issue before the people, in a word, was
whether general amnesty should be shown
the South OF whether even severer measures
should be resorted to until she was humili-
ated in the very dust.
While the Democrats were making their
best efforts to bring her relief, aud 10 restore
her to her constitutional rights in the Union,
Weaver was bitterly denouncing her and
them, charscterizing the Democracy as a
gang Of consprators who should have been
hung or shot. while demanding that the
chains which had been forged about the
South be made stronger and heavier, and
that such misfortune" as showing mercy
to the Southern people in The days of their
adversely should be averted.
The world knows the result. The Rsdi-
calls of the Weaver school triumphed at the
polls, and new horrors we're in store for our
unhappy section. Grant, one year later. was
elected President, and the palmY days of
carpet-bsggery, scslawagism, thieyery and
all manner of outrage began. Southern
States were taken possession of by Federal
soldiers; Governors rejected by the people
we're placed by force in Office State legisla-
lures were seized by the military under or
ders from WashinQton bad negroes and
worse white men were kept in power and
thieves and robbers held mad reVel IN the
Southern States, stripping their people bare
of what little the war had left them. And
all this time Weaver looked on and APP
plsuded.
If the Third psrty's candidate has ever
his opinions. OF changed in his SEN
timents of hate to the South, the fact has
never been made public. As far as we
know he is the same old malignant viDer
that he always was, and would be glad to-
day to see the South oppressed and crushed
to the earth. In fact judging of his past.
he may reasonably be suspected Of being
an ,emissary Of the Republicans running in
their interest to beat the solid South, and
to insure the passage OF a Force bill that
will keep it broken. And despite all this,
incredible as it may seem, there are
white men who say they intend
to give them their support. Is il possible to
of such blind folly and suicidal