Year: 1867

THE SOUTHERN PRESS on NORTHERN


ELECTIONS


We are in the receipt Of ex-Rebel journals
from most of the Southern cities, which are
bursting and swelling with the false reports
set afloat last week by the Democrats of Penn
sylvania and Ohio that they had carried those
States respectively by majOrities of Five to Ten
Thousand. OF course, editors who have had no
good news for their readers since the battle Of
Chickamauga, or at least since the failure of
Burnsides mine assault at Petersburg, make the
most of this misinformation. Says The Charles
ton Mercury:


The elections which have just transpred have turned
entirely the relations and interests of the South These
relations and interests concentrated into issue
Negro Suffrage IN ne Southern states.


With the majority Of the Northern States and
all the White Of the South constituting vast
ory of the White population opposed to Negro Suffrage,
1t sheer madness to attempt to force upon the South
ern States 1t must fail; and the only question for the
majority in Congress to consider is this Shall they
urge this policy upon the Southern States and thus keep
in action and intense evaporation issue which it Is
plain they have been and must be- beaten and which,
leave the public mind to be engaged on other issues,
which may give them some chance OF recovering their
lost popularity and power.


As to impeachment that is killed stOnedead
by the 10000 votes against Negro Suffrage In Ohio But
umph with the South"


The Richmond Enquirer and Examiner now
calls upon the Whites of Virginia to rally all
their forces and vote down Reconstruction in
the election under the Military bill, in so far
as that act contemplates Black Suffrage. 1t
says:


It would be the very madness OF the moon, II the
Southern people should do anything 10 counteraet or
dishonOr the movement in the Northern mind, Of which
we have inst mad such agreeable exhibons We see it,
indeed urged in certain quarters that the declaration OF
declare in favor of It, as proposed here in form OF
ordinary aggravation and give hearty acceptance and
embrace to the Shelabarger legislation peryersion so
extraordinary belongs the logic only OF idiots And
what becomes Of that profound prostraon before the
will of the nation Of which have until now heard so
muchl The loyal people declaring against Negro
Suffrage in attenuated degree shall we show our
selves Rebels and traitors, by houtng these express
sOns Of their sovereign pleasure and sending negroes
who may vote with them at the polls, to vote with
which we have been dosed, we should deserve to be
beaten if we thus withstand the VIII OF the nation
Let Obsequous submis3ionsts think OF THIS indeed
they have not been driven from all their ree6onnSs by
their debasng fears OF the bad men who are struttns
their brief hour on the boards OF Congress"


Says The Memphis Bulletin:


"The election returns from Ohio by which the Radicals
have sustained an overwhelming defeat, Is one OF the
significant signs OF the times The main issue In the
was the Negro Suffrage amendment whereby Il
proposed to give negroes the right to vote and hold
feated by $4,000 majority when it is remembered that
the old Free Soil party OF lSi9, from which the Repub
place in Ohio, this result is the more surprisingly sinid
can't It that the White people Of the North while

his position as a freeman not willing to place him
upon equal platform as to mere political privileges
man; and they have therefore, Indignantly rejected the
proposition And il the White people Of the North Will
peoplel The Revolution has spent its force. and
henceorh Ne drift backward TO the supremacy OF the
Constitution and the Enforcement Of the Laws"


The Chattanooga american and URion-a
Conservative but moderate and not dis
tinctively Rebel sheet-thus speculates:


fbaqa ala


each State shall still have the right 10 prescribe the
qualifications Of the elective franchise Of its own citizens,
and that the centTazaton Oh al power III congress sna


There is another and very important lesson OF these
elections which deserves consideration The great ques
ton, after all, upon which the people gave their opinion
was financial The people OF the North are weary
MONEY to pay the bondhoiders who pay taxes they
do the wisdom OF paying twenty or thirty mons
National Bank circulation where legal tender notes bear
ing no Would M snSTer emery e9a Iesy
and with the cost Of keeping the south under military
rule to Bass The a y pe s% thew @ sy RH no relief
was to be expected from the Radicals; ana SO they
sought refuge the Democratic party which promises
reduction Of taxation and speedy RECONSTRUCTION OI the


"It is to the Democratic party so-caed which is now
a living organism embracing within itself the wisest
and the shrewdest thinkers of the country whO al
though they may have hitherto differed, are now united
10 save the country that must all look for relief The
talk OF organizing third party only gives strength TO the
Radicals and the people OF the south ought 70 choose
now once for all TO which party they will ally them
selves II the past record of the Democrats is 0dOus
to them that they prefer the Radicals as some appear 10
do let them 20 and establish their negro government,
and quietly accept such crumbs of Office the gentle
African may let fall from his table, let them pay ther
taxes and thank God that they thus be permitted to
support great progressive party. If they love freedom,
and desire the preservation Of the rights OF White men,
they desire equal and just taxation and reduction Cfe
National de5 the sooner they ally themselves to and
heartily co0pcrate with the great National Democratic
Party the better will be for the South and for the
whole country.


'Thcse elections show that the North will be Demo
cratic and the only hope of the Radicals IN the ngsers
OF the South"