Year: 1875

Our special correspondent in the South,
Mr.. Nordhoff, in q letter which we print to-
day, gives some suggestive hints about the
future and imminent reconstruction of pollt-
ical PARTIES in the Southern States. If one
may trust his observations it would appear
that the republican party has made curious
blunder in keeping the Southern States so
long in condition of political pupilage. The
intention has, no doubt, been on the part of
The Southern republicans to keep themselves
in power in their States by the help of the
federal government but the evident result
was to put off final and ratural settlement
of politics there, and now, when this has been
accomplished, in spite of them, in Arkansas
and Alabama, and cannot be much longer
delayed in Louisiana or even i'll Mississippi,
the Presidential election is so near at hand
that it seems probable the democrats will be
able 10 hold the white vote together until
after the national election in 1876 If this
view is correct, it would seem that the repub-
lican leaders would have dore more wisely to
have suffered the Southern people to manage
their own political affairs two years ago, or
directly after the last Presidential election; in
which case it is probable that the recon-
struction of parties would have been com-
pleted by this time, and there would have
been On opportunity tor the republicans to
recover before 1876 some of their lost ground
in those States. TO mass the colored vote and
depend upon that did well enough for while;
but it led inevitably to massing of the
in, A.
kansas, Louisiana and Alabama, which are
substantially in democratic hands; for, after
the exposures of this spring it is not prob
able that fraudulent returning board will
once more be allowed to cheat the Louisiana
conservatives out of an election.


Our correspondent believes that Southern
parties will rearrange themselves substantially
as wings and democrats; and he remarks that
he has everywhere discovered wings, and
found them entertaining traditional dislike
and suspicion of the democrats, with whom
they have united only to rid themselves of
the local republican misrule. 1t appears
probable that wherever this is accomplished
the white party, whatever it may be called,
will disintegrate. Its success is necessarily
fatal to its continued existence. 1t would be
an unheard-of phenomenon to find the whole
brains, energy and wealth OF community per-
manently enlisted in one party. We are not
surprised to hear that even in Alabama, where
the democrats are hardly settled in power
independent candidates are springing up in
the local elections. 1t would be remarkable
were it otherwise What the old whig
strength may be in the Southern States it is,
we suppose, impossible to tell Louisiana,
Mr.. Nordhoffremarks was In old times and by
its sugar industry which has always demanded
protective duties, strong federal and whig
State. Arkansas had also a numerous whig
element. But tho redivislon of parties in all
those States, though it may be influenced by
old associations and traditions, will be mainly
ruled, we suspect, by other motives; the per-
sonal ambition OF leading men, the discomfort
of the 'outs, the blunders of the 'Ins," diff
ferences upon points OF State policy, and not
little by federal appointments. General
Grant might easily, in the last six years, have
built up respectable and powerful republi-
can party in the Southern States if he had





ments not only within those States, but in
the Cabinet and in some prominent foreign
places men of ability who have following
among the intelligent people of the South.
1t has always surprised us that he totally over
looked this opportunity to secure for his party
q substantial and independent foothold in the
Southern States. Had he been, not states
man, but merely politician, instead of
military ruler, he would have seen here
great opportunity at once to build up his
party and TO smooth the way to harmonious
political settlement in the South. But he
knew only how to rule by main strength; and
he has preferred to use the Southern States as
o kind of refuge for political lame ducks and
personal favorites. Such persons could not
build up a party there. They had no infu-
ence except among the negroes, and these
will slip out of their hands as soon as federal
interference ceases.


The result is, as we see in Mr.. Nordhoffs s
letters, that there is to-day substantially no
republican party in those States of which he
has written. The brains, the influence, the po-
litical weight, all that goes to make up live
party, are solidly arrayed against the republi-
cans. In Arkansas and Alabama these are
disorganized; in Louisiana they are ready to
disappear whenever General Grant takes his
mailed hand off the State. In Mississippi
the only republicans who could make the
party respectable are ostracized at Washing
ton and have feud with the Governor. No
where down there are the actual federal
offce-holders men of influence in the COM
munities in which they live; and it is hope
less to expect of them to get respectable po-
litcal following. This is o blunder which
may lose the republican party the next
election. Its danger was seen long ago by
such men as Vice President Wilson and if
his advice had been taken at the White House
we should have seen the President call to his
! 4 L. -..sl