Year: 1877

on poor defenceless negroes. 1t has for
some time seemed to the country at large
that we were in new era that the Southern
question was dead, that the past had been
buried and forgiven, and that peace had
been restored between sections and races
If our Rip Van Winkle had gone off into his
profound sleep at Bennington or at Atlanta
and had awakened at either of those places
to hear the speeches Of republican Pres-
dent and Cabinet proclaiping pacifcation
and good will he would have been sharply
reminded that he was in an un-
accustomed scene and that the politics of
the country had undergone strange trans
formation, and, until made aware OF what
had happened to him, he might doubt his
own identity. But il the Senate yesterday
he would have felt no more surprise than
poor Rip in the play would have felt if on
returning to his village he had found
Gretchen still at the washtub, with her usual
sharpness Of tongue, Meenie still little girl
and "mein dog Schneider" waggng his tail
in welcome.


In the Senate yesterday the bloody shirt
was borne aloft as the banner under which
the republican side fought their battle.
1t was raised by Senator Conkling, who
held it full high advanced" and his
followers saluted it us if there were in
scribed on it in visible characters, I'm hoe
signo vinces." The bloody shirt is indeed
the sign under which the republicans have
won all their victories since the close
% oil foI IaI
torn by use and ready to drop to
pieces by much exposure to the weather, it
did some service in the last Presidential
campaign. Mr.. Hayes, indeed, seemed to
regard it as no better than tnttered and rot
ten shreds whose bloody emblazonment had
faded into dim blur and after his inau-
guration he publicly buried it with formal
ceremonies as the Indian does his toma-
hawk after having smoked the pipe of peace.
But the republican Senators have violated
its grave, dug it up and waved it again in
the face Of the country as the emblem of
party strife.


The question before the Senate yesterday
was Mr.. Saulsbury's motion of Wednesday
to refer the case Of Kellogg and Spofford
back to the Committee on Elections for
further investigation. It is not easy to dis
cover what relation the Hamburg massacre
has to this question That massacre took
place in South Carolina, and the business
before the Senate related to the admission
Of a Senator from Louisiana. Neither
Kellogg nor Spoford ever had any connection
with the Hamburg massacre. With what
relevance could it be brought up in dis
cussion relating to Kellogg's title to seat
in the Senate? And yet from the time that
Mr.. Conkling introduced it the Hamburg
massacre was the staple Of debate during
the rest Of the day. The bloody shirt must
be regarded as exercising mighty influence
over republicans when it is brought from so
far and introduced without any pertinence.
When displayed MS flag it is as much an
emblem of hostility to President Hayes as
it is to the democratic party. 1t is
banner under which Mr.. Hayes neither
fights nor marches In his estimation
it is rs obsolete and impertinent as the tat
tered stars and bars Of the defunct rebel
Confederacy. Senator Lamar and General
Gordon and Alexander II. Stephens have
not more distinctly repudiated the rebel
flag than Mr. Hayes and his Cabinet have
the bloody shirt. But the faded bloody
shirt is defiantly waved in the Senate cham
Der as if in scorn of the Presidents South
ern policy. This betokens something very
different from peace between the republican
Senators and the President.


We presume there is not a Senator who
honestly believes that Mr.. Butler abetted
the Hamburg massacre The negro testi-
mony to that effect has long been an ex-
posed and exploded perjury. Senator Pat
terson, who is perfectly acquainted with
South Carolina affairs, has borne uniform
and emphatic testimony to Mr.. Buffers
innocence. He interrupted Senators yes
terday to reiterate his statements on that
point. But the other republican Senators
are too glad to find or make an opportunity
to poison the public mind of their party
anew with that old virus, especially as
they can thereby hout and affront
the President and parade their contempt
for his policy. The Union sentiment of the
country would not be more wantonly in
suited by displaying the old rebel nag from
the cupolas Of the Southern State capitols
than President Hayes is by bringing forth
the bloody shirt from the receptacles Of
mouldy political rubbish and bearing it
aloft in the Senate. But these unscrupu-
lous bigots are teaching the country more
than they intend. The fact that they have
to go so far back rs Grants administration
to find bloody shirt attests the good effect
of Mr.. Hayes policy How glad would his
rancorous accusers be If they could find
new negro shirt freshly dipped in the color
which they think 50 precious But not q
drop, not a sprinkle OF blood has touched
the hem OF any negro garment in conse-
auence OF Ku Klux or White League vo-
lence since President Hayes adopted
his healing policy The colorey people