Year: 1874

A mass meeting was held at Selma the
other night to celebrate the Democratic vic
tory in Alabama. The whole city was illumi-
mated q torchlight procession wound through
the streets; guns were fired, and the people
seemed almost beside themselves with joy. In
the intoxcaton of such a festival some
extravaganza of speech and demeanor might
have been expected and if the White
League entertained any reasonable or vio-
lent purposes it was only natural that they
should lift the mask for moment, when
the Radical party seemed routed and demOral-
lied. But we look in vain through the pro-
ceedings of the meeting for any indication OF
disloyalty, or any hint Of oppression of the
negro. The same excellent sentiments which
filled the addresses of Conservative cOnven-
tions before the election seem to inspire the
speeches of Conservative orators after the
triumph. The Alabama meeting, after mes
sage of cordial greeting to the Northern States,
resolved that the day of success was an cap
"propriate occasion to renew to the country"
the pledges contained in the Democratic and
Conservative platforms, "and especially that
"the rights of all must be respected and pre-
"served nviolate." There was the wisdom of
true craftsmanship in such resolution passed
at such time. No doubt it fairly represents
the popular temper. fOr mass meetings never
dissemble at times of public cxaltatiOn.
While such temper prevails the
country has nothing to fear from White
Leagues, and the South need not dread a
new ascendency of the carpet bag. Let the
rights of all be respected and preserved invio-
late, now that the white race has been, or is
about to be, restored to power, and the one
great cause of Southern misgOvernment, the
cOlOr-line in politics. will speedily be Oblit-
Grated. We have always insisted that with care
and patience combination of honest men of
both races could be made against the system
of grand larceny which has been established
under the pretense Of Republican principles,
and that the South could be redeemed in no
other way. The events of last week vindicate
the soundness of our judgment, and it is
greatly to be hoped that the Conservatives
will not imperil the important advantage they
have gained


For the colored people indeed we have no
apprehensiOns. 1t is not unlikely, however,
that in the threatened proceedings against
swindlng white officials, such as the marshals,
commissioners, and other agents charged with
the execution of the enforcement laws, the
victorious Conservatives may be tempted to
60 too far. These men have generally been
guilty of unlawful party zeal, sometimes of
serious Offenses against personal liberty, and
also of perjury and fraud, and doubtless there
are some of them who richly deserve the
striped uniform of convict. But let us have
no political martyrs. They keep alive bad
causes which would die if they were let alone.
The best thing for the South would be to give
no thought TO vengeance except in few
aggravated cases, but devote itself to the res
toration of its finances. When they 90 out of
Office the petty functionares who have done
all this dirty work of late years may be
trusted to find some other cOngenal occnpa.
ton which will carry them straight to the
pententiary.


1t may be as well to advise the Republicans
also to be cautious, but for a very different
reason. In Louisiana they seem to be repeat
ing the frauds of 1872 with as much coolness
as if there had been no political revolution
and the politicians at Washington were still
friendly and still Omnipotent. In Tennessee
they are pushing proceedings against white
citizens for constructive intimidation under
strained Interpretation of the enforcement
laws. These things are getting unsafe. They