Year: 1877

may be depended upon for conscientious
action in political matters. Those who
would not swerve in the slightest degree
from their convictions Of right as between
persons, when called upon TO judge be.
tween parties are found unable to rise
above the prejudices which bind them to
The one side or the other, even in re.
spect Of questions concerning which there
should be no doubt and which were rarely
ever decided but in one way. 1t should
not however, perhaps, be attributed to
corrupt motives in all cases, or in the
great majority of cases, but to inability to
see correctly in consequence OF adverse
symra,hies which have the effect to cloud
tie vision ard obscure the truth. II Is
more than probable that in most cases OF
such false Judgment those guilty of 1t
would really think the very reverse was
the fact-that they had succeeded as clair.
voyants and gained unusually clear percep.
tions Of the merits of the questions passed
upon, wondering in their own minds how
they had ever thought or seen differently.
So II was, we are confident with Demo.
cratic politicianS who, in the late contest
after lives of reverse reflections and con.
clusions, advocated the right Of the Fed
cral power to review the canvass OF
State elections. The conviction was alb
normal, brought about by extraneous in
fuences, and its expression contradicted
the entire professions Of the party since It's
creation. The transformation can pe &C.
counted for upon no other hypothesis than
that under the mental aud moral strain of
a great crisis, that which before had seemed
wrong now appeared right-for the emer.
gercy, at least-becruse, IL it could be
effected, what was believed would result
in untold blessings to the country might be
accomplished. SO situated, the mind was
unable to resist the impulses of the heart,
and, imbued with its feelings, was con-
strained to depart from wonted impress
sions..


This theory of the strange metamorpho-
| sis would be quite satisfactory were 1t not
for subsequent developments. But after
all, as the disclosures Of motive since made
arc confined to the Northern Democracy,
and TO only portion of that, the mantle
of innocence should be allowed to cover
the conduct of all others until such time as
they remove 1t themselves and expose their
own deformity. 1t is plain, however, that
as to many who championed the right of
Congress to interfere with the canvass Of
State elections against the hitherto unani.
nous and time .honored belief that the
States have sole jurisdiction OF the matter,
their course was inspired by impure aud


dishonest purposes. 1t was not that they


were patriots, blinded by zeal, but thai


they were politicians, impelled by


selfish ambiton otherwise we should


not find them now throwingevery possible


obstacle in the way of the pacifcation o.


tho country and doing their utmost fol


partisan objects to continue and compli


cate the distractions from which we suffer


To this end they find nothing but shame


and inconsistency in the attempts made BY


friends of the Administration to prevail


upon CHAMBERLAIN and PACKARD to with


draw from claims which, however valid
and confirmed, can have only the effect, il


insisted upon, to widen the breach be


tween the sections and postpone the da,
, of reconciliation and peace. The.
will not see any patriotism
in such desire, but treat it as a confession
oferror-as an admission that these gen


tlemen have not been elected to the office
they essay to fill whereas nothing Of th
? sort is conceded, nor can be justly implie
from the efforts put forth to remove tn


disturbing cause. 1t is acknowledged thO
|, these gentlemen and their governments ar
g unpopular and obnoxious in tue State
they have heretofore controlled, and tha
they are every day growing more and NOR
so, and must soon surrender to the oppc


sition waged against them; that they
4 not represent the substance and respec
: ability Of the people, and, being alien in gre
= part as to their following, are not further ei
= titled to the sympathy and support of Il
: General Government since 1t appears the
4 have become powerless for good as pr
L tcctors Of the colored people, but ser'
a only to provoke hostility to that rae
o And because all this is seen and felt the
II Is a disposition, worthy of all praise, to q


rest the evil in Its present stage by indu
p ing its agents and agitators to forel


their personal rights for the public goo
? This is the sole object, and
J. springs from the highest insI
y ration of human action. Yet the dsa
10 pointed faction of the Democracy at Il
n North, observing that the South is ready
1t accept the overtures made, and to act
Ie harmony with the Republican party
d building up the country and restoring 4