Year: 1879

Cleveland Leader Report happen to
be one who thought and believed that the
Presidents Southern policy so far as it
related to the use of troops for the sup
port of State Governments, was right. l
sustained it upon the ground of high
principles, nevertheless it could have
been sustained on the ground of necessi
ty. The President has extended to the
people of the South the hand of concilia-
tion and friendship. He has shown
desire, probably contrary to the wishes
of the great mass of his party, to bring
about by the means of Cancellation better
relations between the North and South


In doing this he has alienated from him
the great mass of the leading and inf1uen-
tial Republicans of the country. lie has
lost their sympathy and to great degree
their support What has he received in
return for these measures of conciliation
and kindness? How have these mea-
sures been received by the South What
advance can we discover in them of the
recognition of the guarantees of the
rights of the colored men under the con-
stitutional amendments We see jeff
Davis making speeches as reasonable as
those of 61, and these speeches indorsed
and applauded by a great portion of their
press and people. We see, also, the dec
iaraton of Mr.. Singleton, of Mississippi
in answer to question of mine on the
floor of the House, declaring that his
paramount allegiance, in peace and in
war, was due to his State. No gentleman
from the South, or even OF the Democrat
ic party, has taken issue with him. We
see, also, all over the South, disposition
to resist the execution of the United
States laws, especially in the matter of
the collection of internal revenue. To
dav there are four United States officers
under arrest by the authorities OF the
State of South Carolina, in Jail and bail
refused, for an alledged crime in their
State, while in fact these officers were
discharging their duty in executing the
laws of the United States in that State.
Their State Courts and their officers re
fused to obey the writs of U. S. Courts in
the surrender of these men to the United
States authorities. No former act Of this
reasonable State shows q more defiant
attitude toward the U. S. Government,
or greater disposition to trample upon
its authority. ! trust that the Admins
tration will in this case assert in the
most vigorous manner possible the au-
thority Of the United States Government
for the rescue and protection of these of
ficers. l have no bloody shirt to wave.
If there is one man in this country more
than another who desires peace and quiet
between the sections | believe | am that
man Gentlemen may philosophize over
this question until they are gray, but you
can not escape the discussion OF this
question SO long as a solid South menaees
the peace of the country. solid Demo
cratic South means the ntrol of the
country by the spirit and the men who
sought its destruction. My own opinion
is that there can be no peace-this ques
ton will not down until the menace of
the solid South is withdrawn. l had
hoped that the policy of President Hayes
would lead to the assertion by very
considerable portion of the South OF their
antagonism to Bourbon Democracy. |
confess to degree Of disappointment in
this, though | think | see signs OF
breaking up of the solid South in the
independent movement that seemed to
be gaining a foothold in all sections Of
that country. But the effective way to
aid these independent movements, this
breaking up Of the solid South, is for the
North to present itself united against the
solid South A solid South under the
control Of the Democratic party means
the control Of the party by this element


1t means the repeal of the Constitutional
amendments, if not in form in spirit. 1t
means the payment Of hundreds Of rebel
claims. 1t means the payment of pen
sions to rebel soldiers. 1t means the
payment for slaves lost in the rebellion.
1t means the abrogation Of that provision
| of the Constitution which declares that


the citizen of one State shall have all the
rights, privileges and immunities OF the
citizens of other States. If my Demo
cratic friends, who seem to be anxious to


bring about peace and quiet between the


sections are sincere, and desire to make


their expressions effective, they should


act with that party that presents solid


front, united North, so long as we are


menaced with the solid South. If it


could be understood in the South that


they are to be met with the solid North,


l do not believe that the solid South


would exist in that condition single


year. They retain this position because


they believe that they can have the sup


port of fragment of the North and thus,


with this fragment, rule and control the


country. l would have no fear of the