Year: 1876

Sixteen years ago the Republican par
ty was victorious and the year following
assumed the reins of government. II
did not enter upon that undi.puted pos
session Of power which had ever been
conceded to the administration, which


had preceded that of Mr.. Lincoln. 1t


was met at the out set with rebellion ia


which nine Of the Southern States openly
participated, while in three of the others
il had warm sympathzers, and power
ful minority in the North, while not out


spoken adherents of the rebellion, yet


gave it moral support which seriously


impeded the efforts of the administration


to restore the national supremacy.


Sustained by the patriotism of the peo-
pie the government was successful. The


rebellion was subdued and then came the
task of restoring those lately in arms to
The rights they had forfeited. There was
n thought in the minds Of the victorious


North to crush ard humiliate those who





had lived, the task of reconstruction
would have been an easy one. But he
fell beneath the hands of an assassin, and
the one who succeeded him betrayed the
party which had honored and trusted
him. Perhaps Mr.. johnson was sincere in
his convictions, and believed himself 10
be following the strict line Of duty in op-
posing the reconstruction measurers Of
Congress. II is certain that he was in
direct opposition to those whose efforts
had preserved him n nation to preside
over, while his course was In all respects
satisfactory to those who had been that
country's enemies. And it is equally
certain that his administration threw
every imaginable difficulty in the way Of
speedy settlement of the vexed ques-
tions Of the day.


The end of the first four years of Re-
publican rule found situation OF public
affairs which was entirely new 10 the
country. -Four millions of slaves were
free, and henceforth entitled to the earn.
ings OF their own labor. A million of
men in arms were returning TO the pur-
suits of peace. An immense national
debt had been created. To carry on the
government an immense revenue had u
be raised. and an army OF officers were
in commission. Rctrenchment became
at once the watchword, but retrenchment
was necessarily compelled to be slow.
If, at this time, the party which saved
the country had acted together, there
would be no Democratic party today.
But Congress found itself thwarted on
every hand bv the President. The South
began to think that the Lost Cause"
was not wholly lost-that what had been
lost by battle might be regained through
the balIot-box. With Johnson's implied
sanction, the legislatures of some of the
States in process of reconstruction passed
laws which in effect returned the freed
men to a condition of servitude. Such
action WAS in direct notification of the
law oe the land, and to meet the contin-
gency which had thus arisen, extraordi-
nary legislation had to be resorted to.
But that the ballot was given TO the freed
men as measure Of self-protection, it is
probable that no legislation SO radical
would have been passed. But the Dem
ocratic party could exist only by the ere
alton of prejudice. In prejudice and
misrepresentation lay its strong hold
And while compelling Congress to en-
franchise the negroes, as a measure for
their protection from being again reduced
to a state Of vassalage more CALLING il
possible than their old chains had been.
it made use of that prejudice of race 4
which is found in the lower order of
minds, to build itself into strength. 1t
owes its very existence to day to the pre-
judice against race which it has itself
created. The Democratic party has been
for years without national principle, ts
sole hope Of recognition as party lying
in the sins of omission or commission
of its adversary. And such it 10 to-day,
All that keeps it alive is The hope of car
rying united South by fraud and intim-
idaton, and by false pretenses of reform
to gain enough electoral votes in the
North to elect its candidates. Such is
the object of the Hamburg massacre
they hope to strike terror into the hearts
of the negroes of those States which are
yet held by the Republicans south of Ma.
son u Dixon's line, and force them into
the Democratic ranks as other States
have been forced in. And the system by
which Democratic majorities are made in
the South is sickening to every idea of
justice and right. Take the penal laws
of Texas ms a sample. II is made q fel.
ony TO commit crime which in other |
States is treated as a misdemeanor mere.
ly. The State prison is filled with ne
gro convicts who in this State would be
simply fined. But fine would not se-
cure the object sought, which is disfran-
chisement. II white man is convicted |
Of one Of these petty crimes he is pardon
ed and restored to citizenship. but negro
never. And If we can believe the evil
de1ces upon this point, il is enough to
accuse one of the hated race and con. |
viction is sure to follow. The penal laws
of Texas are such an efficient aid to De. |
that they are commencing
themselves to the party wherever they |
get the upper hand in other Southern |
States, and similar legislation followed |
the Democratic victory" in Mississippi, |
which gave them control Of the Legisia- |
ture OF that State.


Now this is hardly a party 10 which |
we can look for genuine reform. For
though we may question the wisdom of
that policy which enfranGhised a large
amount of ignorance. we can hardly rec