Year: 1876

The Solid South.


What does this mean i'm the pending
| election Directly. il means that the
Southern white people. by a very large
| preponderance OF numbers are expected


this fall to vote for the Democratic tick
ct, and carry nearly all. il not all, the
Southern States, for Tilden and Hen
| bricks Two or three Northern States
being added, the Democratic party would
/ again come into national power, mainly
/ 10y the votes Of the solid South Such
\ Is the present theory OF Democracy, and
such the direct meaning at the phrase
IL so happens that the men who com
I pose this solid South" have a history
! that one need not look very far back to
/ lind. They constitute substantially the
very South that rebelled against this
/ Government, and took arms 10 destroy
the Union and that, too without just
provocation. and for one OF the foulest
purposes that ever characterized any
great struggle They are the men whom
the Government had to conquer, at an
enormous sacrifice OF life and treasure
They were united in demanding for sla-
very equal rights with liberty; and, when
they were conquered by the sheer force
OF arms, they were equally united in re-
sIsting all the measures deemed necessa-
ry to guarantee the proper results of the
war. The hostility To negro suffrage. the
persistent effort to cyade the require
ments OF the Constitution on this sub
ject, the whole system OF intimidation,
violence, and murder. to prevent negroes
from voting, the Ku-Klux Klans. that
but recently rioted and spread terror
through the South-these and the like
facts have had their dwellingp place, their
power of existence and action in this
solid South They are Democratic
facts; and, so far as they have existed,
they have lived and breathed and had
their being by the Southern Democratic
hands. There is no use in mincing
words on this point.


We do not by any means wish TO say
that every Southern Democrat is an as
sassin or disloyal to the Government;
but we do design to say, what the facts
prove, that Southern Democracy got up
the Rebellion, and this same Southern
Democracy have politically furnished the
men who have done the things to which
we refer. Ii absorbs into its own bosom
and retains there the enemies OF equal
rights. AS a party. and as a solid
South" il is not today, and for the last
sixteen years has not been, in sympathy
with the prevalent political views oi the
North and West IL j. an organized pn.
litical power. hoping to succeed. and
thereby take possession OF the Govern
ment. by drawing into their service a
lew Northern or Western States. Give
il New York aud Indiana. or Indiana
with two or three of the smaller states
at the North, and the solid South" is
again political dynasty, seated in
Washington. and with the great powers
of the Government in its hands It is
quite true that both Tilden and Hen
bricks are Northern men yet they hap.
pen to belong to that class Of men that
were called "Copperheads" during the
war, and "Doughiaces' at an earlier date
There is nothing in their history and
nothing in their principles to make them
unacceptable to the solid South, or. it
in power. to prevent them from becom-
ing the plant servitors Of its purposes.
And Northern Democracy. as a party.
stands in about the same position.


We may regret this state OF things a.
much as we please. We may think it
very undesirable that section should be
politically arrayed against section IN this
country. Yet such is the fact, and IL is
with the fact that we have to deal IT,
moreover presents to the people who
sustained the Government and put down
the Rebellion the grave question wheih
er it Is expedient or safe TO hand over
the administration and control OF this
Government to those who either sought
to destroy il, or sympathized with those
who made the effort IL presents the
grave question whether Samuel j. Til
den, the Copperhead during the war,
with political history entirely accepta-
ble to the solid South" or Rutherford
b. Hayes, the soldier who fought TO save
the Union and whose principles are those
OF the great body of Northern and
Western people shall be the next Pres
ident OF the United States. 1t presents
the grave question whether the party
that carried the country safely through
a great struggle. or the party one section
of which inaugurated the Rebellion and
the other section of which, as a political
organization, was treacherous and false
in the day Of peril, shall take charge oi
our national affairs.


The facts thrust these questions upon
the people, and make them living ques-
tions, To be determined at the next elec-
tion The solid South says. w ac-
cept the issue, and mean to win the day
We ruled the Government before the
war, and we mean to rule it again.
This attitude leaves no other course as
expedient or wise except that Of solid
North" IL was n nearly united North
that saved the Government. and tue du-
~ Of that North now is to keep 1t out Of
the hands OF those who sought its de
structiOn. The white people OF the
Southern States should be distinctly
taught that so long as they ally them
selves together for the purpose OF ma
tional political control, aud the Demo
cratic party should be taught that so long
as it makes solid South the chief
pillar OF its hope, the people OF the North
will trust neither the one nor the other.
This is one OF the lessons which the elec-
ton OF Gov Hayes will read IN the
hearing of both Until this lesson Is
thoroughly learned, it will be best To
keep both in the condition Of political
quarantine Fumigation and cleansing
for another four years may, perhaps
change the facts; but for the present
they are the things IN order.


An Amusing Decision.