Year: 1875

State-rights problem. But II, as is proba-
bic, the Democrats are defeated in Ohio
next October, the hard.money element Of
that party will assert its strength and make
struggle for supremacy in the National
Convention. We repeat. then, that as
regards many questions, and particularly
as regards the finances, it is unsafe at this
juncture to make any prediction as to the
character Of the platforms of 1876. The
probabilities are, however, that the Re-
publicans will stand by the action OF the
last Congress in preparing the way for
specie resumption, while the Democrats
will be torn with dissensions, prolonged
squabbles in committee, and possibly with
votes in the convention itself, on the ques-
ton of imitation.


At the same time, as we have said, there
will be no serious division of opinion in
either convention on the question of the
rights of States. The Democrats will re-
sort to platitudes. will moisten their plank
on this subject with conciliatory tears, and
no doubt succeed in restraining the unre-
constructed Southern lre-eaters from the
expression of their honest opinions, while
they denounce the Republicans or Radicals
for alleged cruel tyranny over the Southern
States. This deceptive balderdash will be
so worded as to form the basis of appeals
on the stump to the magnanimity of gen.
erous, forgiying and conquering North.
But at the dictation of the Southern dele
gates, the Southern State governments, as
administered under so-called carpet-bag
rule, will be denounced, and numberless
false allegations of corruption will be made.
Behind all this, however, and at the same
dictation, strong believer in State Rights,
a man like Senator Thurman, or, possibly
though not probably, a man like Governor
Hendricks, will be placed in nomination as
candidate to be President. The Vice Pres
idential candidate will be of the same kid
ney, though his professions will not be of
such significant importance. In this way,
through the candidates, the Southern De-
mocracy will gain all it may seek, while
the Northern wing Of the party-the men
who may believe that the results of the war
are safe-will be placated by the empty and
meaningless verbiage Of cooked and dried
platform.


On the other hand, in the Republican
convention, the Southern delegates will in
sist that the declaration of principles in the
platform and the character, record and be-
lief of the candidates shall be thoroughly
in accord with the time-honored faith of the
party. There may be some difference of
opinion regarding the success of the recon
struction acts, but that will be overshad-
owed by the imperative duty of sustaining
the objects for which they were enacted,
which were the enfranchisement of the
blacks and the realization of the principle
of freedom and equality by every citizen
in every section of the country. Maintain
ing, as they do, the only safe nucleus
around which the party can rally for the
preservation of its consistency, the South.
ern Republicans will lay down the political
law and gospel to such of their Northern
cotemporaries as may have strayed away
from the straightforward path of duty, and
will succeed in restoring the entire party to
q uniform regard for the past. For the fu-
ture they will provide additional safeguards
in the way of solemn assurances that each
and every one of the pledges of the party
to protect the humblest citizen in the exer-
else of his rights shall be redeemed. There
is no boast in this prediction, and no un-
certainty. 1t is therefore Of importance to
those who are interested, either as ambi-
tious candidates, or who simply seek the
welfare of the party at large, that they
shall begin without delay to study the con-
dition and wants of the South No man
who does not conform to these facts and
shape his course in accordance with these
predictions can expect to be recognized
either as successful leader in the conven-
ton or as one having solid claims as can
didate. We speak advisedly when we say
that the Southern Republicans are bent
upon this policy, and that no amount of
coaxing or jugglery will prevent them from
pursuing it. They believe that with them
resides the responsibility of preserving the
Republic as well as the consistency of the
party. A word to the wise is sufficient.