Year: 1876

SINGLETON.


Among the galaxy of peculiar stars that
the South has furnished to the present
Congress is Ohio R. Singleton, of Miss1s-
sippi. He was one of the secession mem
bers of the Thirty sixth Congress who left
with Lamar and Barksdale and Senators
JEFF Davis and Albert G. Brown in jan
uary, 1861, when "their State of Missis-
sippi seeded. They went to Montgomery
and assisted in forming the rebellious Con-
federacy. He is among the most phari-
saical of all the body in his religious pre-
tensions, and the most graceless in all his
practices in private as we'll as public life.
He was rebel of the blackest hue during
the war of treason, and gloried in every
occasion where he could imbue his hands
| in loyal blood. As traitor, he forfeited
every right except that of being hung.
His life was spared through mistaken Re
| publican clemency. He was restored to
citizenship by Republican votes in Con-
gress, and now fills seat in that body
through Republican generosity. Basest OF
| the base in ingratitude, he has fisunted his
treason in the face of this Government
upon every possible occasion with the
bravadO of highwayman, and insults the
| loyal sense of the country by yaunting his
contempt for the Government its interests,
| its laws, and its general welfare, in all
things not strictly in accord with his loose
and dangerous opinions relating to fealty
and administration.


The laws of reconstruction have no
strength with or respect from this MlsSis-
sippi traitor. The cOlored race are to him
slaves, and entitled to massacre unless they
vote the Democratic ticket They possess
no rights of opinion that are entitled to re-
spect from him or any of his blood thirsty
coadjutors in treason. The Hamburg mas
handed murderer of the best young men of
the North who stood by the Union and
the flag, over which he gloats morning,
noon and night. He is implacable, unprin-
cipled and brutal, as slavery and rebellion
have made him, and awaits, with hypo-
critical simper on his hardened face, for
another opportunity to gratify his brutal
propensities in a massacre of Republicans,
black or white, it makes very little differ
ence.


The bearing and utterances Of this par
doned rebel on the floor of Congress have
been as offensive as he has ability to make
them, and show that the laws and princi-
Piles of reconstruction have failed to reach
and transform his reasonable character.
This is one ofthe mistakes that the Repub-
licans have made. To provide amnesty
for him, or any of his peculiar kidney,
is to introduce into the body polite the
virus of treason and the elements of
another rebellion. 1t is only question of
time and opportunity when these graceless
rebels, still thIrstng for Northern blood
will be found with arms in their hands in
defense of the Lost Cause. The spirit is
rife now, but the fitting occasion to strike
has not yet been reached. Taese skulk-
ing traitors are now sneaking through
the corridors of the Capitol pretending to
be lOyal, when their, hearts are swelling
with rehellious emotions.


Until the opportunity for striking openly
again at the integrity Of the Union occurs
Singleton fills up the measure Of his wishes
and purposes IN cOunselng The murder of
black Republicans in Mississippi and the
persecution of white Republicans OF the
North. He is happy in either pc rform-
ance. AS an investigator. he has proved
himself what he was IN the war-a mar
row-minded, vindictive and unprincipled
tyrant and oppressOr in principle and prac-
tice. Without one ennObling impulse OF
heart; without any decent respect for the
amenities of life or the interests and rights
of those subjected to his tyranny, he vio
lates plighted faith, tramples upon the
dearest rights of mis- fellow men, and stoops
to gauge of conduct that is only reached
and followed by cowardice and brutality.


There is but one way to save the country
from desolation in the future, and that is
by placing the Government in the hands
of true men, who pstriotically love the
Union and the Constitution, and are ready
to place the power of the nation between
these vanquished insurgents and all future
power for mischief We presume that the
revolver and bowie-knIfe will return Sim
gleton to the Forty fifth Congress, for in
timid ltIon is Democratic success all through
the South. Should that be done, we feel
confident that he will be met by strong
Republican majority on the floor of the
House, which has been placed there by the
returning reason and patriotic promptings
of the people of the North.


Tne wanton disregard Of the proprieties
of common loyalty of feeling and septi
ment which has characterized the present
House strongly admOnishes the people of
the North of the impending danger. The
warning will not be lost. The danger is
seen, and will be averted. The South has
banded itself in solid phalanx under the
Democratic flag. Safety, therefore, lies
only on the path pursued by the North
during the dark days of rebellion, when
"a union of hearts and union of hands
at the North made common cause and
oa raJ ha nation