Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 October 1885 — Chickens Come Home to Roost. [ARTICLE]

Chickens Come Home to Roost.

The Democratic advantage that worries the Republicans so much is having the solid South, which they envy, bemoan, and curse. It worries them the more, knowing it was in their power to have this advantage themselves, and that they recklessly cast it away as a thing too despicable for them/ They did seek to solidify her for themselves, and were sanguine of success, but made the blunder of selecting carpet-bag-gers and scalawags, white and black, as their agents to execute so imposing a task. These did make her solid, but not for their master. Having failed with the South, the Republicans then tried to solidify the North, and failed with her, too. We see, therefore, that they cannot solidify either North or South for themselves, though effective in such work for the Democracy. The Democracy having received a formidable element of strength from the Republicans, are duly grateful for the great favor, especially as they know they could never have given it themselves. The Democrats accepted it in good faith, and now that it has turned out so good, the Republicans demand that it be broken up and big pieces given back to them. The Democracy find it too good to give back a particle, and hold with Lady Bray that when a real good thing be thrust on you, keep it. In ridding themselves of it, the Republicans should have thought of its prospective value and preserved it well for themselves, which they could so easily have done. Not having done it confirms what was already known of them—total lack of statesmanship, and even of sagacity. When the rebellion ceased the South was utterly prostrate at their feet. They dominated in every branch of the Government, doing as they pleased irrespective of the constitution or aught else. The misery of the South at that time made her long for charity. With absolute power in their hands, and with such a victim under their feet, it was easy for them then, by show of a little charity, such as Christians are wont to show the vanquished, to conciliate her and attach her solidity to themselves, as she is now to the Democracy ; but madness ruled them, and being then, now, ever, purely sectional—conceived, born, and bred in sectionalism—their sectional hate would tolerate no prayer for charity to their helpless victim. With barbaric glee they let loose, and upheld with military, swarms of ravenous knaves, known as carpetbaggers and scalawags, to victimize still further their victim already crushed with every woe. The crimes of these knaves, and their mockeries of legislation, of justice, of government, are a glaring blot on the nineteenth century; and against this madness the Democracy, being powerless, could do no more than entreat, and as Christians they could do no less. Their humble entreaties were met with vile epithets and opprobrium. With a barbaric goad, the Republicans drove the South to take refuge, for her life, in solitude and in the nationality of the Democracy. What else could the victim have done, or where else have gone? Having solidified the South in the Democracy, they now howl like injured

innocence at their own work. Sloli conduct is worthy only of carpet-bag-gers and scalawags. Habituated to violation of laws of the land, they believe they could violate with impunity those of nature too. They got a set of demons, black, grizzle, red, to set solidly on an egg, and thought, by such a combination, to get a powerful, supernatural rooster that would give them constant triumph; but the egg, true to itself and to Democratic warning, gave a very natural chicken that comes home to roost, but walks only in the good neighbor’s yard, where there are no bad children to trouble him. Cause will have effect, and the best way to remove a disagreeable effect is to remove the cause. Republican sectionality being the parent of Southern Democratic solidity, all that is required to get rid of the latter is to get rid of the former. If the Republicans be truly patriotic they will make this sacrifice—disband and reform in nationality—which is, of coarse, Democratic domain; but the Democracy is generous and will grant them broad margin on their good soil. —lndianapolis Sentinel.