The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-05-13
Ehe Alleged Instability Of RePubIies.

7,hs aTs.s.,efl TrIsfabilfty Of Hepublics.
That the republican is an unstable form
Of government Is an old charge. Hither-
70 the question involved in The charge has
been treated chiefly as question belonging |
to speculative politics. for the reason that
she tsachings of histOryreFpecting it sresO
nesgre and unsatisfactory. Some of the
governments of antiquity were called re-
publican, though in their essential features
they differed widely from what we nov
understand BY that term Hence, in dis
cussing the relative degree Of republics
security, as compared with a mOnsrchy's,
the argument has been on both sides little
from experience and ls=gelY from the ns-
ture of things. But tue h hstory of our four
vesFs' war is full Of lessons, and not the
least important is that concerning the issue
above stated.
50 soon IS our civil war broke out, the
unonarchists of Europe made no attempt
10 conceal their joy. The simultsneOusex-
clsmstion of the English press was, "The
bubble has burst" while they invariably
wound up their leaders with the consoling
reflection, ave told you So" Strange
that even obdurate John Bulls could not
see that the only thing that threaUened, or
had threatened, our security, was the single
element of slsvery-the only anti-republi-
an element in our pOlity.
AZ pertinent to the consideration of this
subject, we state the following particulars:
L The energy and prOmptness dis
played by our Government in patting
down the rebellion. True, it has been
very hard and long struggle, but
the work has been lOeLL done. We
hazard nothing in saying in view of the
number and resources of the rebels COM
pared with the number and resources Of
the loyal part of the Union, no so formida-
bic rebellion was ever so speedily crushed.
And how quickly the vast fabric went to
pieces when the work of disintegration had
once begun Just as knocking the key
stone from an arch leaves it no longer an
arch but hesp of stones and mortar, SO
she capture of General Lees army left but
the fragments of once potent contederacY.
And all this has been accomplished with
out the forfeiture of single principle of
our government. Despite the murmurs at
theso-called arbitrary" proceedings, where
in history, in time of war, can we hnd so
little even of that 2 Gays DR.. Lieber, than
whom no one is more competent to give an
opinien: 81 can advisedly affirm that never
yet has there been any civil war, nor even
any ordinary war, in which the govern
ment has tolerated the thOussndth part Of
shst liberty which the enemies of the gov
ernment and the friends of those enemies
enjoy among us"
II. When cur stauuch English friend
Goodwin Smith was in this country during
the last Presidential canvass and election,
the quiet and good order with which both
passed off made so deep an impression upon
his mind, that, in one of his letters TO an
English journal, he made it the subject Of
especial comment. And, We're we not so
familiar with similar occurrences, could we
but separate ourselves from the political at
mosphere that constantly surrounds us,
that event could hardly fail to strike us with
equal force. Considering that the nation
had been four years engaged in an internal
struggle of the greatest violence, consider
ing the passions manifested by so many
citizens, the Presidential election Of 1864
may justly be regarded one of the political
wonders of history.
III. But the last consideration will, at
this time, strike the mind with greatest
force. We refer to the assassination of
Mr.. Lincoln and the Inauguration Of Mr..
johnson. Mr. Lincoln dies at twenty-five
minutes past seven in the morning. The
news is flashed over continent, producing
nstonishment and sorrow, but not turmoil
and disturbance. At eleven Mr.. johnson
receives the oath OF office from the Chief
Justice, and the wheels of government
move on without the slightest cessation or
friction. Had = similar event transpired
in France what might have bsen the con-
sequence2 Should Louis Napoleon be
shot in the theatre tonight, the cutters of
Paris might swim with eorpses tomorrow.
In time of peace we might entertain the
most anxious forebOdings; how much more
anxious had France been torn with in
testine war for four years2 The same is
true, to less extent Of other European
powers. In England there is the least
danger, for the noteworthy reason that
England is fresst Hereafter who shall
say that Republics are Of necessity un-
stable government.
General Mulford, United States OJm-