Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-07-03
Q)bIo Statesrlr;a;I1rt. N
[From the New York Herald, June 3Ol
The National Convention and the
Issue at the Next Elections.

The National Convention and the
Issue at the Next Elections.
The call for National Conventions tc
meet at Philadelphia in August, has al
ready done some good, no matter what
may be the fate of the Convention itself
The Generalization of the Republican par.
| ty is now so evident that nobody can affect
| ignorance of the fact. This call has torn
away the veil. of sophistry by which the
Republican politicians have sought to con
ceal their dissensions from the people, and
everybody can now see what rotten, dis
organized and moribund body the once
powerful Republican party really is. II
will be impossible to go before the people
at the next elections with any of the old
\ pretenses of harmony afterthis remarkable
revelation of discord and antagonism. The
Republican party, like huge monopoly, is
| falling to pieces from its own corruption
1t has no strength outside of Congress. In
no State election since the war has it dared
to meet the questions at issue boldly and
sincerely. During the war it lodged all
responsibility and palliated all offenses by
pleading the military necessity for its con-
tinuance in power. Since the war it has
still talked wildly of "copperheads," ''loy-
atty" "traitors" and other catchwords to
| deceive and delude the voters. Butat last
it has been broken up by its,own members,
and the coming elections will probably
seal its fate.
When we look at the present Congress we
behold the Republican party as it exists in
its moral and political degeneracy. A more
corrupt body than this Congress never dis
| graced any country. 1t is one immense,
concentrated, detestable job from begin
ming to end. 1t is composed of men who
made dishonest fortunes during the war
of bogus Generals, who killed only theiI
own men; of knavish contractors, who
purchased their seats in order to continue
their robberies of the Treasury; of raving
fanatics, who ought to be in Bedlam; Of
small politicians, whose only ambition is t.
steal enough money to build house; oil
foolish philosophers, who love to air theiI
theories, but who have not single practi-
cal idea; and of weak-minded members
| who are entirely under the control of the
| iobbers in the lobby and are paid accord
| ingly. The very few good men in it are
but the exceptions that prove the rule, and
their purity makes the immortality of the
majority all the blacker by the contrast
Legislation in this Congress is great game
of grab. We seek in vain for any measure
based upon true principles of public policy
they are all instigated by private cliques
from the meanest motives of political or
personal aggrandfzement. The Jay Cooke
scheme, the Montana bill, the educational
| job, the Freedmen'S Bureau swindle, the
Mexican loans, the tremendous frauds OF
| the National Bank system, and the eX-
| tortions of a tariff designed to impoverish
| the rest of the country for the benefit of
New England aud Pennsylvania, are in
stances of this kind of legislation. Over
two hundred millions of dollars are intend
ed to be squandered in these measures
alone, and the suffering taxpayers are COM
| PEELED TO endure such enormous eXpendi-
lures, which are of no possible service to
the nation. Thus the national debt is con-
| stantly increased, in spite of the repres. n
| tations of the Secretary of the Treasury,
and before long it will become, not a ma
tional blessing" but national curse.
Yet this Congress, such as it is, COM
prises the Republican party of the present
day. With the members we have described,
with legislation completely controlled by
jObbing or political schemers, with debates
that seldom rise above blackguardism, and
with policy which simply consists in the
cowardly and unconstitutional exclusion of
the Southern States for partisan objects, it
continues to defy public sentiment and is
only, anxious to prolong its existence as
and no friends. Even the Radical office
holders distrust its power to protect them,
and are ready to turn upon it at any mo-
ment. The people are disgusted with it.
The tax'cOllectors are presenting the very
strongest arguments against it. When it
dies the Republican party, which has be-
come identified with it, must die also. This
party, organized upon platform which
promised economy, has been more extrav-
agant and corrupt than the party which it
superseded. Once loyal to the Union, it
has originated new breed of disunion-
lists, led by Messrs. Stevens and Sumner.
The so called party of reform, it now needs
athorough reformation. 1t professed to be
imbued with moral ideas, but has become
notorious for disreputable pratices. During
the war 1t cloaked its crimes with LOYALTY:
but now that the war is over, it stands eX-
posed in all its depravity to the eyes of the
people. In word, its mission is accomplish
ed and 1t must give place to another and bet
ter party. Whether the party of the future is
to be built up under the auspices of the
Philadelphia National Convention is, how
ever, a different question. That Conven-
ton seems TO be rather an attempt to fright
en- the Radicals by making formidable
diversion than a genuine and spontaneous
popular movement. The politicians con-
cerned may at any time back out it, as
Wade and Greeley gave up their idea of
Cleveland Convention against Lincoln.
Still it is too soon to predict precisely what
will happen. The Republican party itself
started from much more insignificant be-
ginning. If all Conservative men, irrespee-
tive of party, will unite at the Congression-
al elections, make opposition to the present
Congress the sole issue, and elect candidates
pledged to thorough reform, something
may be done in the way of a newparty be-
fore the Presidential canvass, especially if
President johnson plays his trump cards of
a dismissal of his Cabinet and demand for
Canada or the Alabama claims. Under this
Congress, or another like it, we should be
forced to general reputation to save our
selves from moneyed oligarchy. This is
the danger to be feared and the issue for the
Congressional elections. But the proposed
convention, whatever may be the sequel,
has done the country service by removing
all pretenses of concord in the Republican
ranks. III