The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-03-10
Strong Enough for free Discus
sion

AT mass meeting the other day in Hart.
ford, Conn, General Hawley, the Repubh
can candidate for Governor Of that State,
said
"They will tell US we are divided. ! know
we are but we are strong enough to bear
division without losing sight of our principles
We have the manliness TO discuss measures,
and when the beet is chosen, the courage to
carry it out. Applause. We have the
wisdom TO tolerate differences of opinion
within our ranks, and to argue to satisfactory
decisions We should care nothing for tenn
porary division, so long as we are satisfied
with the integrity OF our party. We can bear
patiently with all men who differ on minor
questions. | have seen during the progress
of a fierce battle fellow soldiers passing TO
blows, yet never ceasing their deadly fire
upont the common enemy. Great applause.
This is sense, truth and wisdom Those
who allow themselves to become panic strick.
en- when differences arise in the Republican
party, are evidently ignorant of the fact that
the bond ofunion of that party is intelligence
and not ignorance. The Democratic party
held its dominance by reason of the stolidity
of its lower ten thousands, while its leaders
were held together by the cohesive power of
public plumber" The ''Democracy' of this
country, like the Brahminism of Hindostan,
Ignorant and superstitious 1t is only within
a very few years that our foreign population
and the lowest strata of our natives have be-
come sufficiently disabused of the decisions
that eetrapped them in the specious sound.
ing name of Democracy" to think and vote
with some intelligence ON political questions.
For years and years the Democratic party
owed Its ascendency to the blind devotion of
the unread and unretecting, who swallowed
the name without suspectng the nature of
the party they espoused.
And il was not III til the leaders of the De.
mocracy fell out and parted, that the riff raft
multitude that followed them ever seemed TO
suspect that the Democracy of the North was
in utilization with the aristocracy of the South,
and that the former had, for a quarter of
century, been doing the dirty work of the
latter. But when light broke in dissensions
broke out The parting of the ways was the
breaking of the clouds. As soon as any free
discussion was tolerated in the Democratic
party, the party went to pieces. 1t could
stand any amount of assaults, but not ray
OF light. While the leaders were united in
their pohcy OF deception, the followers were
unit IN the policy of subserviencv
But tins was never true of any other party.
and it Is especially untrue of the party now.
and for the last five years, in the ascendency.
While the Democratic party could not survive
with free discussion in its camp, the Repub.
hcan party could not survive the suppression
OF free discussion. And while the first svlla
BILE of difference in opinion may be the knell
OF doom to the Democracy, the party now OBJ
posing II may be lively with the utmost d.
versity OF opinion, without in the least effect.
ing It's future success. So that we see no oc.
casion Tor alarm concerning our unity in any
DIVISIONS that have yet made their appear.
snce. General Hawley is right: We are
strong enough TO bear division without losing
sight OF our principles; we have the wisdom to
tolerate differences of opinion within o,r
ranks, and at the same time to kean m 49,
ire on the enemy.
We are about to have few skirmishes with
that enemy, and until we receive the tid;nas
OF our defeat IN Connecticut and Indiana. We
snail continue as firm as ever in the conv;c
ton that the Republican ranks are unbroken
and that they will remain so, whatever NAV
be the relations between Congress and the
President. 'N 'Aio
Liberty OF speech is a cardinal plank in our
platform, and We keep our feet upon it now
as hrmly as OF yore. And another plank of
our platform Is, In essentials, unity; in non.
essentials, charity; and upon this plank also
do we stand. Meanwhile we are master Of
the situation, which includes the White House
and both Houses ofCongress. We have only
to say our say, keep cool, and above all
things, keep the rebels out of power. and
their late slaves free, and the Demscracv will
stay where they have been put, and the Re.
puDhc Will be safe. Chicago Journal.