The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-30
Shall We Abandon the Union Republican
OIUaniZatinn2

OTganiZatiOnf
THE object of the Philadelphia Conven ION, as
avowed by those who have been instrumental in
getting it up is to inaugurate such measures as
shall lead to transfer OF the political power of
the nation from the Union Republican party to
some other organization. The people are asked
to believe that the organization through which
they acted in conducting the Government during
the perilous hours of rebellion is no longer
worthy of their confidence. They are asked to
take the settlement OF the vast and momentOus
questions growing out of our late civil war out
of the hands of the party which carried that
war to an honorable and successful conclusion,
and to entrust it to other and far different
hands.
Upon this proposition we might remark, IN the
fret place, that if such a change is TO be made,
there should be very grave and weighty reasons
therefor.
The Union party Is vast and powerful orga.
nization. 1t comprises within its ranks a very
large majority of all the persons who, in our
late dreadful civil contest were the open, per.
sistent, and efficient friends of the Union. Its
leaders and representatives are among the ablest,
most experienced, and most skilful statesmen of
our country. They are men who, for the most
phII, nave DGcu many years Ill puDllC lie, are
familiar with the routine of government, and
are skilled in the details of practical legislation.
Moreover, they are very generally men who
have made the conflicting ideas and principles
which underlie the vital questions of the hour
their lifelong study.
Still further, the principles of the Union Re.
publican party are contessedly liberal. They
are dist'nctiuely American. They are the logical
outgrowth Of the fundamental ideas of all gov
ernment by the people. If free institutions are
really possible; ii the enjoyment of equal
political rights by the people Is all feasible;
II trae democracy is ever attainable; if
self-government is something of which
the people, as distinguished from favored
classes, are truly capable, e,-then, most GER
tainly, the principles of the Republican party
are the true and only ones upon which all these
things can be realized. 1t would be absurd to
expect liberal policy Of governmental action
from party which makes no pretensions to libe-
raj ideas. Itwould be preposterous to look for
protection of the peoples rights from party
that believes only in the rights of special and
favored classes. Men are surely never better
than their professions. Our "ConservasIves,n
as they delight to call themselves, profess not to
believe in equal rights. They scout at the idea
of true democracy. What to us are glorious and
inspiring truths, worth striving after and, if
necessary, dying for, are to them mere "abstrac
tions," or, at the best, only "gltterng generali-
ties.n How, then. can we look to such party
to help further on the great work of human pro-
gress and well-being? How can we expect them
to assist us in realizing in this country those
noble ideas of government which have been
cd AAur, hosy1 l.,
the Fathers of the Republic? Do men gather
grapes OF thOrDs or tgs OF thistles!
Once more-the Union Republican party has
a grand and inspiring history. Its record is
brilliant and glorious. Political annals may be
searched in vain for parallel instance, where q
party, in the short space of five years, has in AL
gurated so many great and benefcent measures
ofpublic policy. The admission of Kansas; the
Homestead law; the Pacific Railroad act; free
dom in the Territories; freedom at the Capital
and finally, by Constitutional amendment, free
dom throughout the land; the Civil Right,
laval of these constitute q series of great
public acts with which any man or set of men.
may be proud to have their names associated
Compared with these benefcent measures inau-
gurated by the party Of freedom, how do such
things as the Missouri COMPROMISE. the GAG
Resolutions, the Fugitive Slave bill, the Le-
compton swindle, and the bred Scott decision
stand out as lurid landmarks along the pathway
of our national history!
But the crowning glory of the Union Repub
lican party is that it carried the country safely
through the perils of civil war. 1t found the
governmental edifce in flames, and 1t put them
out. The successful administration of so great
Government as ours in time of peace even is
a difficult affalr-how vastly more difficult in
the midst of internal convulson and armed
rebellion
Such is the Union Republican party in its
organization, its principles, and its history. Is
there aught in either to make any man who has
ever honestly belonged 10 it desiIe to leave it {!
II party devotion is ever allowable, is it not
herel And what good reason can now be offered
TO any true Union man why he should leave an
organization which has proved itself so wise, so
useful, 70 patriotic in the past' II the men
who love the Union, and have stood by it in the
day of trial, and have perled life and spent
property in its service, cannot nOW save it, will
those who hate it and have been seeking to
overthrow be likely to do Sc? Are the people
ready to commit their destinies and those
of their children into the hands of the
men who fought to destroy the Union
on the one hand, or declared the
war in its defense failure on the other
What is there in the past history of dough faces
and prOslaverY Conservatives, and Copperheads,
and Rebel sympathizers, and Rebels themselves,
that should make us ANXIOUS lust now to put the