The Portland daily press., 1867-07-03
REPUBLICAN NOMINATION.
The Party Of crea, Moral Ideas.
OF BRUNSWICK.

OF BRUNSWICK
The Party of Great Moral Ideas.
The conservatives-a euphemstic term for
Copperheads which we use apropos of the 'era
OF good feeling that Mr.. johnson spoke of In
a recent speech-have not few curious logi-
c ans among them. Some of their non seQui-
rs are as ludicrous, as that OF the Irishman,
who thought to rebut the testimony of two
witnesses, who saw him steal pig, by intro
dlcing ten ofhis friends who could swear nos
itively that they didn't see him do it. In the
natter we have in mind, the reasoning of the
| Democratic editors Is as inconsequential as
that of Patrick. Republicans claim that their
| party is one OF great moral ideas. The oppo-
| sition press attempts to refute the claim BIZ
showing the personal unworthiness of one in
| ten thousand of its members. A detaulting
treasurer Is a perfect godsend to them. A
| corrupt legislator adds almost as much to
their stock In trade as an Ill behaved negro
But it is when they learn Of Radical clergy
man in Massachusetts,, Idaho or California,
who has w.nked at pretty girl, or been gull
ty of some other unspeakable wickedness, that
these prurient prudes enjoy seasons OF exquis-
it's bliss. "How about the party of moral
ideas no,v 2" they triumphan.ly ask; "Rev.
Mr.. Hippo Critic, the eminent Radical divine
OF Smiths Cross Roads, Nebraska, has knock
ed his wife over with Bible and kept his lit
tie girl on bread and water for six months p'-
Upon so small an induction Of facts do they
found their conclusions. It Is most unior-
tunate thing for them that white man issup-
posed to have been an accomplice in the Au-
burn murder. Had 1t been otherwise, they
would have sprung to their feet as one man
and made vigorous efor. to carry the State
on this, to their minds, conclusive evidence
that all negroes are fiends. E.J sIi e.Ds
That there are corrupt Legislators and hypo-
critical ministers in the Republican ranks ad-
mits of no question. If the number of these
bad men was largely d'spIoportionste to the
whole membership Of the party, there would
not be quite 20 much folly in concluding that
the claim to correctness ofpolitical sentiment
is unfounded. But such Is by no means the
case. The New York Legislature Is bought
soregularly and so much as matter Of course
that it would not seem strange to see 1t re-
ported in the prices current, with the senators,
assemblymen, city members, Bufalonians, AL
banians, metropolitans, &c, quoted a: the res
spectve figures at which they are selling
This wholesale venality embraces perhaps
more Republicans than Democrats, because
there are more of them, but the proportion
Of the latter who are in the market has been
shown to be greater than that OF the former,
and so little do members Of the dominant par
ty regard the misfeasances of individuals as
affecting the theoretical correctness Of the par
ty views, that their own organs are the firstto
expose and condemn the corruption of Re-
publican legislature. H' "i -i
/ But all this is aside from the question
Whether IDEAS are moral or not can only be
determined by considering what they are, and
not by an analysis of the character of the in
diyiduals who embrace them. Why not say
If the latter circumstance is any criterion,
that the churches to which the wicked clergy |
belong, are hopelessly infidel9 N u
The Republican party has carried two
presidential elections. The "idea" which cal |
led 1t into existence, upon which it suffered |
defeat in 1S58and triumphed In 1980,was oppo-
sition to the further extension of sldrery. In |
1864, the course of events having decided the
former issue in its favor, the idea which Sc
cured 1t second triumph was the preserra-
tion of the Union at all hazards, and the |
guaranty of freedom to the black man, as an
actjust in Itself, and the most efficient means
Of az complishfng the main purpoie Resist
aDce to slavery propagandism, with which
the party started on its great mission, is so
thoroughly Christian idea that anything
short OF 1t now seems consistent only with the
grossest barbarism. 1t was disinteIested.
Slavery made men rich. If it was valuable to
the Southerner in the territories, the Yankee,
with all his shrewdness and love of gain,
could have turned it to equally good account.
II it contributed to the welfare of the whole
country, he could not fail TO share in the gen.
eral prosperity. The Northern sentiment did
not grow out Of hatred or jealosy Oh the South,
for even aftera war which would naturally
give rise to the most vrndictive passions, the
Abolitionists and Republicans of the North
have taken the lead in relieving the sufferings
of their subjugated foes. As to the central
idea OF the loyalists in 1854, the only question
that will arise is whether It was peculiarly
that OF the Republican party. This the Con-
servatives deny. They claim that during the
struggle their devotion to the Union was as
sincere and active as that of their antagonists.
But the Chicago convention, its managers
and its platform have passed into history with
the records of the Baltimore convention of
the same year.
ed the second issue in favor of "the party of
moral IDEAS" Since the close Of the war, tax
ing step in advance, Republicans have de-
clared for impartial suffrage. This is the
idea upon which they viii rely to carry them
VIGOROUSLY through their third national cam
paign. The question Of the proper treatment
Oft the Southern States Is collateral to the
main issue which Republicans everywhere
present. Reconstruction Is givena more
prominent place in the party platforms than
the abstract principle Of manhood suffrage,
because the one viii be decided by the result
of the conflict over the other. Manhood suff
rage is a greatsidea because It is the question
which is now particularly engaging the at
tention of legislators of nearly every constitu-
tional government In the world; 1t is moral
idea because tits q corallory of the two others
the triumph of which has more than all else
vindcated our American civilization, and be-
cause its intrinsic merits commend 1t to the
favorable consideration Of all the prominent
reformers and philanthropIsts of this age
Freedom in the territories, emancipation,
national integrity and impartial suffrage are
the ideas which a party that has not been
many years in existence has made the basis
of its efforts. II it is destined to suffer defeat
on the last, the rest will be sufficient for the
glory Of its history, and will bring it into fav-
orable contrast with that other party which
has ever held the converse OF them ALL
Our Custom Houses and Collectors.