The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1867-11-07
Miscellaneous.
Party Unity.

Party Unity.
We hope that the result of the election
in California, a State in which the Union
majority is very large, will serve to show
the absolute necessity of party harmony.
The liberal party cannot fight within its
own ranks as well as with the common
enemy and yet win the victory. And so
we say to OUT friends in Massachusetts.
You have no right to disorganiZe the party
upon the issue Of prohibition; and you do
disOrganiZe it throughout the country in
dividing upon a foreign issue, when the
great common danger is Immediately be-
fore US. The imperative duty of the great
liberal Union party of the country is to
hold itself united and firm until after the
Presidential election. There is no epiSOdi-
cal question which can properly divert
our main question of national recOnstruc-
tion, and until that is virtually settled by
the election Of a wholly harmonious ad-
ministratiOn, it is of the nature of treason
to imperil by internal dissentiOns the re-
suits of the war. But these results can be
secured only by strict party organization
and action. Nothing is finally effected in
a popular system except by party agency.
Public opinion is the real power, but it
acts through parties. Party is the glass
which congresses the rays to the burning
point; and whoever in this country sneers
at parties, shows his perilOus ignorance of
the necessary methods of political action
under our Government. Nor was there
ever a time when this truth was more evil
dent. The full disaster of Mr.. LinCOln's
murder begins now to appear. The New
York World lately labOred to prove that
Mr.. johnson was faithfully following the
course of Mr.. Lincoln. But, to say moth
ing more, the striking difference between
them is, that Mr.. Lincoln always deferred
to the will Of the people in Congress, while
Mr.. johnson defes it. Had Mr.. Lincoln
lived, he would have co-Operated with Con-
gress, and reconstruction would have been
already far advanced. But under the
chaotic administration of Mr.. Johnson, we
are still, after more than two years, to de-
eide whether the war was fought in vain.
If the Republican party remains in un-
questioned power, the Union will be re-
stored upon principles approved by all
loyal men. If the De Dtmocratic party could
succeed, the rebel States would return
upon terms dictated by rebels. Nor do
we, therefore, accuse individual Demo-
Gratis. We do not charge, and never have
charged, all those who vote with the Dem
OcratiC party with sympathy for rebels
and rebellion. But we do charge the
Democratic party, as a party, with the re-
sponsibility of being to-day, as it was six
years ago and during the war, the hope of
all who are disafTected tOthe Union and
the Government.
The welfare of the country and the
peaceful development of our liberties and
progress depend, therefore, upon the defeat
of that party. But that can be achieved
only by the Republican organization and
to depreciate action at this time is either
ignorantly or wontOnIy to triie with the
| permanence of the Government, which is
the hope Of civilizatiOn.-[ [Harper's
Weekly.