The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-01-17

The bitter war Of words which engaged the
Republican press Of Illinois pending the set
Element Of the Senatorial question: war
which doubtless had parallels in the other
States where Senators have been electeAF
may have alarmed, or been regretted BY the
timid. We have no sympathy with such
alarms or such regrets. That sterling Re-
p.slieaa ossaa, sss isstaass, ~ Chiaeas
Republioan, gave, preceding the election,
reason upoa reason WY Senator TauxBuLL
shosld not b. slsetsd, and Why Gen. PAlAEs
should be. We are glad TRuxsuLI- vas
elected We are equally glad, if the RepNbF
can didn't wish his election. it should say sos
and give the reasons.
The Republican party must walk eircum-
specify. Its very powsrM may become ito
weakness. Its danger is from within, not
from without. In nearly sll the loyal States
and in the nation, nomination by the party
| is equivalent to an election. Here then come
internal contests, harmless If nationally and
purely conducted, which may, however, lead
TO corruption and consequent disintegration.
The party must look with as impartiaily just
| An eve upon its own members as it would
look upon the members of an opposition
marty. Nominations are disintegrating
forces; elections, political campaigns rather,
are consolidating forces. 1t isn't difficult to
tell which is the most to be feared. As
between war against a foreign power, and
civil war, every one knows which Is prefera'
BILE.
| We like the process Of showing up LYMAN
TRrMBuLL, or any other man thatc ONES with
q record, and asks endorsement and respon>
sible Office at the hands Of our party. His
record will bear showing up, or it will not
If it will no one need fear, and if it will not,
none more than our party should know it.
The Interior object of party is not merely
party success. II it does not strive best to
conserve Government, popular right and the
popular good, it deserves to perish. Demo
cracy became so attached to party that it
swore BY hickory bark long after the gen
uine hickory wooden body and heart was
gone. 1t sat party above country, and when
it came to il as an issue fairly reduced down
to the Union or the Democracy, its eontor-
tons in making its choice were excruciating,
and then 1T chose party. Such devotion tp
any mere party organization prepares the
way for faction. and then for demagogue$,
and for ambitious usurpers OF political powet,
and the overthrow OF liberty among the peo-
pie. The Republican party must keep of
the breakers wherein Democracy was
! wrecked.
Hence, instead of avoiding or dreadine
scrutiny of the acts and records Of its repre-
sentatives, it should make that scrutiny q
characteristic of the party, and should teach
a those representatives, its ofice>holders, and
standard bearers to expect it. The corrupt
ion at Washington,i official place, in Stats
and Federal Administration preceding iht
election and Inauguration of Mr. LINCOLN
had become national notoriety and nh
tional shame. The records of Congress viii
show where eminent members of that bod
, at that time published the fact a. too pateh
, to be concealed. 1t is the weakness ant
threatening evil of popular Government
ANY party, in possession Of power shouae
make official purity its controlling principle
for upon it depend, not only the continues
existence of the party, but the perpetuitylo
the Government and the preservation o
popular liberty. 1t would be well, il amonJ
+ its investigating committees, and under it
. right and duty to judge of the admissibilit.
: of its members, the Supreme Legislature 0
the country would subject every membe
that comes to it, TO rigorous examination
2 as to his election; and for any trickery o
denagoguery, send him back to obscuri.y o
; reelection under the new conditions 0
such an expose. The purity of politician
5 would rapidly rise in public estimation, ane
7 most deseryedly. Could other high ofic'
holders be subjected to similar censorship
it would doubtless be a great gain to tn
, | nation,