Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-06-05
ORDER IN THE RANKS

Inc ABOVE Is tue captou VI Wv Wv
ing article 10 yesterdays 7fe,pd''.
With the same sincerity for which We
give our neighbor credit, We are In
favor Of order, harmony n hearty
utilization among the leaders and rank
and file Of the Republican party. 1t
may DO that a slight difference may
exist between us as to what sacrifice OF
independence shall be mado to promote
harmony aud good order.
As an initial step, our neighbor lays
particular stress on tho Importance OF
forgiving aud forgetting the late little
" onpleasantness " about impeachment.
In this connection he argues the greater
part Of his own side Of the question,
bids US believe the professions Of the
recusant Senators, to the effect that
they are Republicans, and claims that
they will undoubtedly support Grant, and
then, when we are about to declare that
We have very serious, and rs We con-
slider, well-grounded doubts, our neigh
Dor imperiously cries out "0rder in the
Ranks ~
Now, let US be sensible, cool, and un-
| derstand each other. Harmony is very
desirable and very important, but free
dom Of thought and speech are not to
be sacrificed, even for the sake Of har-
mouy. If the Republican party cannot
grow and prosper and yet leave its men,
bers full freedom Of thought and speech,
then in our estimation it is not worth
the saving, nor would its fall be worth
growing over. We have opinions, which
we consider we'll grounded, with refer
once to the motives that prompted GER
tain Of the seven Republican Senators
who voted for the acquittal Of Andrew
Johnson. That Senator Henderson was
honest and conscientious, we cannot
find room to doubt. Such being tbs
case, though we believe him to have
been mistaken, and his vote on convic-
ton to have been inconsistent with that
| by which he declared the removal of
Stanton unlawful, we can still freely
forgive and pity him. But let US take
the case Of Senator Fowler. Read the
following from the New York Tribune of
the 10th ultimo
The Erning Post copies from several jour
mails which il characterized as Republican
the Buffalo Commercial and the New York
Time, being two Of them-artieles which de-
nounce as false and scandalous any imputa-
ton Of unworthy motives to Senators chosen
as Republicans who now vote to acquit An
drew johnson. Yet the Post does not notice
our averment that Senator Fowler (who 10
one Of those relied OIL to aequit Johnson)
himself demonstrated against the failure Of
the House to impeach in December, saying
that the Senate would do its duty il the House
would give il q chancc-and that, at a meet
ing at Senator Morgan's on the 10th Of jan
uary last, he made q speech wherein he pro-
nounced all Republican effort Of little worth
when compared with the impeachment and
removal Of Andrew johnson, and declared
that the blood OF Union men daily shed BY
rebels in the South would rest upon the souls
Of Congress unless johnson were thus elected
from office. We have this statement from
several members of Congress who were pres
emit at that meeting. We are assured that
Mr.. Fowler has for some weeks avoided free
and friendly intimacy with Senators known
to favor impeachment. Our inference from
these facts is unfavorable to the honesty and
purity Of Mr.. Fowler's present hostility to
conviction.
Believing as we do about this man
Fowler, his fellow-Seuator Ross Of Kan
sas and perhaps others, we are not dis
posed, nor will we, extend to them the
hand Of fraternity and friendship, nor
will we belle our convictions by
ing any, even the slightest confidence in
their professions of being Republicans
still, nor in their declarations that they
will support Grant and Colfax. If
" order in the ranks" is only to be
maintained by such hypocrisy we would
infinitely prefer to drop out. And so
we feel in regard to other questions
the suffrage question for instance. On
that question wo have very positive
opinions. Whenever those opinions are
asked in private intercourse with our
fellow-msn, we arrogato to ourself the
right to express and if possible to i'm
press them on our interlocutors.
Moreover, whenever the expression Of
those opinions through the medium Of
the press may, in BUR judgment, tend to
their advancement, we shall certainly
give them publicity 10 that way. But
while we have lost confidence in certain
Senators, it by no means follows that
we must condemn or ostracise those who
cannot agree with US AS to their delin-
luency. Because we believe that Ma
homet was an imposter, it is by no
means necessary that we should brand
all Mussulmen as such, or consider them
~insiucere or dishonest. Because you
consider Fowler honest and conscisn-
tious, it by no means follows that we,
who do not, should harmonic you, and
induce you to "keep order in the ranks"
by extending the hand Of fellowship to
that individual.
Two members of the Republican party
may be fully agreed that the Chicago
Convention went to the full extent on
the suffrage question that any previous
action of tho party justified. One who
so agrees may entertain opinions and
convictions far in advance Of the pre-
yious actions and present platform Of
his party, and deem it his duty to use
every proper exertion to bring its future
actions and platforms to an agree
ment with his opinions and con-
victions. Tho other may DO content
with the present stage of advancement.
Does it follow that he is to stick u gag
into the mouth Of his fellow, and cry
out in a di~ctatorial tone, "order in the
ranks 2" The Republican party is tho
offspring Of free thought and strong
convictions. In the freedom Of diverse
opinions lies the secret of its strength