The Montana post., 1868-10-02
"PARsON,s - PAPERS.



The success of the Republican party
during the past six years has made its
members forgetful CT its origin. They
do not consider that the grand princi-
Piles for which they are contending were
contemned as the extreme of fanaticism
all through the country less than twenty
years ago. 1t was then a reproach to
be suspected of abolition sentiments
and abolition lecturers were visited with
the heaviest indignation of the people.
Elijah p. Lovejoy was murdered at Al
ton. because of his abolition doctrine,
and Cassius NJ. Clay, but for his pluck,
would have been thrice a martyr to the
mobocracy of Kentucky. because he en-
tertained a hatred for slavery, and freed
negroes. Look at Salmon p. Chase
how nobly in early life did he espouse
the cause of the slave, in a slave loving
population. Take the long public life
of VIM. II. Seward, and see with what
firmness and philosophy he stood by the
principles of emancipation when it was
without another advocate in the United
States. Survey the long and devoted
editorial career of VIM. Lloyd Garrison,
who never yielded until the immortal
Proclamation of Lincoln announced free
dom to all. Twenty years ago those
men were derided and hooted at
to-day they are the proudest champions
offreedom in the nation.
A great party founded by them hav-
ing saved the nation from the effect OF
a bloody war. now guards it against the
threatened misrule and malice of those
who favor slavery. The progress of
public opinion on the subject of slavery,
though often impeded, has been over
come. Small in its beginning, it has
gathered force like an avalanche, and
crushed down all opposition. The old
gradually, one by one died out. Take
the long battle between the Wings and
Democrats for National Bank, high
tariff, river and harbor Improvements
they are either settled or destroyed; but
the doctrine of freedom to all, founded
in the immltable laws of God, and rest
ing upon its justice alone, still lives
and will live until every vestige of op-
position to it is swept from the face OF
the earth. IL is an established truth,
and truth once established is never lost.
The march of mind is ever onward. Err
ror in the most ravishing forms cannot
destroy a single truth, that is once re-
cognized. We might as well attempt
TO strike the discoveries of Bacon and
Newton from philosophy, as to strike
the proclamation of Lincoln from Ameri-
can politics. 1t is there forever. 1t is
this faith in our cause that makes Us
certain of triumph in the coming
election, and certain of the final
destruction of modern Democracy. See
how parties and men have fell before the
march of the great truth. See how the
nation, when il grappled with it's oppon.
ents, swept away all opposition, and
emerged from the great contest all the
more glorious for the contact. Can a
party which has these facts to encourage
il ever doubt of success? No, truth will
prevail A providential arm is stretched
out to protect it; il takes hold of the ele-
ments of nature, and becomes as undying
as the world itself When men tell us
that Democracy will triumph that Grant
will fail; that Republicanism will die,
we look back upon the past and derive
therefrom more sure guarantees for the
future than from any other source. And
this feeling, which never forsakes us in
this campaign, we are happy to say. de-
Tives renewed force, from the fact that
every mail from the East brings us news
of triumph of Republicanism. We are
beginning to believe that Seymour will
not have a State-that the grand finale
of Democracy will come with bringing
upon him the most overwhelming defeat
ever known. A filter subject for such
illustration, when we consider his con-
duct during the war, and his hesitancy.
halting policy for this campaign, could
scarcely have been selected. The
man and the cause suit each other
His memory will pass away with the
events of the times, and in after history
he will serve to mark the period when
truth and justice triumphed over in
trigue and dishonesty. Grant is destined
10 receive higher honors as a civilian
than he did as a military chieftain. He
has mighty future. Let him fill il as
he has the past and no American will
ever have a brighter fame or more in
delibly impress his character upon our
cherished institutions.