Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-01-23
GEN. GRANT FOR PRESIDENT.
BY HENRY WILSON.

In tnlS year, loOo, tnc peopic aic W ohoo oS
Chief Magistrate. Six millions of men,
weaponed with the ballot, will strive for the
glittering prize. Mighty issues are involved
in the impending contest The political or
ganizations, with sharply defined ideas,
principles, and policies, will contend for the
mastery, for the executive power OF the
Government during the coming four years,
in which are to be garnered up the fruits OF
the victories OF the terrific struggles OF the
past seven years, or in which old issues VIII
be reopened and old strifes renewed, that
must embitter the future of the Republic.
The people are ranged into two political
organizations, each with nearly three mil
lions of voters, a name and history. Inc
one claims to be the Democratic party; the
other calls itself the Republican party. The
history of the country during the past thir-
teen eventful years is record OF the ideas,
principles and acts of these antagonistic
organizations. Their issues have not been,
like the ordinary issues of political parties,
mere questions of administration but fun
damental and vital, as opposite as the zenith
and the nadir.
The history of the country for the past
thirty years too clearly shows that the
Democratic party has been dominated by
the dark, inhuman and unchristian spirit OF
slavery that it was guided through series
of years by the councils of slave masters,
or by leaders in sympathy with slave mas
tiers. That history teaches that under that
fatal leading the Democratic party renounced
the faith oil the republican fathers; took
froms.black men rights accorded by the foun-
ders of the Republic; struck at the right OF
petition; annexed a slaveholding people,
avowedly to strengthen slavery; opened
free soil, won from Mexico, to human bon
dage; enacted the Fugitive Slave law, and
then pronounced its victories over liberty
and Justice s.tinalities." That history
| teaches us, too that 1t reopened sectional
agitation by repeating the prohibition of
slavery embodied in the Missouri Comnro-
| mise of 1920; by sustaining the lawless
violence that seized the government OF Kan
sas inaugurated the reign of robbery and
blood, established slavery, and framed the
| Lecompton Constitution that it hastened
| to accept the bred Scott dogma divided in
to two hostile factions, the one shamefully
| ayowing that it ssdid not care whether sla-
very was voted up or voted down, and the
other proclaiming the right to take slaves
| into the territories and hold them in bond
age under the authority of the Federal Gov
ernment; that it went into the canvass OF
| 1860 rent in factions, and was ingloriously
| defeated that its old slave master raised
| the banner of rebellion; that many Of its
| Northern chiefs and their followers gave
| sympathy to their old comrades; but that
| hundreds of thousands nobly strove to save
their country, and tens of thousands found
in the Republican ranks new and more con-
genial associations.
The history of the Republic during the
past thirteen years, shows that the hepup-
lican party has been inspired by the just,
humane and ennobling spirit of liberty. 1t
was brought into being amidst the struggles
to repeal the Missouri Compromise and car
ry slavery into Kansas. Defeated in its first
national contest, it appealed to the patrio-
tism of the people, to their love of liberty
and sense of justice. II called the battle
roll anew, went into the canvass OF 1860 for
the freedom of the Territories and the res
toration of the Government to the policy o.
the fathers, and made Abraham Lincoln
President. 1t then accepted the bloody is
sues of civil war, rather than betrayed lib
erty, or sacrifice the rights of race, or tht
enduring interest of the nation. In the trial,
of civil war; it made the national capita
free: prohibited slavery in all the territories
repealed the Fugitive Slave laws; armed
black men to fight for their country; gave
liberty to the slaves, when they enrolled theil
names on the muster rolls OF the countrys
defenders, and freedom to the wives and
children of colored heroes; emancipatet
three and half millions of bondmen by
executive proclamation, and all the slaves II
the land by constitutional amendment. Il
achieved its series of SPLENDID victories FOL
J freedom, Justice and humanity in spite O.
the stern and persistent opposition OF the
Democracy. Since the close of the war, i
has through the the Freedmens Bureau pro
tected and instructed the weak, and liitet
up and giyed heart and hope to the land
less and houseless poor. Inspired by pa
triotism and liberty, and actuated by sens
of Justice, it has given the emancipatet
bondmen civil rights, the right TO testify il
the Courts, to sue to hold property, and tt
, be protected by equal laws. 1t has givel
, suffrage to colored men in the District
Columbia, in the Territories and in the re
Z bel States.
Believing in the brotherhood OF humanity
n the Republican party disowns the brutal
!, vulgar, and wicked dogma that " this is tn
!, while man s government" 1t accepts rathe
q the Christian creed of the Declaration of In
dependence, believing, in the words OF Geo
Bancroft, that 'sthe act of Jefferson, in writin
: the declaration, and of Congress- in adopt
ing it, beat for all humanity; the assertio
of right was made for the entire world {
/ mankind and coming generations, withor
o any exception whatever. The Republiea
q party is not so scared as to fear the five mi
q lions of poor laboring black men will nchiev
: supremacy over thirty-three millions
g white men. 1t seeks to secure the suprems
e cy of no race, but the protection of all races
v Against all supposed inteaest, against I'll
> councils of timidty, against misrepresents
ton of motive and purposes, against all III
g holy influences, the Republican party Ii,
II struggled until il has broken the fetters
,r enslaved millions, lifted u despised race u
= to American citizenship, clothed them wit
!, civil rights, and given them in the reb
a States the ballot to protect the weak, Wind
" cate the authority of the nation, and resto
i those disloyal communities to loyalty al
~ representation. On the line OF imparti
~ liberty the Republican party proposes
st fight on until crowning victory is wo
in What Republican is not filled with just al
Mt grateful pride as his eye traces the glorio'
= record of the Republican party for patrio
q ism, liberty, justice and humanity VIII
r Democrat can refer TO the record of Dem
id cracy. during the past twenty years, wit
at qualification or pride?
- The issues between the Republican al
III Democratic parties are more sharply draw
ne and clearly defined than ever The r
" publican party has advanced to high
w plane of action The Democratic party h
:" sunk to a lower one. The Republican eau
he Is more unselfish and s,lf-sacrifctng than
ses itself to the reason and conscience
mankind, and to the lasting interest OF t
country. The Democratic cause is ev
on less noble than in 1861 1t is hardly an
in thing less than appeal to the passion
prejudccs, snd temporary interests Of
Ia, hour with the ignoblc battle cries of "Neg
IA Supremacy" "Thc White Mans Cover
lis ment."
n The Presidential contest of 1868, with
vast issues, will stir the nation to Its p
90 foundest depths. The Democracy, withe
90 responsibilities, under the leadership of m
IN of talent, tact, and experience, will put fol
gigantic effort to win back lost pow
M The Republican party, upon which r
- grave responsibilities has in Its ranks ab
icr tried and true men-civil and military-m
of whose names are honorably associated W
the couutry's struggles for unity and liber
,vs Who among these honored men. of prov
y. capacity and tried fidelity, shall be selec
zen to marshal the Republican hosts to victor
ow Whose nomination will, in advance, mt
of the assurance of victory doubly sui
Above personal aspirations and ambitio
ahnve local pride and attachments above