Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1868-03-13
No Retreat.

No Retreat.
IL the Republican party in this coun-
try ready to surrender to the democrats?
They have challenged us to combat
Their State Convention has pu! them
forward as the champions of liberty,
but how Is this? Liberty does not
mean the license to destroy and ruin at
pleasure. The platform of the party as
adopted at Des Moines endorses the
doctrines of Pendleton, and takes issue
with the Republican party as pledged
for the payment of the public debt.
Every victory of the army and of the
party was an additional pledge that
there should be no tampering with the
finances 80 as to give a semblance of
bad faith. As to- the negro, there was
nothing said about his disposition after
the war, except, that he was not to be
bound hand and foot and given over to
the men who had trampled on him for
years. 1t was distinctly understood
that the government of the United
States should remain In the hands of
those who knew how to respect and
preserve 1t.
Is there anything In the recent his
tory of the Democratic party that war
rants confidence that they have the
ability or the honesty to manage the
affairs of the country? They have
learned nothing in the experience of
seven years. They have not yet found
out that disunion and instruction are
bitter pills for diseased politicians.
They have not learned that the Repub-
lican party was organized from convic-
tons of right aud justice, and not from
that miserable policy which would sac
rifice nation for few Offices. They
have not yet learned that the Republi-
can party knows "no retreat" 1t
fought its way up against the ramparts
OF an old organization that was master
of the situation. The Democratic party
went to pieces because ii left the faith
IN which 1t was born. and 1t has re-
manned without power because il lacks
the elements OF strength--unity and
justice. The education of the people OF
America has been in a severe school.
The sharp edge of the sword has taught
them that crime and rebellion are one,
and that there are rights and laws that
dare not be excluded from paper con-
stitu.ions. -..
The experiences of the last seven
years have taught more than that the
negro has rights which should be re.
spected. The Iaboring masses of al
coiors are interested in the issue of 30.
litical events, and the Republican party
OF this country has taught the best and
most salutary lessons on this subject
The poor OF Europe look to ii us the
distant, though effective, champion oil
their acknowledgements. John Bright
aud Henry Vincent, whom the white
laboring masses of England revere
claim TO he the allies of our party
They are such. No man who has ever
voted our ticket from AN honest convic.
tion dare retreat, except at the expense
of his own character and reputation
There are with us no promises broken
We stood up faithfully against the
sneers aud SCOTS of our enemies wber
the dark sky lowered, and waited unit
victory was won. Amidst threatened
revolution and overthrow, we have
been steady and immovable and in al
this there was no retreat. Money. men
character-all were at stake, and still
no retreat and no defeat. They seek &c
divide us, but they cannot. They plcao
for liberty, but the vile and wicked
terms they employ refuts their declara.
tons In the very utterance. Is the
party prepared for retreat that has The
power to remove corrupt and tyran,
ical President from his Office, and place
in his stead friend to the country
not its enemy? The Democratic party
are mistaken If they suppose the Re.
publicans will give way to threats. II
will only nerve them to duty and moth.
ing more. Seward and McCulloch re.
treated and where are they? Not
among tho Democrats for they are
hated by them-not with the Republi-
cans for they betrayed the party. So
will 1t be with the humblest Republic
can who should timorously leave the
ranks and go over. They will despise
you as they have always despised the
scavangers of their party. b
y