Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1868-07-29
PURPOSES
OF TIE
REPUBLICAN PARTY.
scaeeb Of Hon. G. W. sCoFIELD, delivered in
he fi9use Of Representatives, July II, 1868

NR. SroFELD Mr.. Chairman, which
vay are we moving? Are we, as some per-
.,Gs apprehend and charge, drifting under
marty excitement and confusion, though
mi.rule and usurpatIOn, toward despoIie
government, or are We, though IN the IiIast
of the storm, but III spite OF IL, sun hoiolhg
4 compass line inside the words and spirit Vi
the Constitution toward more perfect ue-
veI0pment of republican government
What line should we follow ? What Is
.r,' rnnIameutal theory of our Government
~, H., C,rsqt men who laid its foundations held
rbgt all men are created equal 1hey
,,T1cI,irleJ this sentiment in the face OF a
World heavily opGressed with inequality of
r,pk, and privilege. They spoke and fought
for it. Their cloquence aGd yalor estapllshed
il upon this continent. And that, l under
stand. Is or ought 10 be the recognized theory
Of cur Government. Ii is d simple formula,
a few words single principle, one idea !
hut up0u It our fathers raised the -abrlc OF
the new Government. 1t Is that one idea
which makes the Government great, gradu-
alv rising above all other Powers on the face
ottbe earth. even in It's infancy giving liber-
II and protection to forty million people at
home and reaching out helping hand to
the oppressed and humble all over the
world.
know it Is said that the founders OF the
Republic did not really mean that all men
are created equal, because they did not at
first and at once confer equal rights upon all.
Il was impossible Existing institutions,
vested interests, erroneous convictions, and
deep prciudices stood in the way. They
went a. far as they could then, as far as the
public sentiment Of their day would permit.
and then holding t. and advocating equal
right, for ali men as the correct Republican
theory, awaited the lit times and opportuni-
ties and the proper development OF the pub
lie sentiment TO make that theory more and
more practical. Upon this theory they
iOun led a new political party, which they
called the Republican party" This word
Indicated aH near as any one word in the
language could the commonalty of all gov
crumeatal rights. They added to this name
the adjective progressive" to indicate
hat they l~l not me an to 90 back wa-d nor to
stand still. Eut move forward on this theory
of human rights. 1t was not many years
before jhis progressive Republican party"
csme 10 control The country.
See y hat was done. The slave trade was
m,eriicjtl and the trader declared pirate
uWa-y Of the States slavery was abolished,
aulby an irreIeacable ordinance all the terri
tory then held made free forever The fran
rt-c was enlarged and except in the single
State OF New York, without distinction of
race Legislation could not make all -rcn
Non equal in talents, but it could give all
an equal oportuuity to cultivate whatever
hui lad been pleased tn bestow, and there
fore free schools were established. 1t could
ugt make ali men equal in wealth, but 1t
3 L Il
and So imprisonment for debt was abolished,
exemptions from execution allowed, and the
laws % inheritance caualiZed. These great
advances toward equalization of government
tai advantages We're not secured without re-
sI-tauce. There were conservatives in those
GAYS as well as in ours. They saw ruin in
every progressive step. The prohibition of
the slave trade would deprive the poor Af-
rcau heather Of chance to hear the gos-
lei and save his soul The dedication of
the territories 10 freedom was sectional and
unconstitutional. Non Imprisonment for
debt and exemption from execution would
both detragd the creditor aud destroy the
credit ot the debtor. Free schools would
burden The thrifty with taxes to educate the
chIliran Of idlers. The enlargement of the
franchise would be It's degradation. But in
spite OF conservatism and its evil prophecy
thaeIuniTy improved, and what's far more i'm
lgr'aui maEkiudimproved, but conservatism
a. nHt surrender; 1t never does surrender.
iar progressive Republican party" be-
coming lu time divided into several parties
"i"n lHIugary questions, and losing its
distinctive name and organization, conser-
'@5l-m aIr.l itself with the slave power and
".'a.Hai for the time the mastery over the
-e'srl. divisions. Immediately the brakes
@.t Fli-i.li down all progress stops. 1t
!, i'"E found Out that the great declaration
gi .ar fathers tJr equal political rights was
a -it'-1a- generality, "a rhetorical
l'-.-a. an Uumcaulug abstraction. 1t
j. Poo" found out that political distinctions
are necessary that political equality Is
t.-traf ..yel that the law should assign
.."s '' aln class and privileges to another.
'-- revival OF this old doctrine was not re
..'7i Without objection among the dIShand
.rHrre~~Iye-- Small dissenting parties
'aH 'u spring up. The abOlionIsts, the
r.tL nights party. the free Democracy,
.Hl-nf--r-. .iFCe-sullarS Benton Democrats,
-.l Others which escape my memory as L
sals, from time to time aad in various
safes attracted the attention of the public.
lasy we're numerous enough to exhibit
..e ...u discomfort NJ thinking. progressive
--a. but too feeble 10 resl>; the.retrograde
-.. lu-ur inaggurated by the allied powers,
Tsag.sm aud slavery. In ISj6 repre-
-.a'--E-gS et these variOuS organizations,
"-.a'a.r8. the sentiments indicated by them,
~. I'D iAltl.r.phIa and then and there. in
..- old safe House, IN which the theory of
-.'i.ra. -iua.ity had been first proclaimed,
--fA'-t q national party, pledged to take up
-as FH-ap a. and carry forward the work
-As fathers. They took the name which
-.+ .-H A1uyrei by the advocates of equal
--> .H The better days Of the Republic.
-- --.sa-r ui freedom and equality all over
.-,E began TO gather into this new
l-..A %, while the advocates of privil-
Sr 1-s .i>erTaJivcs, the anti -prOgressives
,''s ullaIoers squatted at the feet of
-. .'i'g l'"erand assumed the misleading
'.'.'.t q. Democracy. These Philadelphia
"-.'i->ts assumed the name and re-
--'ei th- doctrine of the FIRST Republican
-'.H- t1 wit. that all men are created
--.. 3lt Ike that party they did not ex-
~. i' secure 10 all men their equal rights
'..r Centuries of vested wrongs still
.li "a TO The way. Re-asserting the principle,
..-A- ia>t 10 the liberties already acquired,
.HE proposed to move forward slowly,
-''',s ,o!the unprivileged classes, act by
49,, qua measure by measure, as time and
otI'5,dnlty should permit, greater influence
-i advantage IN the Government, until, IL
.Le course Of time, in the distant future,
Jg World should behold a great nation in
9s-I:h every citizen, without exception OF
t';iilctIon, had secured to him his equa
1'.nl 70 life, liberty, and the pursuit of hap.