Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1869-09-03
SaiseellaueQns.


THE POLITICS OF THE PERIOD.
We make the annexed extracts from the
great speech delivered by Senator Morton
at Wilmington, Ohio, August 10Th, 1869
What good thing has the Democratic
party achieved or proposed to achieve in
the last twenty years? Can one be named ?
Since 1860 it has been a party of mere
negations. 1t opposed every measure
to put down the rebellion; it opposed every
step in the way of progress and reform; it
has opposed attempts to amend and perfect
our National Constitutions it has opposed
every attempt to extend the boundaries Of
human rights; it has opposed every attempt
to improve the national credit or protect the
national honor For ten years before 1860
it was an affirmation party, but affirmed the
worst possible things 1t affirmed the right
fulness aud benifcence of slavery; it affirmed
the repeal of the Missouri Compromise,
which was a great breach of the national
faith and was the beginning Of the war; it
affirmed the infamous doctrines Of the Dred
Scott decision, by which our National Con
stitution was converted from a charter Of
liberty into an iudenture of slavery; and, in
general terms, it affirmed all manner of
wickedness, corruption and extravaganza in
National and State administrations. The
Democratic party can not be divorced from
its historical and traditional character. We
are told we should not put new wine into
old bottles nor attempt to patch a decayec
and tattered garment with new cloth, ana
you cannot take the decayed, cfFete AMI
corrupt Democratic organization and make
out of it new, patriotic and honest party
When the Democratic organization has beer
destroyed or abandoned, and the members
composing it have entered into new or
CARNATIONS which accept the results of the
war, and espouse the great doctrines of tie
Republican party, and the principles upon
which the reconstruction of the South Is
being brought about, it will be time enough
to place them in power, and give to them
the coBtrol of the Government A party
that was opposed TO the Union, and favored
the rebellion, can never be safely trusted
with the preservation of the Union A
party that was opposed to the creation Of
the public debt to put down the rebellion
can never be safely trusted with the pay
ment Of the debt and the protection of the
national honor. A party that loved slavery,
and desired to perpetuatc and extend it
over the country, cannot be safely trusted
with the protection of human liberty A
party that hates the negro race, and be-
lieves they have no rights that white men
are bound to respect, cannot be safely
trusted with the protection Of the rights and
privileges Of the colored people.
Praise the bridge that carries you safely
over Praise the party that carried the
country safely through the war Praise the
party that preserved the Government and
the Union for the benefit of our posterity
and of al mankind, The members of the
Republican party have right to be proud
of its glorious record and its vast achieve
ments, greater than those ever performed
by any political organization in the history
of the world. Think of it-that we have a
common country, bound together by stronger
ties than ever, growing more rapidly than
ever with brighter hopes and prospects
than ever before; that more than ever ex-
cites the admiration, hopes and wishes of
the oppressed millions of other lands, and
that all this Se owe to the Republican party;
and but for that party the Union would
have been broken into fragments, slavery
would have triumphed, and the sun of
liberty set IN blood; and where now we have
bright and glorious prospects, and beautiful
vistas Of the future, would be darkness,
despair and death.
To triumph over the rebellion the Repub-
liean party had to triumph over the Demo
cratic party and over slavery; and it was
triple triumph. 1t makes the heart of the
true Republican rejoice when he reflects that
there is not now slave in all our borders,
and that the foul blot which so long dis
graced our national eseutcheon has been
wiped out forever, and that this was the
work of the Republican party, and that now
there is not only no slavery, but there are
equal civil rights for all-equal protection
for all, and that soon there will be universal
suffrage aud equal political rights for all,
and that our Republic win then realize
the grand vision of perfection and greatness
which presented itself to the eyes Of our
fathers
And the work Of the Republican party
is pot ended; its mission is not finished.
The work of reconstruction is not COM
pleted; and, although it is progressing well,
with every assurance Of the most favorable
results, yet it would be absurd to turn it
over 10 its unfinished state into the handsof
it's enemies, who would, at the last moment,
if they had the power, destroy all that has
been done, and throw the country back into