The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-03-17
POLITICAL rEUDs AND QUAR-.

lhere are no icnds when take so ucep
root, nor any which ranklc more profoundly |
or more vehemently nor endure longer than |
political quarrcls, except, perhaps, religious |
feuds. In speaking Of political icnds' wedo |
not mean those ebulitions which spring up |
on occasions. and are the direct results Of q
scramble for Office and place. These are
but bubbles upon the surface Of the political
sea. and are as crhcmeral as the occasions
which give them life. They are inscparable
from our political and party struggles, and |
eau no more be avoided than can the desire |
for office and place.
The fcuds of which We mean to speak In |
this connection are Of very different char |
acter. Their roots are planted in u very
different soil, and they arc cherished by in
auences which grow out Of diverse clvillza-
lions and thoroughly antagonlstic principles |
in governmental theories and practice. They |
spring from sectional aud local causes and
from Numerically opposite institutions,
social order and tho prejudices fostercd by
early education and fixed habits Of thought.
Hence 1t Is that mountains interposiug often
make enemies of nations, and imaginary
lines arc found upon either side of which
antagonistic and diverse institutions thrive
and grow apace. We often sec people
whose animosity aud cherished hatred of
each other eliminates In and produces quar-
rels which terminate In most disastrous and
bloody wars; and even further than this, in
long years of rancorous hatreds, which sur
vivc the conflict OF arms aud bear their bit.
ter fruits for many generations.
These simple truths come home to us to-
day with force that make, Us feel that not
only are our times out of joint, but that
there is a conflict of opinion among us
which must continue with more or less viru-
lence during one generation at least.
We have passed through civil war, such
as has never before been witnessed, or at
least modern times has seen nothing In the
shape ofan internecino war at all compare
bic to 1t. This war was a sectional conflict,
and notwithstanding persons from either
side Of the line crossed over, some from the
North going South, and others from the
South going North, still the conflict geo
graphically considered was sectional; aud
particularly was 1t sectional in respect to the
Institution which was the prime cause Of Its
beginning. II Is not worth while now to
discuss the question as to which section was
the most to blame for precipltatng this unnat-
ural and sanguinary conflict. Two diamet-
really opposite institutions confronted each
other, and II was not possible in the nature
Of things that the two could co-exist In the
same Government. The war commenced
away back, and long before the arbltrameut
of the sword was appealed to there was a
war Of words and conflict of opinion, and
every thoughtful and wise man saw that
slavery and freedom could not both live under
the same roof.
But the war has ended and reconstruction
has been begun and partially consummated.
We say partially, because great work re-
mains TO be done. The din of arms and of
hostile armies in battle array is no more
heard nor witnessed In our land. Quiet and
order arc, in the main, restored; but the end
Is not yet. General Grant said "Let IL,
have peace and surely every patriotic cit
lien must respond aye to this call. Befor,
there Is peace, however, there must be purity
and before peace comes, opinions must be-
come colnCldent In respect to governmental
policies, and misguided prejudiccs personal
cnmites and cherished hates must give
place to better feelings, higher hopes and a
more sclf-sacrilcing spirit, all of which sem
Iimcnts and principles must manifest them
selves In due repentance on the one side, and
hearty forgiveness on the other. To ex-
pcct all this In the life time of one genera.
tIon Is, perhaps, too much to hope for. On
every page Of history We find lessons, all o.
which teach us how hard it is to blot out thu
remembrance of such scenes us our civil wa
produced. Still, there is a way to allay an
cry passions, and to oblltcratc all rccollcc
ton of imagined or real wrongs which hav,
been and arc cherished with tcnaclt,
which it often appears can only end will
life. On another occasion we shall point out
some of the ways to reach, rs speedily q.
possible, this end.