Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-03-26
The Opposition.

A LEADING article in the World, upon
the morning of the Inauguration, con-
cludes with the statement that Democrats
expect Gen. Grant d" to be nothing but a
Republican President, and they will con-
stantly confront him with the same reso-
lutte opposition which they have always
offered to the Republican party"
This is as it should be. All that any
intelligent man can ask is, that the lines
be plainly drawn and constantly remem-
bered that divide the Republican and
Democratic parties. The mischief threat
ened by Mr.. Chase's nomination by the
Tammany Convention was that it tended
to obscure the issue. Mr. Chase had moth
ing in common with the Democratic par
ty, except, as his position at the time in
dicated, restless fever for place. The
Democratic party had "always offered ="
q "resolute opposition to the Republi-
can, and Mr.. Chase had always been q
Republican. His nomination would have
been deception; and his election, had it
taken place, could really have settled moth
ing.
But the difficulty was avoided. Those
who had always led the Democratic party
in its resolute hostility to the Republican
led it still, and the country showed what
it thought of those leaders and their fol-
lowers by the election of General Grant.
Meanwhile the intended candidate of
those who hoped to succeed by what de-
serves no better name than a dodge, on
the 4th of March administered the oath
of Office to the President in whom the
confidence of the Republican party is pro-
found and inspiring. Yet among the re-
Elections of the famous day, there could
hox iT,ef of fh hot
he who had been early and always asso.
ciated with that party and those princi-
pies, and who had remained firm while SO
they were beginning to prevail over
peaceful and united land, had chosen to
Separate himself from association with
them, and to pass into history as another
victim of ruinous Presidential ambition.
And as the Democratic party proposes
to offer the same resolute opposition to
the Republican as heretofore, it is useful
to see what the Republican principles and
policy are. The Republican party arose
out of resolute opposition to the exten-
sion of slavery, which was a Democratic
policy. This opposition had really moral
basis, and when the relation between
morality and interest was made plain the
Republican party came into power. The
revolt of the Democratic leaders who Of
fered ga resolute opposition at Fort
Donelson, Vicksburg, Andersonville, and
Richmond compelled the Republican party
to maintain the Government by war. The
war ended, and the party was forced into
a struggle with the President, who, sup
ported by the Democratic party, tried to
reverse as much Of the result Of the war
as possible.
The Republican principles were that
the Union should be restored upon condi-
tions agreeable to the loyal victors, and
not inconsistent with the principle Of the
Government and with the Constitution
that the freedmen should not be betrayed;
and that the national honor should not be
tarnished by any form of reputation.
These principles and the policy that grew
out of them, received I" q resolute opposi-
ton" from the Democratic party. That
party declared that when the war ended
every thing in the revolted States resumed
its old position; that under the Constitu-
ton, Congress could prescribe no condi-
tions whatever for the restoration of States
that did not succeed in permanently seced-
ing; and that the loyal people of the
United States could do nothing
whatever to secure the victory they had
won but try individuals for trea-
son. Upon this ground the Democrats re-
sisted every measure proposed which was
assigned to establish civil and political