Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1870-08-20
Radicalism the Cause of Political
Corruption.


Union party organized. No party,
however pure when it springs into life,
can long survive by pursuing course
which tends directly to sap the very
foundation of the government under
which it lives. Political parties, long
IN power, are very apt TO become corr
rupt. This seems to be but the natu-
raj tendency of man.
The Democratic party remained in
power until its leaders became so cor
rupt as to believe that no other party
would be able$to grow up and super,
sede them; and, most naturally, con-
cluded that, to that particular organiza
tion belonged this Union; and, operat
ing upon that idea, they pursued,
against the will of the people, radi-
cal course, carrying everything to ex
tremes; for instance, on the question
Of the status of the African, they un.
dertook to establish as fact that the
black man had no rights which the
white man was bound to respect. This
was radicalism,. which, in this age as in
all others, has and ought to prove a
failure, for If successful it would result
in the cnslavement Of that race through
all time The just and unalterable
laws of God would never permit it.
Again, upon the question of gov
ernmcnt, the leaders of that party be,
came corrupt and undertook for Sc
rics of years to establish the very doc
triue which the trainers of the Consti
tuition labored so hard and long to over
throw, viz: State Supremacy" This
also was radicalism; extreme measures,
going beyond right and reason. They
also adopted other radical measures
which we might name, but deem it IN
necessary here. These two measures,
more than all others combined, led
brother against brother to deadly com !.
bat, brought on the great aud bloody
civil war 10 the United States, involved
our country in an enormous debt, and
has left. bleeching upon our own soil,
the bones Of two million patriots,
Americas / froud sons; and to-day, in
consequence thereof, the cries of hun
dreds of thousands of widowed moth
ers, and million fatherless children
are ascending up, and have reached the
ears of the God of Sabaoth--all this
and more is the legitimate result of
radcalism But the time came and is
past; brother has imbued his hands in
brothers blood, our country thrown al.
most into state of bankruptcy, the
sturdy yeomanry of the country-the
backbone of society-law and order
are grooming under heavy burdens of
taxation, and all in consequence of the
radicalism OF the leaders of the old
Democratic party, while the great mass
of the people were all the time disposed
to do and act right. And now, In 1870.
and in view of all the circumstances
enumerated above, gloom pervades
the political world, and especially the
minds of the American people. Aud
why? Simply because sensible men
and women think they can too plainly
read the future by the past, and see
the end from the beginning. The
great Union party came to the rescue
when the iron hand of treason was
stretched forth-had already grasped
and was about to tear unceremoniously
from their places the very heart strings
Of this republic, and saved it from de-
struction. And to-day her proud flag
waves in glorious triumph over every
hill top in the land, and traitors vince
before its stars and stripes; but, with
NIL this, it is true, as We have said, the
great body of the people. who alone
are sovereign here, are depressed in
spirit, and FOR the very same reason
that has caused all of our trouble, the
ra1icalism Of the party in power. But
the objector may ask, how is it if the
people alone are sovereign, as you say,
they suffer or permit these great
wrongs? Wo answer, it is for the rea>
son that the present generation have
not performed their whole dnty and
done those things which the progress
of event, have demanded, in order to