The New York herald., 1870-02-11
Tho Republican Party In Consrcss-Sisus
of N Brcuk.up-What Thons

Thero 10 division OF tno parry Oh tlc tarHi
question, which, with o few moro votes, will
give the House to tho advocates OF strictly
revenue policy of taxing imports. Trouble Is
foreshadowed in tho camp between the East
and tho West on the late legal tender decision
of the Supreme Court, and upon the money
question in all Its phases, while quite as sug-
gestive of party Generalization as anything
else is the conflict for the position of tho recog
nized leader Of the House, n position which,
in party view, is somewhat analogous to
cially when held by q man of the sagacious,
tenacious, resolute and decisive character OF
the latc ''Old Thad Stevens"
A grand, simple, comprehensive and popu-
lar idea, however, is necessary to the success
Of the political party aspiring to power, and
to the success Of tho party in power. The
republican party, for instance, was successful In
supplanting the democratic party on tho grand
idea of the extinction Of African slavery.
After thirty years Of sectional agitation of tho
slavery question the offensive exactions and
demands of the dominant and .domineering
Southern pro-slavery oligarchy had created
revolution in the Northern public mind against
negro slavery which brought the republican
party into power. It's strength was next
increased and established on the grand idea Of
the war for the Union against the slavehold-
crs' rebellion, and with the collapse Of tho
rebellion, involving tho abolition of slavery,
the republicans found new bond of cohesion
in reconstructing the Southern States, the con-
stitution and the Union on the grand idea of
equal rights, civil and political, regardless Of
race or color. The stupendous work of revo-
luton thus embodied in that initiative republi-
can idea, the extinction of slavery, is now
completed. In the brief historical period Of
ten years Of this party in power this great
work is accomplished in the thirteenth, four
tecnth and fifteenth articles Of amendment to
the national constitution.
Some new leading dea, therefore, Is wanted
by the dominant party. What shall it be?
We hear the cry of ''Specie payments" but
there arc so many theories upon this idea
that 1t involves both parties in confusion
s'Retrenchmcnt and reform?" General Jack
son was first elected upon this idea
against the awful extravagances involved
in the expenditures of President John Quincy
Adams-expenditures amounting to thirteen
millions year, all told. But this is an old
hobby, and General Grant is doing as well
with it as could be expected. Upon the money
question there is no simple and comprehen-
sive idea upon which the republicans can hold
together and hold the field. We know that
taxes must be lightened and equalized; that
the debt must be settled that the national
currency must be brought to the specie STAN
spectators and gambling rings, resulting
from the war, whereby thousands have been
enriched and hundreds of thousands have been
impoverished, have had their high carnival Of
revelry and spoils, and we feel that the day
for honest work and legitimate business ia at
hand but the transition must still be subject
as much to circumstances as to the leading
ideas Of grasping politicians.
The republican party, then, cannot do much
on the money question, and it must look to
something else for new leading idea. Gen
cral Grant might give them the winning war
cry on the Alabama claims, or on the Cuban
question, or on the Mexican question; but
General Grant seems to have settled
down to tho inglorious policy Of
mastery inactivity, the policy of taking
things quietly and trusting to luck.
He seems to forget that, though elected for his
first term on his great and glorious achieve
ments rs o soldier, he will be judged as a can
didntc for q second term upon his merits and
achievements as statesman. He seems to
depend upon his party, while his party depend
upon him to clear the way for the succession,
and this is the road to defeat. Indeed, it
appears to us that the only alternative to the
administration and the party behind it to avoid
discords, divisions and defeat is the popular
idea of annexation, in the settlement Of the
Alabama claims, the Cuban or the Mexican
question. On the idea Of the annexation Of
Texas a comparatively obscure Tennessee poll
tcian defeated the great statesman of Ken
tucky, and personally the most popular man Of
that day. So now even the popularity OF
General Grant will not gave him and his party
if they fail to take new departure.
The American people are like the old
Romans when Rome was extending her boun-
darics in view Of her manifest destiny as
mistress Of the world-they believe their
government equal to any extent of territorial
expansion. We say, then, that 'the almighty
nigger," with whom in slavery the old South
ern democratic party fourished, collapsed and
died. and with whom, in the name Of
liberty and equal rights, the republican
party has fulfilled its mission, is an ensign
which must now give way to some new idea in
order to hold this republican party together
or in order to build around the administration
the ruling party Of the future. This necessity
comes more distinctly in relief in view of the