The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-05
SHALL RRPUBLICAN UNITY BE
RE9TOREDp

ment in midsummer the popular elections
have pointed with marked emphasis TO tho
only path of safety for the Republican party.
There mxst be Republican unity, or the
nation must be surrendered TO the Demo
oracy.
The unity essential to Republican success
means much more than merely reconciling
the differences of rival politicians. The
wound is deeper and broader than wrsngling
politicians could have inflicted IL all the
mere politicians could be made to love each
other, and unite against the common enemy,
the Republican party would still be paralysod
and unequal to its future struggles.
The war of politicians is bd the result Of
the great cause of discord and disntegration
apparent in the Republican ranks. II the
national administration had counsellors in
whose ability and integrity the people con-
fided, and appealed to popular support by a
just respect for the popular will, politicians
would not dare to fomsnt dissensions by
their rivalry. They have wholesome fear
of the people, and only when the people are
Indifferent, or offended by the policy of the
Government can the party be made tho foot
ball for faction.
We hear almost daily of the efforts of poll
tioal thinkers to heal The breaches between
ambitious leaders by providing patronage or
plunder for themselves or friends; aud the
managers who have become conspicuous Of
late seem to assume that if the place-h hun
ters and brawlers are satisfied there will be
Republican peace.
1t is a fatal mistake to attempt TO treat the
disoord in the Republican ranks as a disease
so trivial in its character. The people we
no sympathy with camp followers, who fo N ont
disoord to profit by reconciliation. All the
disappointed office-hunters in Pennsylvania,
if their widest demands were gratified, could
not make the Republican party any moro
harmonious or hopeful than it is now; and it
is even probable that, so far from bettsring
the condition of the party, it would be more
disguised and less adhesive after such
remedy had been applied than before
While such men as Cameron and Caaudlor,
and Butler are charged with the work of heal
ing the wounds of the Republican party, the
sores will become more ghastly and dangerous
with each remedial effort they make. When
they come with such specifics as causeess
war and territorial spoliation, vowedly as
more political inventions, they forget tina
the American people are as honorable as they
are patriotic, and as faithful in their devotion
to peace as they are invincible in war. When
they come with demands for Indian agencies
and revenue collectors, and foreign missions,
and black mail assessments from the starveliug gs
of the departments, to propitiate popular
favor, they wilfully defraud the administra-
tion, aud prostitute its patronage and po yer
to preserve for themselves the accidental aud
Ill H.
Repubhcanism is trembling Oh tie Oergc Of
dissolution, because there is an utter ooaat Of
confidence and sympathy 6etWeeR the adnie-
istration and the honest masses Of Meparty.
If this misfortune could be corrected, the mere
politicians who hope to profit by the internal
dissensions Of the party would be glad to
yield support to the administration and to
the usages of the organization, regardless of
the fortune they might meet with in these
scrambles for plumbers but with the admins
tration estranged from the masses of the
people who called it into existence, and appa-
rently Indifferent to tho popular WILL factisn
runs riot, and factionists are reaping the
richest harvest at the cost of the administra-
ton.
The people have trusted leaders, whose
eounsels they accept and whose plumes they
follow in the conflicts of politics. They are
not only politicians but they are statesmen,
and in every sense representative men. They
do not rush to the White House to beg for
petty favors, nor do they explore the depart
ments in search of contributions or contracts.
They do not herald their going and coming
in the newspapers through hired correspon-
dents; but when they do go to Washington,
and when they do speak, the people watch their
movements and hear their counsels with in
terest and respect Such men are not the
creatures of accident or purchase. Their
distinction is based upon popu-
lar confidence and affection,
and they do not need to be clothed with
patronage to maintain themselves at home.
Those men are not the cOnfdants and coun-
sellers of tie administration, and the people
distrust the G00erxnaent that practically re-
jeSts thene II is not from such men that the
Republican party received its crushing load
of political blunders during the last session.
They did not disgust and humiliate the people
by continuing the inquisitorial income tax
in order to crafty the lobby by relieving
gross receipts of taxation. They did not in
vent st. Domingo jobs to mislead the Presi-
dent and involve him in disrepute. They do
not advise that the industry of the country BIO
paralyzed to give us the idle boast of redu-
cling the public debt beyond the necessities Of
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