The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-05
sPIRxx or xzn PRESS.
Editorial Opinions ofthe Leading Journals
upon Current Topios-compiIed Every
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FrOdn tho H0TfnbUrg state journal
We are not of those who regard The mis-
sion Of the Republican party as fulfilled; nor
do we accept the theory that it must resort to
hollow, clsp-trap eKpedients. But two years
ago it developed it's greatest strength, and
called General Grant to the Presidency by the
largest popular vote ever polled for ma
tiohsl candidate. 1t had selected its stan
dard-beerer with great unauimity, aud the
wisdom of that choice has not been
questioned. He had given the country
what il needed most ia its sorest trial
complete victory to the Union armies,
and he was hailed as the great captain
of the age. In the civil commissions which
followed civil strife, he had always been wise
in couucil and patriotic in his actions, and his
election to the first civil honor of the Gov
ernment was regarded as alike a national ne
cessity and just recognition of the public
services Of General Grant. He had ended
war by victory, and he was selected to heal
the ghastly wounds of fraternal estrange
ment by wise and generous administration
of the laws. The warrior was demanded as
the pacifcator, and when his election was at
tained the country felt assured of peace and
prosperity.
Nor has President Grant failed in giving to
the nation the great results sought for by his
election. The people desired successful re-
construction, established public credit, ho-
nesty and strict accountability in officials
and peace. All these great blessings have bean
attained and the substantial fruits of his
election have been gathered in their fullness
Reputation is a discarded heresy, without
defenders. Reconstruction is complete
marred somewhat by the natural results of
perpetuated hate for the Government, but,
nevertheless, it is an accomplished fact, and
will correct its own informaltes. The reve-
nue. has been honestly collected aud it has
been as honestly applied, as Is evidenced in
the rapid reduction of the public debt and
there is peace throughout the land.
With such a record for the Republican ad-
ministration, it seems anomalous to record
Democratic triumphs such as the elections
Of 1870 have given us. Two-thirds of the
Republican ma ajority in Congress is lost and
enough of the States which voted for Grant,
in 1868, TO change the electoral college to a
Democratic ma jority, have apparently con-
demned the President. 1t is idle to impute
these disasters to local causes. The i'm
mediate issues may have been more or
less local in their character, but if the ad-
ministration was as strong as it should be,
and, as from its public record, it deserves to
be, local causes could not disintegrate the
friends of the President and reverse Con-
gressional districts by platoons, and States,
in every section of the Union. The syco-
plants, who ever swarm around power, are
ever ready to explain that defeat means vic
tory; but the independent Republican press
and independent statesmen accept the plain
teachings of stubborn results, and seek for
the evil and the remedy.
That the Republican party is wanting in
harmony of organization and unity of pur-
pose to an alarming degree, is truth too
palpable not to be appreciated by the admins
tration and its sincere friends. Such journals
as the New York Post and Commercial i'd
rertiser, the Cincinnati Gazette and CONNER
cial, the Philadelphia Inquirer and Tese-
9raph, the Pttsburg Commercial, the Chicago
Tribune and Republican, the st. Louis
Democrat, and scores of other able
Republican papers of lesser note, have
criticized the policy of the President
with great rigor, and clearly foreshadowed
the discontinue the party has suffered. A
number of the leading statesmen who sup.
ported the election of President Grant have
taken issue with him on vital questions of
political policy. Senators Sumner and Ferry,
of New England; Fenton, of New York;
Trumbuil, Carpenter, and Schurz, of the
West, and others less conspicuous in the first
council of the nation have not concealed
their disapproval of administration mea-
sures, and given the moral force of their
great names to widen and deepen the discord
that now prevails in the ranks of the admin
istration party.
On all sides the perils seem to be recog-
administration in the House, comes before
the country with confession that the great
purposes of the Republican party have been
accomplished, and demand that it shall de-
scend to mere political expedients, without
regard to past achievements, and make cause
less war, If necessary, to carry popular elec-
tions and the mousing politicians, who have
been flung into place by accident, or even less
creditably, crowd the halls of the White House
and demand public plunder as the price of
Republican success. 1t were needless to say
that both are unprincipled, and the worst
foes of the Republican organization. But
ler's war policy would consign the party to a
dishonored tomb. He forgets that he is not
now addressing himself to the Democracy;
but to an organization of independent free
thinkers who will not purchase political sue.
cess at the cost of national honor or national
peace; and the petty, venal politicians, who
hope to disgrace the administration by pres
tituting its power, could not redeem the dis
asters if they would, and they would not dC
so if they could profit more by the utter de
struction of the party.
The men who have the confidence of the
people, and who could be potential in restor
ing harmony in the party and preparing Il
for future triumphs are net the men wh'
rush unbidden to advise with power. The,
do not crowd the White House and the de
partments to procure contracts and appoint
ments, nor do they rush into the publ
prints to assume the role of leadership. Th
statesmen and the Notwithstanding leader
of the Republican party are tn
men in whom the people confide, an
they have been but little known, an
less felt, in the eounsels which dictate
the political policy of the administration
T.. oin ha naia n