Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-08-27

Success of President Grants Administrdtion
To tie Republicans of the United States:
The Executive and Legislative Depart
ments of the National Government and
two-thirds of the State Governments
have been committed to your Keeping
Such power carries with it grave respon-
sibilities. The people, as lie their right,
will hold you to a strict accountability
for the exercise of this great trust
Elections are soon to be held Tor the Ma
tional House of Representatives. These
elections will determine the political
complexion OF the popular branch of Con
gress. They will, too, determine the po-
litical character of several State Govern
ments. And these results will be accept
ed as the verdict of the people upon the
ideas, principles and policies of the Re
publican party, and upon the measures
and character of the National Admins
tration. To these responsibilities, and to
the gravity of these issues, your thought
full consideration is invoked.
In the present juncture it behooves
the Republican party not to forget its
origin nor it's history. Amid the diff
culties that beset it, and the responsible
ties and labors which the needs of the
country in the new and untried condi-
tion of affairs imposes, it should remem-
Der that it was born of the Nations ne
cessities, and thus far it has grandly met
the exigencies tor which it was formed
Having passed triumphantly through
three great eras of its history, it is now
summoned to enter upon its fourth
Gathering, therefore, inspiration from
past successes, il should grapple hope
fully and with unshirinking confidence
with the duties ofthe present and future.
Recurring to their origin Republicans
will remember, when the land was the
theater of a stern and irrepressibe con-
fiict betwe the demons of slavery and
caste and the spirit of liberty and equali-
ty, when the slave power held great in
terests and powerful organizations in its
grasp and ruled the nation with imperial
sway, that the founders of the party, in
structed by passing events, with convic-
tions deepened aud zeal quickened by
the teachings ofhistory and ofholy writ,
and inspired by the deathless words Of
the patriots, statesmen and heroes of our
earlier time, rose to the exigencies of the
hour, opposed the naughty ambitions,
the maddening passions, the cruel preiu-
dices and the disorganizing theories of
the dominating majority, and, although
long overborne by numbers, still strug-
gled on amid jeers, insults, mobs, blows
and assassinations, till under the lead of
Abraham Lincoln they achieved success
and grasped the scepter of political pow
err.
Entering upon its second era appall-
ing responsibilities at once arose. The
slave masters, in the pride and arrogance
of power, instantly plunged the nation
into the fire and blood of civil war
But the Republican party rose with the
crisis. 1t raised money in unstinted
measure, organized vast armies, created
powerful navies, fought bloody battles,
crushed the most gigantic rebellion of
all recorded history and saved the ma
tions's life. 1t was then, amid the clash
of arms, that the Republican party saw
that slavery was the relentless and unap-
peasable toe of the country, was the in
spiration, the heart and soul of that civil
war, and that its death would be the an
nihilaticn of the rebellion, the unity Of
the Republic and the development OF free
institutions. Against cowardly fears,
selfish instincts and unreasoniDg passions
and prejudices it pronounced the doom
of that hideous and horrid system of hu-
man bondage, though it was upheld by
the aggregated interest of three thous-
and million of dollars hedged about by
the accumulated passions and prejudices,
prides and ambitions of seven genera
tions, and intrenched within the social,
political and ecclesiastical organizations
and affiliations of life. BY series OF
executive and Legislative acts it broke
the chains and lifted from the depths of
chattelhood up to the submits OF man
hood four and half millions of hapless
bondsmen, and stood before the nations
with their riven fetters in one hand and
their title deeds to freedom in the other.
The war ended, the rebellion subdued,
the bondmen emancpated, the Republi-
can party entered upon the third era OF
its eventful history. Though conquered
by arms the rebels did not accept the
just, humane and generous ideas OF the
Victors, nor did they return to their
proper allegiance and loyalty to the Gov
ernment, but still bem roaming the ''lost
cause" they remained unsubdued in will
and unrepentant in spirit and purpose.
Though made free the bondmen were
homeless, without property, without en-
plOyment, subject to the cruel laws
against free people. of color which had
always disgraced Southern legislation,
and IN the midst ofa people exasperated
by defeat and maddened by their loss OF
power still longer to hold and oppress.
Property was swept away, industry dis,