Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-08-30

the freedmen in the reconstruction
measures. To secure citizenship and
equal rights to a wronged and hated
race, they poposed and adopted
The fourteenth amendment, and en-
acted the bill of civil rights. To
establish by irreversible guarantees
equal political rights and privileges.
they adopted the fifteenth amend
ment, and as browning act of free
dom, they provided by law for the
enforcement of these amendments
thus newly snshrined within the
constitution. Thus the Republicans,
against the sternost opposition,
against misrepresentation, against
appalling obstacles. have struggled
on until the rebel states, reconstruct
cd on the basis of impartial liberty,
have been restored, and the sublime
doctrines of the Declaration of indie
pendence made assured and practical
realities. In the progress ofthe ages
it has been given to few, in any form
or by any modes, to achieve work
so vast, so grand, 30 beneficent, 80
sure to be recorded by history, and
applauded and remembered by COM
ing generations.
ITS FOURTH ERA.
Having achieved this grand work,
having passed through these three
eras of its history, the Republican
Party, entering on its fourth era,
was summoned to deal with ques-
tions relating TO the rational debt,
the currency, finances and taxation,
to reforms in the military, naval and
Indian service, and wherever re.
naming burdens and legacies were
left by the war. Concerning these
questions there are apparent diversi-
ties OF interests mad real differences
of opinion. The solutions of some of
them are embarrassed by grave
difficulties. They require time as
we'll as financial skill and practical
craftsmanship for their adjustment.
Differences of opinion on matters SO
reconcile and complex, in an organi-
cation embracing SO many men of
large intelligence, trained to habits
of independent thought, expression
and modes of action, are inevitable.
They are indeed TO be expected and
desired, for from such freedom of
discussion, truth is elected and prop
or modes of action are deduced. The
men, therefore, who stood so firmly
while in a minority, and the denun-
Citations, arrogance and scorn of
power; the men who met the stern
exigencies of civil war with such
heroic power and extirpated the slave
system the men who grappled so
successfully with the perplexing and
pregnant issues Of reconstruction,
lifted helpless freedmen up to citi-
zenship, exalted them to the heights
of civil and political rights and privi-
leges, and made the nation free in
fact as we'll as in name, should not
shrink from the less momentous and
less embarrassing question now be-
fore them.
Patriotism, principle, the continu-
ed existence, reputation and renown
of the Republican party, and a due
sense Of self-respect and pride of
character demand that Republicans
now, as in the past, should have
faith in this capacity TO carry for
ward to completion reforms so aus
piciously begun. 1t came into being
as an organization Of reform and
progress, and should be ever ready
to accept the living issues of the
hour and march abreast with the
spirit of the age. Unaided, it has
fought the battles of reform with
constancy and courage. Nor in the
work still before it can it hope for
aid from those who still cling to the
traditions of the past, pride them
selves On their conservatism, and
who, during the conflicts of the past
twenty years, have resisted all reform
and mourned over every effete and
hateful abuse as it fell. If there are
Republicans who are weary of the
ascendancy of party which has
achieved such browning victories,
who are tired of the responsibilities
of power, and would relinquish it to
other hands, they should remember
that there are none worthy to &C
cept it. For surely they cannot fail
to see that the Democratic party, by
it's policy during the closing years
OF its power, and by its blind and
unrelenting opposition to reformato-
ry measures while out of power,
oven now, as if smitten by judicial
blindness, refusing to accept the
Constitutional amendments as fixed
and final, has demonstrated its utter
incapacity for such trust.
PRESIDENT GRANTS ADMINISTRATION
Accustomed to success even
against fearful odds, and undertaking,
perhaps, the intrinsic difficulties of
of the pending issues, many Repub-
licans looked to President Grants
administration with high raised ex-
pectations. Of course they have
been impatient and not always salts
fed with results. But while these
expectations have not been fully
realized in the action either of the
President or of Congress, much has
been achieved, enough, at any rate,
to satisfy them that the difficult
problems will be wrought out and
theehoped-for results accom- plished.
Gen. Grant came into office pledg-
ed to maintain inviolate the public
faith, reduce the national debt, dim
inish taxation, appreciate the curren-
cy, reform abuses in the civil and
military service, and maintain order
in the states lately in rebellion. By
the combined action of the President.
the heads of Departments, Congress
and the General of the Army, many
ab uses have been corrected and
many reforms inaugurated. Presi-
dent Grants Indian policy is bring
ing forth evidences of its justice, its
and its wisdom. The firm,
just and generous policy of the ad-
-.