New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-08-19
ADDRESS TO REPUBLICANS
Republican Congressional Committee
THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

To the 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 responsibilities.
The people, as is their right, will hold you
to strict accountability for the exercise of
this great trust. Elections are soon to be
held for the national House of Representa-
tives. These elections will determine the
political complexion of the popular branch
of Congress. They will, too, determine the
character of several State governments
And these results will be accepted as the
verdict of the people upon the IDEAS, prln-
ciples and policies of the Republican party,
and upon the measures and character OF
the national administration. To these re-
sponsibilities, and to the gravity OF these
issues, your thoughtful consideration Is III
voked.
In the present juncture it behooves the
Republican party not to forget its origin nor
its history. Amid the difficulties that beset
it and the responsibilities and labors which
the needs of the country in the new and un-
tried condition of affairs imposes, it should
remember that it was born of the nations
necessities, and thus far it has grandly met
the exigences for which it was framed
Having passed trinmphantly through three
to enter upon its fourth. Gathering, there
fore, inspiration from past successes, 1t
should grapple hopefully and with unshrlnk-
ing confidence with the duties of the present
and near future.
Recurring to their origin Republicans will
remember when the land was the theatre
of a stern and irrepressible conflict between
the demonssof slavery and caste, and the
spirit of liberty and equality, when the
slave power held great interests and power
full organizations in its grasp, and ruled the
nation with imperial sway, that the founders
OF the party instructed by passing events,
with convictions deepened and zeal quick,
ened by the teachings OF history and OF
holy writ, and inspired by the deathless
words of the patriots, statesmen and heroes
of our earlier time, rose to the eXlgencles
of the hour, opposed the naughty ami mbitlons.
the maddening passions, the cruel preludlces
that the discouraging theories OF the noml-
mating majority, and. although long over
borne by numbers, still struggled on amid
jeers, insults, mobs, blows and assassina-
tions, till under the lead Of Abraham Lin
con they achieved success and grasped the
scepter of political power.
Entering upon its second era. appalling
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, organ
lied vast armies, created powerful navies,
fought bloody battles, crushed the most gl-
gantic rebellion of all recorded history, and
saved the nations life 1t was then amid
the clash of arms that the Republican party
saw that slavery was the relentless and un-
appeasable foe of the country, was the III.
spiration, the heart and soul of that civil
war, and that its death would be the ami
hilation of the rebellion, the unity OF the
republic and the development OF free lnstl-
tutiOns.
Against cowardly fears, selfish instincts
and unreasoning passions and preJudlces
IL pronounced the doom OF that hldeous and
horrid system Of human bondage. though ii
was upheld by the aggregated interests Of
three thousand millions of dollars, hedged
about by the accumulated passions
and prejudices, prides and ambitions OF
seven generations, and intrenched within
the social, political and ecclesiastical or
ganizations and affiliations of life. By
a series of executive and Legislative
acts it broke the chains and lifted
from the depths of chattelhood up. tt
the SUBMITS Of manhood four and hal
millions of hapless bondsmen, and stood
them before the nations with their riven tet-
tiers in one hand and their tltle-deeds tt
freedom III the other.
The war ended, the rebellion subdued, the
bondsmen emancipated, the Republican
party entered upon the third era of its event
full 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 government, but still bemoaning the
"lost cause" they remained unsubdued il
will, and unrepentant in spirit and purpose
Though made free, the bondmen were home
less, without property, without employment
subject to the cruel laws against free people
of color which had always disgraced South
ern legislation, and in the midst of a people
exasperated by defeat, and maddened by
their loss of power, still longer to hold anC
oppress. Property was swept away, INDUS
try disorganized society disintegrated, hnC
States were without lawful governments.
Upon the Republican party devolved the
task of reconstruction. Toits intrinsic diff
culties were added the intense hostility OF
the ex-rebels, the lingering prejudices long
engendered by the slave system, the timiG
counsels of conservatism and the apostacy
of the executive. Great interests and pow
erful combinations sought to so reconstruct
the South as to place the power in the
hands of the late slaveholding class, and
leave the helpless freedmen in the abjecl
condition Of practical serfdom. Seldom in
history has there been imposed upon any
body of men a work of greater magnitude
or difficulty. The Republicans might have
shrunk from and avoided it. They were
sOrely tempted to do so. But they resisted
the temptation Of official power and patron
age, the threats of executive dictatiOn and
all other adverse influences and with sub
lime fidelity and courage addressed them
selves to the herculean task.
To aid in reorganizing disordered indus.
tries, caring for, protecting and instructing
the emancipated bondmen in the new duties
of their changed condition, the Republican:
established the Freedmen's Bureau, which
by the wise expenditure Of a few million o.
dollars did an incalculable work for order
peace and the rehabilitation of Southern
society. To reconstruct rebelllOus States
on the solid basis of equal rights, they gave
suffrage to the freedmen in the reconstruc
ton measures. To secure citizenship anG
civil rights to wrOnged and hated race
they proposed and adopted the fourteenth
amendment, and enacted the bill OF clvl
rights. To establish by irreversible guar
antics equal political rights and privi
leges, they adopted the fifteenth amend
ment, and as crowning act for freedom
they provided by law for the enforcement
Of the amendments thus newly enshrined
within the constitution. Thus the Repubh-
cans, against the sternest opposition, against
Misrepresentation, against appalling OBJ
stacles, have struggled on until the rebel
States, reconstructed on the basis of impair
tial liberty, have been restored, and the
sublime doctrines OF the declaration Of in
dependence made assured and practical
realities. In the progress of the ages it has
been given to few, in any form or by any
modes, to achieve work so vast, SO great
SO beneficial, SO sure to be recorded by his
tory, and applauded and remembered by
coming generations.
Having achived this grand workIhayng
passed through these three eras OF It's hls