Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-10-15


The Radical party died about half past
l. clock on Friday. Sept I'd. Its disor-
der was a rush of mud to the head. The
abuse. villifcation and general black guard
ISM with which its proscriptivc element
has habitually assalcd every prominent
man who had sense enough to sec tomor-
row. produced on the part of many of its
intelligent members determination to take
care of to morrow, and let the party take
care Of itself The brains went out. The
intestincs remained Time was that
wlrcn the brains were out the man would
die" and the party died.
The thing which is going around the
State at this time, called Radical is its
ghost. 1t has the shadowy semblanee of
the former party. Its features are still
distorted with the paroxysm of passion
with which the party died. But its arms
are powerless. Instead of the sinews which
used to deal heavy blows through this and
other live papers, it has an empty shadow
of concern here, and some more of the
same pattern elsewhere. Instead of Schurz
it has Jcwctt. Instead of Fox it has Shep.
herd. Instead of the Democrat it has
Flint. Could anything be deader? Like
other ghosts it squeaks and gibbers some,
and possesses much power to scare old
women, and small children. A few nice
men, who would rather at any time follow
a dead old party than live new one, still
linger affectionately at its heels, and muir
muir, " 1t was such dear creature" Be-
cause it was, they fancy it is. And so it
gibbcrs along, until the dawn of new day
shall tinge the horizon in November, and
the cheers of thousands of cnfranchised
white men shall make cock.crow for ma.
ton. Then, like other ghosts, it will van.
ish with the bats and owls of night.
Not only are the features distorted, but,
as sometimes happens to those who depart
in pain, the face is black. In fact, so lit.
tie of its material complexion remains that
some persons mistake the ghost for Mr.
Turner
We have no time to write a history of
the deceased. Busy men, in live world,
have no time for funeral ceremonies. Nor
can we conscientiously lament its departure.
For some time its disease has been so severe
that life was burden to it. The days of
its usefulness, as a party Of prescription
and disfranchiscment, were really over
when U. S. Grant was elected. Since that
time, it has only been question whether
the party should kill its principles, or its
principles kill the party. We deem it
fortunate that the principles scared away
to purer aud better abode, before they
had been altogether destroyed by that rush
of mud to the head. So painful were its
latter days, that even its best friends longcd
for the agony to be over; longed for the
day when pure gentleman and brilliant
statesman could utter a noble thought in a
caucus Of his friends without having hurl-
ed at him the epthcts of "rebel," drunk
ard" and "in6del;" when scoundrel
should cease to be idolized by loyal men
because he ravcd and blasphemed at rebels;
when in the name of God and loyalty it
should be no longer necessary to keep half
a million of the money of the people loaned
by favored bank or two; when a newspa-
per could frankly speak its objection to
men and measures without being accused
of treachery; when, in short, brave men
should not fear to 60 before the whole PEG.
pie with just principles as their only hope
of success.
There were two ways of bringing that
bette. day. One was to regcnerate the
party. The other was to kill it. Liberal
men honestly and faithfully tried to lift it
above the level of prescription, hatred,
greed for small offices, and prolonged dis.
franchisemcnt. They spoke, they wrote,
they persuaded, not without zeal and hope.
Even to the last moment, Carl Schurz said
to one who sat next to him II do vet
greatly hope that we shall carry this major
ity report, and then the selection of any
fair candidate will make all WE'LL" But
Jcwett was there. AS the skill of country
doctors is measured by the sice of tho
graveyards, Jewett deserves distinction as
having killed little the strongest party
Missouri ever saw. He administered one
more dose. Soul parted from body and
freedom came with death.
Yes, freedom! Men may now say aloud
that 'the time has come" The brave and
steady three hundred, who waited three
tedious, weary days, in eight marching
order to man, yet faithful to the end to
save the party if they could without sacri.
ticlnag its principles, are now on the war
path. Their ringing cheers echo over
Missouri from Clark to Mcdonald. Here
the steady, elastic "tramp, tramp" of sixty
thousand freemen, who come to sweep pro.
scription from the State, and give Missouri
peace! Yes, "Let us have peace" Mr..
President! Though the administration nav
not support itself, sixty thousand freemen
are coming to support it, by making good
your promise.
The dead party has a fine assortment of
dead political hacks to work it. One little
fellow, who has been defeated candidate
for every thing from a delegate to a county
convention up to secretary of state, or
member of the national executive commit.
tee runs its organ. Another, who begged
in vain for place as attorney general, or
member OF the legislature, or anything else,