The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-08-04

ments of trouble and danger rife
within their borders, and It has led
them, one by one, to the fold OF the
Union, where they are not only at
peace but greatly prosperous. 1t mas
met the anomalous condition OF the
freedmen, beset as they were by the
iutoIerant hatred of their old mas
tiers and their own ignorance OF
their wants and duties, and IL
has brought them to complete Sc
curity, equipped with every right OF
American citizenship, and working IN
harmony with their white neighbors.
| Not only has war of races thus been
avoided, but the South has been put
on the road to a prosperity such as
she never enjoyed before. The fnan
ciaI problem which, at the close of
the war, was one of the most per-
plexing that ever assailed any nation,
has already been triumphantly solved
| by the Republican party. The Dem
ocratic cry of reputation has been
smothered. The expenses of the gov
eminent have been reduced as fast as
the exigency would allow; there has
been a gain of over thirty-tWo mil
lions Of dollars IN the honest collec-
l
sixteen months of Grants admins.
tration, as compared with the last
sixteen of Johnson's administration ;
and SAG, OOO, 900 of the public debt
has been paid. During this time, too,
the taxes have been reduced, the last
reduction amounting to no less than
eighty millions of dollars per annum.
In view OF these grand facts, patent
to the whole American people, of
what consequence is a little contro-
versy in the Republican ranks, or any
amount of petty criticism by their OPP
ponents2
For what share, we ashland the
people, too. are asking it-what share
has the Democatic party in this proud
record? Not the least. From begin
ming to end it has offered nothing but
carping, misrepresentation, opposition.
If it could have had its way the rebel
States would have returned to the
Union under rebel control, thus vast
ing the whole blood and treasure OF
the war The three last amendments
of the Observation-Disclosures immortal
guarantees of equal rights-would
never have been heard Of. The freed
men would have been remanded to the
tender mercies Of their old masters,
leading inevitably to bloody conflict
of races. The public debt would have
been repudiated, either openly OF
through limitless food of worthless
paper issues, which would have swol-
len prices and created a public dis.
tress greater than we ever knew IN
war times. We are warranted in say
ing that such would have been the ca.
reer of the Democratic party, not
only from the avoWals of its champ.
ons and organs, but from the fact that
its representatives In Congress resist
every single Republican Measure
which has brought about the differ.
emit state of things We are now enjoy
ing.
Seeing, then, that these things are
so, what doubt can we feel of the fu.
ture of the Republican party? By
the very law of its existence it il
/ pledged to go right onward In the
| oath it has already trodden. The
same principles it applied during the
war, and through the period of recon
struction, it will apply to the exigen-
cies of the future--encounter
doubtless, the same ceaseless play oil
Democratic misrepresentation which
has attended it hitherto. It has had
some short comings, we admit; Its
representatives in power have not
always come up to the demand OF
their constituents. But they have
received their most saiutary rebukes
in the house of their friends, who
never have, and we trust never will,
purchase success at the expense OF
sincerity and right. These criticisms
on the Republican side, when direct
ed by good motives, are among the
most effectual weapons of Republican
advancement. And we may say the
same of the prevalent Democratic
carpings, whatever their motive-for
they only serve to show the petty
prejudices, the utter want of principle
and the total ignorance of the require
ments of this .;uncture, which the
| people have judged, in their deter
mined Punishment of the Democratic
party from power.