The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-02-23
THE REPUBLICAN PATTY IN CON
GR S-.sIGNS OF A BREAKUP.
WHAT THEM

There are signs Of coming discords
and divisions among the Republicans in
Congress. There is division Of the
party on the tariff question, which, with
few more votes, will give the House
to the advocates Of strictly revenue
policy Of taxing imports. Trouble is
foreshadowed in the camp between tho
East aud the West on the late legal
tender decision Of the Supreme Court,
aud upon the mOuey question 10 all it's
phases, while quito as suggestive of par
ty decentralization as any thing else is
hc:.conflict for the position OF the recog.
nizod leader of the House, position
which in a party view, is somewhat
analogous to that Of the prime Minister
of England, especially when held by a
man Of the sagacious, tenacious, reso>
lutte aud decisive character of the late
"Old Thad Ste7eus"
A grand, simple, comprehensive and
popular IDEA, however, is necessary to
the success of the party in power. What
shall it be We hear the cry of"Specie
payments y but there are SO many the.
cries upon this idea that it involves both
parties in confusion. "Retrcnchment aud
reform J" General Jackson was first elect.
ed upon this idea against the awful
extravagances involved in the cxpendi
turcs amounting to thirteen millions a
year, all told. But this is an old hob
by, and General Grant is doing as we'll
with it as could be expected. Upon this
money question there is no simple aud
comprehensive idea upon which the
Republicans can hold together aud hold
the field We know that taxes must be
lightened and equalized F; that the debt
must be settled that the national cur
renoy must be brought to the specie
standard that the jobbcrs and schcu.-
ers, and spectators aud gambling rings
resulting from the war. whereby thou
sands have been enriched and hundreds
Of thousands have been impoverished,
have had their high carnival of revclry
aud spoils, and We feel that the day for
honest work and legitimate business ia
at hand but the transition must still be
subject as much to circumstances as to
the leading ideas Of grasping poiti-
claus
The Republican party then cannot do
much on the money question, and it
must look to something else for new
leading idea. General Grant might give
them the winning war cry on the Ala~
bama claims, or on the Cuban question,
or on the Mexican question but Gen
eral Grant seems to have settled down to
the inglorious policy of mastcrly inac-
tivity, the policy Of taking things qui.
etIy and trusting to luck. He seems to
forget that, though elected for his first
term on his great and glorious achieve.
mcnts a. soldier, he will be judged as
candidate for second term upon his
merits and achievements AZ statesman.
lic seems to depend upon his party,
while his party depend upon him to
clear the way for the succession, aud this
is the road to defeat. Indeed, it ap.
pears to us that the only alternative to
the administration and the party behind
to avoid discurds. aud divisions and,
defeat is the popular idea Of annexation,
in the settlement ot the Alabama claims,
the Cuban or the Mexican question:
On the idea Of the annexation Of Texas
comparatively obscure politician de.
fcated the great statesman Of Kentucky,
and personally the most popular man Of
that day. So now even the popularity
of General Grant will not save him and
has party if they fail to take new de.
parture.
The American people are like the
old Romans when Rome was extending
her boundaries in view of her manifest
destiny as mistress of the world-they
believe their government equal to any
extent Of territorial expansion. We say
then, that ",he almighty Niger" with
whom in slavery the old Southern Dem.
ocratic party flourishcd, collapsed and
died, aud with whom, in the name of
liberty aud equal rights, the Republican
party has fulfilled its mission, is an
ensign which must now give way to some
new idea, in order to hold this Rcpub>
lean party together, or in order to build
around the administration the ruling
party Of the future. This necessity comes
more distinctly in relief in view Of the
probability that in the elections Of next
fall for Congress the opposition in the
Southern States, in a general compact
with the blacks. will regain the South,
crn balance Of power. Under the pres
ent condition and tendencies Of things
the administration is drifting With
Congress to Generalization, failure and
defeat.-.W Y HroM
.'nlAM NlY,, lsEvELS.
1t must have been a goodly sight to
h. L., ~,