New-York tribune., 1870-01-03
THE Political DUTY OF CHRISTIANS


To the Editor Of the IrtbUhf.
SIR: It is q mistake to assume that the Re-
publican party was party OF general moral ideas and
that the party recently defeated In this state the
Republican party minus the ideas" and that the raid
party "sold out 70 German nhdey free lager ana tha
sabbaths" Is alleged by respectable religious paper
The party retains all the ideas that 10 ever had except 20
far as they have been carried effect and replaced
by others rising ont OF the ashes OF the original Inc
Of hostility 70 savery-hat, and nothing elseat frt
limited to opposition TO its extension GlamnG no hise,
Constitutional power on the subject lt had no ideas
on the subject OF free lager free sabDaths or German
inndey." The OF the party, individually gu had
ideas all those subjects some on one SIDE ana come
on the other, but none OF them was made parry SIND
boleh Political or legal action on Them one way or the
other, was not made an OBJECT OF the paFy OFgah"ato
that all who we're agreed IN tho ouJects oi tue party
the Slavery question could Wetk haflnoulou-Y
together, without regard to differences on any other SUD
MIR Lincoln was elected the South robelcd because he
was elected. the Democratic party Of the North joined
the Rebellion saoStahtHIiy, hD9 the hepuDiotn paly,
All moral ideas" not tending 20 the suppression of tue
Rebellion thus securing the support OF an who agreed
with them the question, were irresistible me
polls in all the North for all those terrible four year, ~
war Then. after the war; the Republican party batcd
for four years the balloOOXes, only Or loyal recon.
struction introducing into the arena of politics no noiI
ideas" such grew out Of the por contest WHAT,
then are the moral ideas that the party has sold out or
abandOnedi There IL not one Ii has to-day al the IDEAS
that II ever had except snch as nave oteohe SSc s
pshed Constitutional facts-ldeas that we're suhcieht
Tor fourteen years aud up to the election ot NoyenDt
1869. 70 command the confidence ana eihnsisstS pPo'
OF very large majority OF The ChTlSths ~ ai ItLO'
Has 1t been discovered, just now thAi Ihe pi{ , ne
ALI along been In the wrOngi that the "moIal ldeas
ongty ytbeyi JFt y, see Go back years
OF war; when the hf0 OF the nation aeI nue1 every
SSsnotism: when We lad 10 battle ~ the baotboNos
inch Dy men ttn the battle of The Union on southern
Hds when the fate OF the Union depended on the sue
ness ot The Republican party 10 the polls every time;
tSen oupht we To- have adopted any OF the moral IDEAS
that no man should receive official Gonors who did not
bela u
outside OF the special work III hand Ought Franz sgel
aZerbeerdriukiug men the thickest OF the sh be-
he did not agree With us on free lager OF nee
Then again, during Andrew Johnson,s four years OF
effort 10 reconstruct the South-kebel side up-the
Northern Democracy voting every ume 10 lnauguIale
the Rebels in power over the Union men, 10 execute ven
geance upOu them for their ieay O the Union. aud 10
popularlLe and nationaze the Rebel spirit tue cons0
daton and OF the Republican party was not much
less important and valuable TO the human race hah AT
any former time Was IL then TO keep within It's
old landmarksi l cannot see II. =, ,,.,...-. .-...-
adhere to the right because is right" Now, submit
that this Is begging the question IL we admit that
their side and none would be made on ours Tor nobody
will ask them wrong To accommodate the Repubi-
can party But the sole question is, what the right in
n for eight years the right was in voting wthItho
Republican party by what rue ot political theology eau
Il be made that Il s right IN se9 to reject and defeas
the same party. with precisely the same PoitleaI sau
moral ideas before aud 10 place Ia complete power ia
this state. party IN the man noorons!y antagonise
political IDEAS party always pledged 70 iret lase nc
whisky, free roWdylsm ana ftee corruption oi euose
every description and every grade rms - Must ~
Doasted OF by some welmeaning teachers IN Israel oy
rs the choice that they have made, without any shs1
element OIL compensation, present or prospective lnAI
-,.,t..,,- 90 IL,
In conclusion, the duty OF Christians pocs!y' a. u
every other relation IN te Is % do AL the soou ,uV
ana 10 prevent al the evil they eau, taking men ava
things as they hud them. and not TO reach AFTER n's
billties aud omit to do the possible They are p"t "
the great law making constituency. an element ia P"
cal parties in the nominating AS well AS the NOtlns
OF the country. All that they can possibly 40 oL ~
cause politically, s, frst, 20 let themselves 10 H.
the nominating convention get the best eanuaal's ~
the hest platform they can, always lh VIC" o
the polls FOR they have no right TO throw away th
power for good, by enforcing upon the parry VIA,
know cannot be achieved at the polls III the parry ~
not take long stride for good eu with short oC
fhey cannot "a great good. let them do small o' =.
they cannot any positive good. let them prevent ons
evil IL they can. II. on the whole, they have hu ~ ~
talents politically. 20 improve upon, hut only one, ''
hem hide that one Ia the earth. D. u
Corning, n. y. Dec. .5 1863.