New-York tribune., 1871-04-14
"SHPLIT UP Old VAN PROYK.'


Dutch wife. and very fond OF Dietrich
When he died she thought herself lnconsoia-
bic. and in hei despairibg loneliness Int upon
the expedient of having statue OF van
Pronk carved in wood. This she kept In the
guest chamber, visited it often, and tned 10
feel that her house was still not without a
head. But before long there came to see the
widow Van PrOnk handsome young shoe
maker of tho neighborhoOd. He came often;
he came every day; it was plain what the
Young shoemaker intended. When this had
gone on for two weeks, one morning the
widow of Dietrich was told by her servants
that tho kinding wood was all gone. Ach! !!
Zach :, said she; "may be it ish veil enough
"now to shplt mp OLD Van Pronk vat lsh up
stairs ~ History kindly forbear3 to pursue
the narrative further. We arc not told
whether the shoemaker turned out good
husband OF not, nor even whether he mar
ried Mrs. Van PrOnk at all. If he CHANGED to
come in at the moment when the bits Of poor
Dietrich were piled mp in tho chimney
place to light the fire, he might well have
! bcsitated about slipping into his shoes. BnJ
the interest of The story and its moral begin
and leave off together, at the point OF the
| widows haste 10 mako WHY Win ull 'tSi"i'
sign and token cf Van Pronk.
We have been reminded of this story again
and again in the course of the last few weeks
by the reckless, hasty tone Of comment aAd
suggestion all over the land in regard to the
| Republican party. We are told that it is
| dcad that it must lie buried and the sooner
| The better; undcitaker-, with and without
| references, flock to the hort; ADMINISTRATORS
are ready to take charge OF the effects; the
! business, if carried on, must be carried on
under a new name; and it is doubtful even
| then if il will thrive, &c, &c, &c until We
! are henrtsick of the INCONSISTENCY, shailOwness,
| impotence, aud folly OF our own kinspeople.
| There WIS never political party in this
| country which had so Inherent bold on the
cOuntry-was purely and it may be SAID
| organically indigenous To 1t as the KepuDlican
party. There was rover II political party In
| this country which had n name so inherently
representative of its am its principles, It's
| quality. Swarlning busters and greedy self
seekers may do their worst and their utmost; ;
there viii always be i'll this country Rcpub-
| lican party-that is, party that believes III
not only q Republic, but Our Republic "a
party that believes in democratic republic
and not an aiistocratic one, like those which
| died on the Mediterranean shores, OF like that
which under false name struggles for life
to-day in Queen NictOria'S little island "a
party that believes in a democratic republic
which is a nation, and not a confederation!
This central principle makes as eternal and
Interchangeable link, as eternal and unchange-
able barrier as the mountain ranges which
| bind the aOlid earth of our continent. And 1t
is disheartcning and exasperatng 20 see petty
issues petty alterations, rising into such promi-
ncnce forced into such antagonsm as to hinder
the working and mperil the success of the great
body of faithful, earnest men who have at
heart the welfare OF such q Republic If the
Republican party ceases TO bear that name on
! its banners it will have to take worse one,
for there is none so good; if il allows itself To
| be diverted from main aims, bullicd or caressed,
or cheated into mistakes it will simply double
or treble its ultimate burden-double or treble
its years Of hard service. But its worst
enemies are, as Is AiYays the case in life,
of its own householdr and 10 such we say
good-naturedly, bat earnestly, we have not
married the shoemaker yet; ii is to be hoped
we shan't; don't be in such hurry to Shplit
cup Van Pronk " He would still DO found
an uncomm only lively sort of corpse.