The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-04-04

PARTY FEALTY.


vices are sprung to weaken and divide our
ranks, it is we'll to ix in our minds some
safe standard of action as to party fealty.
To what extent we should yield our iudi-
vidual tastes, preferences and opinions, in
order to secure unity of action, is an in
quiry which should be seriously under
taken by every good citizen.
| Parties originate in the attempt to bring
about some change of public policy, by so
influencing the popular mind as to secure
the adoption of their principles by the
law-making power. They are simply ex-
tensions Of that general cooperation in
affairs, which mark the difference between
civilized and savage communities. Recog-
nizing a common work to be done, mill
lions of men form vast organization to
achieve it. The necessity of this united
effort has been demonstrated by the expe-
rience of mankind, aud men form parties
under its pressure, as certainly as they
organize civil government under the in
fluence of the healthful instinct of self
| preservation.
The Republican party sprang into exis-
tence upon this principle. Slavery in the
South had ceased to be domestic or local
| intitution. 1t had become powerful by
steady growth and unity which no ap-
posing interest could boast. 1t aimed at
universal recognition. 1t sought national-
ity 1t claimed the protection of the mo-
tional government, and had SO far succeed
ed tina. every department was under its
control. 1t distorted constitutional in
sentiments, overturned the maxims of the
courts, and broke through the sacred and
time-honored limitation Of the Missouri
compromise even, to enlarge its boundaries
and open the great Valley of the West to
its black waves of ruin. The poison of its
influence spread through the whole nation
81 life. stupefying its powers, benumbing
its moral sensibilities, and threatening
death. We can all remember that dark
period and its fearful experiences.
But it could not last. The foremost
minds of the nation saw the threatening
danger and sounded the alarm. The ma
tional conscience was aroused and the way
of safety pointed out. The dormant par
ties, effete and corrupted by slavery, were
rent in twain. Turning from the barren
issues of the past, the intelligence con-
science, patriotism and christianity of the
North united to form new party, whose
purpose was to denationalze slavery and
bring back the administration of the Gov
ernment to the pure principles of its found
ers. That party, appealing to whatever
was best in the whole country, received a
support which no other had ever achieved.
1t swept the nation and possessed the reins
of government.
1t put down the rebellion raised to dis
member the country, and reorganized the
government by enlarging and defining its
powers to meet the new exigencies. To-day
it::stands before the world applauded by
every intelligent friend of human freedom
and progressive civilization. Having pos
sessed the government and saved it from
destruction, to the Republican party is en-
trusted the glorious mission of directing
Its powers to benifcent ends. The prin-
ciples which first combined its millions of
adherents are still operative. The condi-
tions are altered, but imperative duties
still remain to be performed.
Not only is the Republican party bound
to secure the results that it has gained for
the nation and for humanity, but it must
press forward to the work of removing all
abuses and conforming the political life
with the advanced civilization of our age.
In spirit, this is the work which 1t set
out to do, but from which for the moment
1t has been diverted by the revolutionary
resistance to its control. We appeal to all
thoughtful men to say, if there is any
other political organization, whose char
acter or whose antecedents justify us in
our own.
We find ourselves still opposed by the
same party which defended the claims of
slavery ten years ago. which organized
the rebellion; waged war South, and
which in the North by every cowardly and
despicable means possible hindered the
of the armies of the Union. A
Bourbon party, it has learned nothing
from its disasters and is reckless of those
which it brought upon the South.
To surrender the government to its con-
troll is to yield all that we have gained by
four years of fearful war, and to remand
the South to anarchy and barbarism. 1t
means destruction of the national credit,
repression of industry and enterprise, and
The dsorganization of trade. For the
North it is disaster, for the South it is
ruin.
Our honor, our safety as nation is
Identified with tho success of the Republ-
can cause That cause seeks its triumph
through party organization, as the only
means by which its principles can be made