Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-03-30
Political.
The Political Outlook.

We have reached a grave crisis in the
history of the country. We have also
arrived at the supreme crisis in the his
tory of the Republican party. Tried
in its infancy by defeat, sorely tried
afterward by great war, the party OF
human right AMI human liberty has
now come to an ordeal more severe
than either political defeat or civil war;
for now its enemies are within. Every
pirate bearing down upon the National
Treasury now flies the flag of Republi-
canism. 1t is the curse of the posses
sion of power under our present vicious
civil service stem that it makes the
best and bravest party hack for office
holders and pluntierers. The strength
of the party is its weakness; for now
the sharp political contests have come
to be fought within its lines. The
struggle for control has not of late been
between Republican and Democrat; but
between Republican and Republican,
In the presence of such dissensions, and
in the presence of the New Hampshire
defeat, we may not disguise the fact
that this is the most critical moment in
the history of the party. -.'..1 81
If it were merely the success or fail
ure of one set of Office-holders, we
should not greatly care. 1t does not
concern us whether Republican Irish
man or Democratic one get the pay
and perquisites of custom-hOuse or
whether Mr.. Cramer or some diploma
tist represent the governments at COpen-
hagen. To accomplish the success of a
party, considered from the Office-seek-
er's standpoint, we would not dip our
pen in the ink-stand. il2 3HuSf l.@s
; But the nation and the human race
never needed the Republican party
more than they do now. We have only
just come to understand that the war
between slavery and barbarism, on the
one hand, and liberty and civilization,
on the other, is not yet fought out
Beaten i'm the open field, the Rebellion
yet lives in the lawlessness of Southern
scoundrelism. Beaten by ballots and
beaten by bullets, it shows, like other
venOmous creatures, a wonderful ten
acity of life. Liberty is not yet estab-
lished at the South. Freedom of speech,
of the press, freedom of political action
are yet hardly known there. If the
Democratic party were to come into
power tomorrow, the whole work of
IcCOilStTuCtfOu WOu1u Uc uIluUuS1 VIC
franchise would be taken from the ne
groes, and under some form or other
slavery or its equivalent would be re-
stored. -lt> '-i1 30. eng ''''-e'l
Let us remember one thing. The lost
cause is not an abandoned cause. When
the Rebellion fights us again, it will be
with the arms, the forts, the ships, and
the prestige of the Government itself.
When we vote at the next presidential
we vote face to face and ballot
to ballot with the Rebellion. The bat
tie of next year will be more decisive
than the taking of New Orleans and
Vicksburg and Richmond together. If
under Republican administration the
whole South is full of lawlessness, what
would be the state of things with Fern
andO Wood and Sunset Cox in the Cab
met? If mayors of cities areShOt, BAN
ished, and abducted while Grant is
President, what will be done when Hoff-
man reigns? Ifthey do these things in
a green tree, what will they not do in
the dry?
The lesson of the hour is plain. Every
patriotic consideration demands that
should stand by the party
of liberty and human rights. No dis
with the President, or with
any other leader, can justify lukewarm-
ness in the cause. And we warn the
Administration that it cannot afford to
divide the party by pushing any object,
however desirable. Let Santo Domin-
go stand on its merits. ItshOuld never
have been an Administration scheme.
And appointments to Office should
hereafter be made with some regard to
fitness. The Republican party is of too
much value to be made a pack horse -.
1t cannot afford to carry into presi-
dental campaign a race of doubtful
There is, perhaps, no
great immediate harm done to the
country by the appointment of relatives
and favorites, if they are competent
and honest; but it is a policy most de-
to the popularity of party
and damaging to the good name of an
iifL .''iiiai.ii
One bounden duty of the better class
of Republicans in crisis is to run the
party machinery. 1t must not be left to
and self-seekers. There
is yet year and a half till the next
presidential election; and the present
crisis will be most wholesome if it ava
kens us to the necessity for vigilance,
harmony, and energetic work. Y.
Independent. E1'iii.'' .'li1t- .i'' ~.
SAN DOMINGO.