New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-04

conclude b enter the political 1xe11a n
Tie next PrSsidentaI contest upon the
new departure platform, making the
fight not one d principle, but for the
right ID administer the government 4
win be necessary to investigate the record
Of the parties presenting themselves Tor
public favor. While there may be no
longer an issue as to principle, in case
the Democrats conclude to accept the
changes that have taken place in the con-
stitution and the government since the
Republicans have administered it, there
win undoubtedly be an important issue
as to the merits of the parties asking to
be clothed with authority. These merits
can not DE determined by the people
without canvassing the record and in
curing into the conduct Of the parties
asking to be trusted with the government
Of forty millions of freemen. And it will
be impossible to investigate the record Of
the two great parties without referring to
past issues. They may be decided to
be dead issues by the party sur
rendering them, and that party may wish
to thrust them out Of sight, yet, as they
have been determined and are important
historical facts, they win live long after
the political actors of the present genera
ton have passed away. The Republican
party, though anxious to have an era of
good will inaugurated among all classes,
and willing to forget the enmities that
past differences have engendered, is proud
of its achievements and ready to stand or
fall by its record. 1t believes it has been
right in combating secession and rebel
lion; right in abolishing slavery; right in
fixing the civil status of those who had
been emancipated; right in browning
them with suffrage, and right in establish
ing equal civil and political privileges for
all men who are willing to conform to the
constitution and laws.
The Republican party earnestly sus-
tanned the Union and opposed the extern
sion Of slavery in the Presidential cam
paigns of 1856 and 1860. And when the
Democratic party and Democratic
administration decided that there
was no power under the constitution
to prevent States from seeding and
the Union the Republican par
ty maintained there was, and Repub-
Iican administration, under that interpre-
tation of the constitution, took measures
to sustain the integrity of the Union.
The people. in th%North, East and West,
rallied without distinction of party under
flag to meet the men who
commenced the war for secession and
slavery by forcing the surrender of United
States forts. The war was long and ex-
Densive one, causing immense loss in
ife and property, and entailing an I'M
nense debt upon the nation To wipe
,ut this debt it was necessary to tax the
people heavily. They have borne this
axation without q murmur, and exerted
in every way to save their
country the humiliation and disgrace of a
division. The rebellion was finally |
;quelched without the aid or even sympa-
by Of the Democratic party. On the |
contrary, many of its leaders openly SYM
3athized with the enemies of he-Union /; |
md when the war was ended stood ready |
% take part with them in political mat
ers, rendering the work of reconstruc-
ion more difficult task to consummate, |
han it would otherwise have been.
The two parties have passed through |
wo Presidential elections since the Re- |
publican party was entrusted with the adj
of the government, and the
esult in each case was in its favor. This
S the record of the Republican party; the
,arty that is steadily reducing taxation,
he public debt and bringing its currency
lp to par value with gold and silver; the
,arty that favors an honest and econom-
cal administration ofpublic affairs, and
ust liquidation of the nations debts. The
ecord Of the Democratic party is the re-
Terse of this. 1t favored slavery and Sc
,ession, believes that the three amend
nents to the constitution known as the
thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth, are
most unjust and cruel to an unofending
people of the South; has bat
led against all that is contained in those
mendments until it becomes folly to do
o longer, and under protest steps upon
be ssnew departure" platform with the
lope of making that stepping stone to
,olitical power in 1872 The record of
he Democratic party is too fresh in the
ninds of the people for them to trust
/ with the administration of the govern
nent, even if its members unanimously
nd sincerely admitted that the denial of
he right of secession, the adjustment of
lavery and the securing, Of equal civil
md political rights to all men by the gov
were results of the war that must
tand as long as the government is sus-
aimed by the people.
A SAMPSON AFTER THE BOURBOES.
Senator Morton, of Indiana, VIE was
lnown during the rebellion as the great
var Governor, because he had the spirit
-