The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-15

make this concession. Then the Government
ought not to have closed the war period, and
returned to the conditions of peace involving
this. Ii, however, the question of safety were
really in doubt, it would still he by all means
advisable in the Government to clear its skirts
of wrong, to throw the whole responsibility
on its assailants and to make the issue clear
to every right-minded man in the country
especially when, as we have already said, it is
master of the situation. But it is on the very
ground of safety, as we'll as of Justice, that
amnesty commends itself. If the Republican
party cannot look at the matter in this light,
it might at least consult its own interests in
reference to it. AS it is now, that party
makes the twofold mistake of reinforcing its
antagonists with a good grievance and of
enabling them to act covertly. If there is to
be any alliance between disloyalty and
Democracy, the Republicans, in order to
show the scope and character of the alliance
before the whole country, could we'll afford,
in party point of view, to let even Jefferson
Davis return to the United States Senate. But
no patriotic Republican would thank us for seri-
ously arguing the question OF amnesty on that
low plane; it is essentially a national and
moral question.
''SHPLIT UP OLD VAN PRoNK."
From the NJ Y. Tribune
Everybody knows the story of good Mrs
Dietrich Van Pronk. She was a worthy
Dutch wife, and very fond of Dietrich.
When he died, she thought herself incon-
solable, and in her despairing loneliness hit
upon the expedient of having a statue of
Van Pronk carved in wood. This she kept in
the guest chamber, visited it often, and tried
to feel that her house was still not without
head. But before long there came to see the
Nar Il .~.,l,1~
maker of the neighborhood. He came often;
be 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 the kindling wood was all gone. Zach
ach!" says she, ''may be it ish veil enough
now to shplit up old Van Pronk vat ish up
stairs!" History kindly forbears to pursue
the narrative further. We are not told
whether the shoemaker turned out a good
husband or not nor even whether he mar
ried Mrs. Van Pronk at all If he chanced to
come in at the mement when the bits of poor
Dietrich were piled up in the chimney-place
to light the fire, he might well have hesitated
about slipping into his shoes. But the inte-
rest of the story and its moral begin and leave
off together, at the point of the widows haste
to make way with all visible sign and token
of Van Pronk.
we nave De6u OF UDlS SCOry again
and again in the course of the last few weeks,
by the reckless, hasty tone of comment and
suggestion all over the land in regard to the
Republican party. We are told that it is
dead: that it must be buried, and the sooner
the better; undertakers, with and without
references, flock to the front; administrators
are ready to take charge of the effects; the
business, if carried on, must be carried on
under new name; and it is doubtful even
then if it will thrive, ETC., ETC.. etc., until we
are heartsick of the Inconsistency, shallowness,
impatience, and folly of our own kinspeople.
There was never political party in this
country which had so inherent hold on the
country-was so purely and it may be said
organically indigenous to it as the Republican
party. There was never political party in
this country which had a name so inherently
representative of its name, its principles, its
quality. Swarming bustlers and greedy self
seekers may do their worst and their utmost;
there will always be in this country Repub-
lican party is, party that believes in
not only republic but oar republic!-a
party that believes in democratic republic,
and not an aristocratic one, like those which
died on the Mediterranean shores, or like
that which under a false ma ne struggles for
life to-day in Queen Victoria's little island!-
party that believes in democratic republic
which is a nation, and not a confederGtiOn!
IhS central pflnclple makes as eternal ana
unchangeable link, as eternal and unchange-
able barrier, as the mountain ranges which
bind the solid earth Of our continent. And
it is disheartening and exasperating to see
petty issues, petty alterations, rising into
such prominence, forced into such antago-
nism as to hinder the working and imperil
the success of the great body of faithful,
earnest men who have at heart the welfare of
such a republic If the Republican party
ceases to bear that name on its banners, it
will have to make a worse one, for there is
none so good if it allows itself to be
diverted from main aims, bullied, 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 always the case in
life, 'tof its own household, and to such we
say good-naturedly, but earnestly, we have
not married the shoemaker yeti it is to be
hoped we shan't; don't be in such hurry to
''Shplit up Van Pronk!" He would still be
found an uncommonly lively sort of corpse.
THE SOUTHERN NIMPRACTICABLES.
| From the N. Y RerId.
''There was man in our town,