Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-01-18
The Shifting Scenes Of cur Politics.
POSITION on rHr ADMINISTRATORS.

iiS ~ W bthcIHl bIhnl NuWlninlfd-
tion and the end of his four years
term, or rather, a little nearer TO the
period for the nominating national
conventions and The Presidential elec.
ton, we are in good position to sur
vey the political situation and pros
pect. We must take the administra-
tion as the central object in this view
and the opposition, both within and
without the ruling party, TO fill up
fthe picture. And what does the
whole indcateY Z What is the pros
pect for the Presidential election in
1872 7 The scenes are shifting almost
every day, showing somo new phase
Of the political drama, and there will
be, doubtless, many more changes be.
fore the concluding act but enough
has been seen TO show whittier the
administration and political parties
and factions are drifting.
We said General Grants adminis.
tration is the central object on the
canvass of the political horizon, first
because the dominant republican par.
ty has no other platform to 90 before
the people upon and no other availa-
Bile candidate than General Grant and
next because the democratic party
has developed no policy for the com
ing contest but opposition to tho ad-
ministration. Neither party is gov
erned by large views of national af
fairs. Both tail to bring up broad
and comprehensive public measures
that would command the respect or
awaken the enthusiasm Of the people
There are no towering and control-
ing statesmen either among the re-
publicans or the democrats. and no
one that occupies commanding po-
sition in the eyes Of the people, ex-
cept General Grant, whose war rec.
ord aud prcscn. Office alone make him
pre- eminent,
Here we are led TO ask what the
position of the administration is.-
From our Independent and impartial
STANDPOINT we are bound to say that
both it and its party have lost ground.
This is evident when we look ut the
popularity of the President when he
entered the White House in March,
1869, and the overwhelming strength
Of the republicans both in Congress
and in the several State governments,
and compare their situation then with
what il is now. They had absolute
power over the question of recon
structing the South, and strained ev.
cry effort to make that section radi
cal republican They believed they
had, perhaps, the sympathy and sup
port of the negroes, who owed their
liberty and franchises principally TO
The republicans and this new voting
elesae,.t 20 ~~.y f,-..., 81 ,s'.s 10 ei.e
South. But the administration and
its party over reached themselves -
They were too liberal, vindictive and
restrictive. A generous and forgiy-
ing policy, looking to the early resto.
ration aud harmony Of the South, and
making POLITICAL rcconstrnciionr sub
scrvient to that, woGld have secured
the support both of the negroes and
large portion OF the white population.
But the white people and many Of tho
negroes have become alienaied from
the republican party through the lib
erul policy pursued toward the South
and through the disgust which the
Garnet bag and scalawag protcges of
the government have inspired. As
consequence we see most Of the
oouthorn States have become demo
cratic, and that there is a prospect Of
all becoming so. The administration
aud the dominant party feel kcenly
its detection Indeed, it is whispered
in Washington that the republicans
are so disappointed tina. they coutem.
plate reconstrgeting the South over
again. But we cannot believe they
will do anything SO outrageous aud
dangerous, for it would utterly ruin
them They have failed in the South
and must suffer the penalty Of their
mistaken policy.
But there is another thing which
has contributed TO the defeat of the
radicals in the South, and IL is the
same which is touding to break down
the party in the West and other parts
of the country That is their high
tariff and protective policy. The
people who live by agricultural pur.
suits, whether they be black or white,
are not willing TO be taxed heavily
for the Der eft of few New England
and other manufacturers. There is
an impression that the government
machine has been run quite long
enough by New Englund and for New
England interests especially. Every
thing that the farmers, planters aud
agricultural uborers consume is taxed
to raise an enormous revenue beyond
the necessities Of the government and
to favor cxtravagant expenditures,
and all this withaview to afford protcc
ton to the manufacturers and TO in.
crease their wealth The cultivators
of the SOIL South, West and North,
/ begin to sec that the radical republi.
can policy is one oppressive TO them
and Of fiyorilism 10 Now England,
and they are revolving from the party
they heretofore supported in proseru-
ting the war aud maintaining The
Union. This party, however, can no
longer make political capital out of
the issues OF The war or from the
Union cry. These belong to the past.
The people look their material inter
csts at home and for new issues now,
aud with regard to these they have
weighed the republicans and 6ud them
wanting. The late elections ia some
Of the Northern States, as well as IN
the South, show the reaction that Is
taking place, and the people are anx-
iously looking for other political lead
ers. .nHr.r ar
An effort is made to mauuhcture
popularity by the administration from
its iinuucinl policy. Great merit is
claimcd for paying of rapidly the
public debt. But as the people fud
tins is douc through bordensome and
unnnrpesnrV taxation httlp credit