New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-10-13
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

| 'O~A~~ASAA4s
pa.Ety and returned to the Republican
fok, and now Ohio and Pennsylvania ad
va,se into line as usual with heavier ia
joritiss than at the lest election. In tn
South. SO far as political opinion has de
veloped itself, the Democracy have wo1
the fight, carrying Texas and succeeding
in an important municipal contest il
Georgia. This resume is cheering =.
showing that the North, which is the
birth place Of the Republican party, is
still faithful to the principles of liberality
f., which it originated. It is also assuring
in this that it insures the permanence Of
all the reconstruction measures, and
guarantees the perpetuation Of the party
of progress in its control over the general
welfare of the country for an indefinite
period. For since the North, which en-
braces that section If the Union known
Us the free States, from Maine to Califor-
mia, is the governing power, whatever party
that predominates there must predomi-
nate over all the country SO far as the
general government is concerned.
The loss Of the South to the Republican
party, which is now apprehended in we'll
informed circles, must have cause. Con-
gress conferred the right Of suffrage on
sufficient number of voters whose polit-
ical opinions were known and could be
relied on as Republicans to insure the
triumph of the Republican party. The
ground work of victory was we'll laid, and
its suhiciency was fully demonstrated by
repeated victories up to within the last
twelve months. All the party had to co
was to preserve the strength that was
given to it, and its success was assured.
Instead Of maintaining its ascendancy,
as Congress had a right to expect, the
Republican party has lost ground, and
that quite rapidly within the past year.
And what is more, the indications are
that the losses which have already oc-
Cured are but insignificant disasters COM
pared to those which are likely to occur
unless the reason for their occurrence is
and the remedy applied. It is
our duty, as it is that Of every lover Of
Republican principles, to search for and
discover this cause, and, if possible, to
suggest the remedy.
In previous article We mentioned as
an element Of weakness in the Repub-
lican party two facts; First, the inherent
disposition Of all men, whether white or
colored, to divide upon principle rather
Than upon color; and, second, that a
large number Of the colored people had
sought to emancipate themselves from
heir accepted leaders before they were
.ble to direct themselves. The first Of |
.hese propositions suggests the probabili-
y that some of the negroes have been Sc
luced into the Democratic party; aad
he second suggests the possibility that
,thers Of the negroes have followed after
and are now disturbing the
'arty with personal and selfish projects
hat have no abiding place in Republican,
sm.
But there is another reason which pre-
ents itself which demands our attention.
The President of the United States is sup
'osed to be earnestly at work for the sue
ess of the party whose ideas he repre-
ents He is the accepted head of the
'arty that elected him, not selishly, as
nan working for himself, but as the in
trument of the great principles that he
nd his supporters consider essential to
be salvation of the nation. In this capa-
ity the President should be q builder,
'orking with every instrument to a COM
non end. His eminence should enable
i'm to cast away prejudices and partiali-
les in order to the selection Of the best
1en for the duties Of the occasion. His
alignment should be just and exacting, he
eing the agent of others and not Of him
elf. His wisdom should be comprehen-
i've to enable him to discover the best
orkmen and the trustiest instruments.
Las General Grant fulfilled this role in (
lie Republican party? Are his friends and
ppointees in accord with all the Repub-
cans of the South? Are they in accord with
! the leading Republicans in the country I
they should be? The President may
, without reproach in this matter, but
S appointees are not. Instead of work {
g subordinate to the Republican leaders {
the various States, the federal ap- 4
'intees have attempted to control the +
cal political organizations in their own i
terest. Witness Missouri, where the Il
'rty lost the State owing to federal in l.
ference with the State canvass. Look f
New York, where but for the magma q
nifty of Messrs Greeley and Fenton Il
e party would be plunged into chaos. G
'ok at Louisiana, where q faction OBJ Il
MS its means to war upon the Repub- t
an party from the federal treasury. d
len look at California, which remained p
lie because it was left to its own de- p
ion. Look at Ohio, where the mere
putation of federal interference was re- IL
ked in the person Of bluff Ben Wade, Il
t where the State went Republican be- "
use it was free to do 30. Look at c.
aine and Iowa, all Republican because te
ey were not interfered with. Do not cl
csc facts suggest the reason of our til
akness: Is not the sentiment of the Of
nNhllcan y,orfvy ~obn11:,<. A..