The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1871-01-26
MISSION OF TIE REPUBLICAN PARTr,

terest:
An impression is dangerously prev
alent in the country thatthe rebellion
having been crushed and the late reb-
/ el States reconstructed, the consider
tations which have for ten years sus-
tained the Republican party no long
/ er exist in their fuIness, and that now
/ the people may safely divide upon
I questions Of finance, taxation, and
that they may exercise a .arge degree
Of liberty in voting for men, It is
assumed that the party which carried
on, or sympathised with the rebellion
1 accept the situation, and therefore the
return ofthe Democratic party to pow
er would have no serious results. Ac-
cordinclv there is not only DISPOSE
3 ton On tie pat OF the patriotic people
/ 10 relax their efforts, but they seek 10
! shower favors upon those who only a
( few years ago bad the country by the
throat threatening its life. They
measure the late rebels in their own
bushel, and think that because North
ern people would appreciate kindness
and liberality, the Southern people
are equally impressible. Events, how
ever, arc proving that this IS a mistak-
en- theO.y. Those who have been re-
' posing in assumed security were
doubtless startled by the report pub
lished this morning Of General Frank
Blair's speech before the Missouri Leg
islature, in which he indOrsed bis eel
ebrsted Broadhead letter, declared the
I4th and 18th Amendments uneonsti-
tutional, and gave notice that when
ever the Republican party should be
driven from power the laws passed in
pursuance Of those amendments would
be rendered null and void. But for
the fact that in the face OF this speech,
and doubtless because Of the views
therein expressed, lie was'elected Uni
ted States Senator, charitable people
might conclude that it was merely a
Blairism, for which neither Blair So
Der, nor the Democratic party drunk
or sober, should be held responsible
But, however Blair's utterances may |
be regarded by over-confident and /
over-charitable people in the country, !
it does not surprise the leaders of the /
Republican party at the Capital
Blair is a positive man and one who /
is not deficient in candor. He differs
from other leaders, therefore, in that
he speaks out, while they resolve to
do, but do not speak. Blair, notwith-
standing his Broadhead letter, got the
ful Democratic vote for the Vice
Presidency, and no one now doubts if
Seymour had been elected that the
threats made In that letter would have
been carried out. Blair, notwithstand-
ing his revolutionary speech in the
Missouri Legislature, got the full
Democratic vote for the United States
Senate. Thus his sentiments were in
dorsed, and well posted men here and
at the South are well satisfied that
the Blair platform foreshadows the
policy of the Democratic party if it
should obtain power. The Southern
Democrats are a unit in this respect
and they would control the National
Democratic party as they did in ante
war times. This would be inevitable,
no matter what individual Democrats
might say or think. The whole party,
IS such, would be swept into the cur
rent, as it was, in its organized capac-
ity, arIayed against the Government
during the rebellion.
1 cOnversed last evening with a well
known United States Senator-one
who stands high in the estimation of
the pecple-who informed me that
the affairs of the South is deplorsbIe
The late rebels, encouraged to hope
that the Democratic party is soon to
be in power, are on the Frank Blair
He received a letter from
a prominent gentleman of one Of the
leading Southern States-if / should
name the State, the name, which, for
reasons, it would not be proper
to print, would readily be guessed-in
which it is stated that if the Demo-
cratic party should gain power he
could not live in his native State, and
even now it is as much as he can do
to remain. This man, IS I have said,
is prominent in the South, having Oc-
cupied leading positions in politics pre-
vious to the war, and supported the
rebellion throughout. Upon the sup
preston of the latter he accepted the
situation and is now in sympathy
with the Republican party. Long
street, who acted in similar manner,
is held in utter contempt at the
South. His services in the rebel army
count for nothing. In accepting the
situation in good faith, he committed
the objectionable sin.
These are fair illustrations Of South
ern sentiment-not of the lower class
Is, but of those who create and direct
public opinion.
A gentleman is here now who had
an interview with Andrew Johnson a
few days ago. he stopped at Green
vile, and was called on by Johnson.
Since his fall this man had not spOk-
en- to the ex-president, but the latter
having called he received him respect
fully. He says johnson is greatly dis
tressed III mind. He has been cut by
the rebels on all hands, and he does
not hesitate to denOunce the Demo-
cratic party of the South as a party of
traitors. My informant says johnson
would gladly get back into the Re
publican partyif he could see any way
through which he could pass
In view Of these things Republicans
should be on their guard.
The mission of the Republican party,
it is very clear, has not been fulfilled,
and it never can be fulfilled so long as
there is an opposing party resolved to
undo what has been done under the
head of reconstruction. The action Of
the liberal Republicans in Missouri
should be a warning. They united
with Democrats in order to give reb-
els "their rights" What is the re-
suit? Frank Blair, the representa-
tive of the revolutionary party, in the
United States Senate! So itwould be
Il war Democrats or Republicans
should aid in restoring the Democrat
c party % power. The 14th and 18th
would be overthrown,
would be unsettled; the
iebt would be repudiated; finances
unsettled: slavery virtually restored,
and we should have a new reign of
,Iood and fa-ror !