New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-17
THE TRUE ISSUE,

crept INTO politics. 1t has heretofore be7h
claimed as our peculiar mission. 10 give
to individuals, communities and States
their just rights, and; harmonic the DIS
cordant elements of society, constitute the
primary principles which gave it existence
It never proposed to sanction an error or
pursue a wrong or bad policy. Il IN
Willingly it should have done either, it
should be the first to apply the corrective.
1t certainly is not infallible-no one claims
it to be so-but that is no reason why it
should beccmN impracticable and inefi-
cient in the administration Of the govern
ment. either State or national.
For these reasons, as well as others, the
reform movement which is sweeping over
the country should be carried forward in
Louisiana, as in the rest Of the States of
the Union, under Republican auspices.
To say that we are incapable Of doing it,
or to allow new organization to do it,
will be the severest blow tie Republican
party could receive. It would be prac-
tically admitting that the good elements
of the party are too few and Of too slight
strength to correct great abuses.
The enemies Of the Republican party
perceive this, and are struggling with all
their power to found upon an abstract
issue an organization hostile to the views
we have labored SO assiduously to advance.
They are doing more. They are seeking
to deplete the strength Of the Republican
party by putting portion gifts own men,
bers in anragonism to it. There is nothing
so well calculated to engender personal
animosities and hostile political impress
sions as opposition Of this description.
The members of party thus opposed to
each other rarely, if ever, coalesce again.
A party thus broken up never regains It's
ascendency. The experience of party Or
carnations in this country affords repeated
examples of this fact.
The genuine issue, then. involved in the
present movement Of parties is not so much
the correction of political abuses as the
disintegration of the Republican party.
It is fraught with the issues of life and
death to it. Hence, We say that 1t be-
hooves all Republicans to reflect seriously
upon the course they are pursuing.
The desire so prevalent among all classes
of our citizens to introduce reiormatory
measures III legislation-to lift the stand
ard of government up to a better, higher.
and purer Civilizations an evidence Of
the progress Of the age. It does not become
Republicans to retard it. They should
rather lend it the prestige Of their great
party organization to push it forward. Re
form is needed everywhere. The Repub-
lican party was the first to perceive il, and
they should be the first 10 apply the
remedy.
But can they do it, by going out Of
their party and allying themselves with
strangers. and what is much worse, their
bitterest political opponents In the new
reform party, OF which SO much IS being
said, who shapes the policy and proc-aims
the purposes it has il view? Republicans
or Democrats? The mere question III
wolves the answer. Il IS measure i12ap-
gurated BY our opponents, and designed to
put period to the successes Of the kepllb-
Hcan party. The Republican, therefore,
who yields to it, chooses between his fealtg
to his party and the great things it has yet
to accomplish and the partisan intrigue5
OF its bitterest enemy.
Tie thirst for Office is dominant every
where It is the cohesive power that has
held together political organizations time
immemocial. It is also disorganiz ing
element to break them up. It is the pros
poet Of Office which this reform movement
Lelds out to its followers that is drawing
to its ranks the broken-down politicians
who have failed to reach the goal Of their
wishes in the Democratic or Republican
parties. They who have nothing to lose
and everything to gain are its tiercest and
most blatant political economists. Moth
ing pleases them in their opponents. All
the virtue in the country is centered in
themselves They according to them
selves are the only true and genuine re-
formers.
These assumptions are impuaent-they
are false as we'll. The Republican party is
the party of progress and reform. 1t is
the party Of power, too. Under It's au-
spices reforms can be carried out They
will be, if the party is true to itself. But
to do so we must abstain from entangGng
alliances. We must keep clear of all de-
ceptive and suspicious party organizations.
And as the old Unionist fought for consti-
tutional rights in the Union, let Us fight
for reform Of political abuses in the Re-
publican party. The contrary course
involved civil war, and for time dismem-
bered the Union. If Republicans pursue
a similar policy now, they will emerge
from the contest with disorganized
party and the ruin of all their political
hopes
The disintegration Of the Republican
party, We repeat again, is the true issue
before the people. viii Republicans help
to effect it
4 NITRO-GLYCERINE EXPLOSION,
J. NJ. G. Parker, Esq, as the nominee
for the surveyorship, has proven very