Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-07-26


TO-DAY the nation is ut peace with ell
countries; It's prosperity is unbounded,
and It's liberties assured. The principles
of the Republican party have been stead
lily advanced, and with their growth the
growth of the people in all their interests
has kept even pace. We are at peace
among ourselves, and the asperities of
the war give way as rapidly as the treat
ment extended by the South to freedmen
will permit. Gradually, the only security
of fself-government, acultured conscience,
is assuming sway and the time is ap-
preaching, under the benign frmness of
q wise Government, when color preiu-
dices shall be succeeded by equality of
right on every hand. The burden of the
national debt is being rapidly reduced,
and the rate of taxation steadily lowered.
Peace, prosperity, progress, protection,
prudence-these are our national bless
ings under the wise Government secured
to us. General Grants reelection means
the perpetuity of all these blessings, and
their complete realization in the national
organization and the national life. Why
hazard the risk of a change by electing in
his stead one from whom the great body
of the nation of all parties, and with
scarce an exception, have always with
held their confidence, so far as admins
trative trusts are concerned, his own
party discountenancing, and the Democ-
racy ridiculing him In unmeasured terms
We call upon careful men of all parties
to look at these questions steadily a few
moments, not as partisans, but as men
having interest at stake. Witness with
what arduous labor the Democracy have
been brought to yield seeming acqules-
cence to the "new departure, and con-
slider the extreme probability that with
the triumph OF the party would come the
renewed agitation of every pernicious
heresy-an agitation which must neces-
sarily result in the unsettling of values,
the disturbing of order, the disquietude of
everything. Who doubts that the ques-
tions which have been prominent in pre-
ceding campaigns are kept passive now
from mere policy's sake alone? They are
simply withheld, but will assuredly be
revived at no distant day, if a foothold
be given the party,
Take the various measures summed mp
in the word reconstruction that is, the
present status of political affairs in the
country, particularly at the South. There
are some who doubted the wisdom OF
these measures, but they are now In.
wrought into the organic structure of our
political society, and to attempt their sub
version would convulse the country, no
matter how legitimate might be the means
resorted to. What Democrat thinks il
wise to take the hazard of unsettling the
settlements Security, peace, prosperity
consist in requiring the maintenance OF
the present order of things and with
that requirement acceded to will come
the era of good feeling which is so ardent
ly desired. But the moment Greeley i:
elected, if he should be, will begin &
fierce struggle for the restoration of tht
old order of things as they existed priol
to 1860. Can we afford that contest?
But this is not all, nor even the wors
risk involved in Greeley's election. He il
himself the father of many impractical,
schemes of finance, which he would un
questionably force upon Congress, to the
utter bewilderment of trade and com
merce, and the Generalization of business
Many of his followers are crazier ever
than he, and bedlam worse than Wal
street in its most mercurial times would
surely follow. 1t requires no prophet tC
foresee an unparalleled disturbance aris
ing out Of so great calamity as Greeley!
election.
Then in the midst of this agitation
would be precipitated the contest for rec
ompensing the South for damages incur
red by the war. This danger is equally as
real as the others we have mentioned
Congress is already flooded with bills OF
this character; and Greeley could not dc
otherwise than pay his supporters by ia.
voring their claims. Then the Southern
scrip lobby would be revived, and an era
of plumber would be fully inaugurated far
transcending the Texas frauds.
Shall we strengthen the hands of these
agitators, by giving them the President of
their choice? Shall we allow the enemies
of reconstruction and equality a firm
foothold from which to inaugurate a
fiercer contest for the mastery? Shall we
give financial dreamers possession of the
Government, that they may paralyZe
business? Shall we give the Southern
spoliators opportunity to reimburse them
selves from the public treasury? Shall
we elected President who says that the
South are entitled to have their own way
in all things, even to peaceable abandon
ment of the Union, if they so desire? or
shall we avoid all these risks, by re-electing
. President who is opposed to them all?--
Rochester { ~ " Democrat