Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-08-28
THE SPIRIT OF THE CAMPAIGN.


flso W. UurtIas ~ AsrRslJ, Nasal
In 1871 the spectacle Is extraordinary, Tho
eiSrinE Tor that progress and reform which are
implied In those principles, which logically be
long TO the constitution Of that party, renOm.
mates the President, rs II before renomlnated
Lincoln. The Democratic party suddenly turns
its back upon lts record, declaring that what In
1855 II av0wed In be Unconstitutional and revo-
lutionary, will be now acceptei. The Demo.
cratic party, not dlsbindeI, not dis0rganlEsd
like the Federal party In 1870, but iull Of Gu.
thuslasm, full Of hope, In convention adopts
Republican platform, takes aclnsplcuous lso-
your votes on the ground that II will he more
Republican 10 It's admlnlstraton Of this Govern
ment than Republicans themselves. But, Tel.
low citizens, this 10 precisely the moment In
which, each party making the same profess
si0ns-ior there Il no difference between the
platforms-thls Is the moment in which every
honest cttlIsn will ask himself the question,
which Of the two parties Is the more likely TO
ESep its Word7 l think, therefore, the duty
which all Of Us owe ourselves and the country Is
hrst u ascertain what IL the paramount necessity
oil the country al this moment, AMI then decide
which 0f the two parties 10 best entitled TO our
suffrages. In my Judgment, the great over.
towering and absolute need Of the country ct
his time, including In the details Of admlnlstra.
ton all possible reform and progress, IL that the
government OF the new U1iun which sprang
from the war shall nov and brewer be admins
tered Ia the full, living faith Of the principles
that prevailed In the war aud that amended the
Constitution. The people ol this country have
declared that every citizen OF tho United states,
white or black, born where no may be, being
what he may be, as citizen Of the United States
shall have equal protection under the law.
We demand that, wherever tho SUI shlnos
upon our dominion, citizens shall be absolutely
secure; in the everglades Of Florida as we'll ns
aminE the hills Of Mnssachusetts. We demand
further that this shall DO placed beyond all
doubt. lfAny man, or any combination bf men,
lay the slightest hugeT OF Injury upon the poor.
est and humbiest Of our citizens, no shan In.
stantly, either In State or national law, find the
majesty OF the people saying TO him, "As 20 do
to the least Of these my llulo ones 70 do unto
mo-" This IL the issue VI tue campaign the
equality and protection Of citizens. II takes
precedence over all other Issues because with.
out II there Is no reconciliation; because with.
out IL there IL no reform; because without II
there il no progress We arc ending the hrst
century Of our national independence In vain II
we have not learned that without this certainty
Of absolute equality Of citDenlhip there otn be
no p0lce no reconciliation, Twelve yulta ago.
nItsen years ago, how proud we Woru No ma
lion In tho world could dare to rank with US
How splendid our statistics what man, Il was
asked, In this country ever felt th5 weight OF
taxation OF the Government Our orators were
mover tired " celebrating tho gluIlg1 ut our
country. They dehOd the idturr, who shhll
modest US or make d4 AFRAID Ia an Instant We
we're plunged In the hety abyss OF evil war, and
AFTER iuur years we came TO the sac g, burdebod
with dabt as II we hal been nation OF ton
centuries. Tho equality Of rights gained At such
| q tremendous prize Is not 10 be secured by any
formal aruulesceuce. IL Is not male sure 10y
the letter Of the law. The new provisions OF the
Constitution will not Of thcmselYrs help liberty
| at the South until tbs South IN respect liberty
as II does not respect II today