The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-17
Gpeaing State 5u,,rmaI.
OUR CAUSE.

The Republican party was born Of tn
humane and progressive spirit of the age
Tho old parties had proved faithless. Fo
Office, their leaders had sold out th
sacred heritage of the people, and eve
despoiled the Temple of Liberty of it
consecrated gold, to buy votes.
For the miserable garbage of power
they turned away from the glorious work
of elevating and blessing their fellowmen
While Freedom dragged her chains, the,
held their brutal revels with the price o
her degradation, but on the walls of theil
banquet hall, the finger writing of thei
doom, blazed out. The unbought masse.
OF a mighty nation, reused from theil
fatal slumber, repossessed themselves o.
their abused powers. They raised the
trampled form of Freedom from the dust
struck off her chains, washed her wounds
with sacred tears, and bore her before
them in the Ark of the Covenant; they
drove out the foul brood from her temple
and restored the faith of the fathers in
the sublime creed of, Liberty for all.''
From the baptism of blood, the nation
came forth to new life. Its aspirations
were for the realization Of tho Christian
Republic.
With the overthrow of Slavery the first
grand step was taken; but it was only a
single step. To-day we are confronted by
other evils which blight and curse our fell
low men, and retard the progress and de-
velopment of the country. The Republi-
can party, true to its mission, must as
sault them boldly. If it is the party of
progress and civilization, IL must march IL,
The coa ; it must be defiant of opposition,
and aggressive upon every form of wrong
it must lay its mailed hand upon every
abuse, and bring every institution, how
ever old and reputable, which impedes hui
man progress, to the bar Of the public con-
science. Zoe be to Il, if cooards and
selfish deanagogues, and designing knaves,
are allooeR to ase its noble prestige, and
prostitute its great poscers to pirate ends
Woe be to Il, fit takes counsel of fear and
conservatism, and refuses 70 complete the
glorious ,cork, IN which its heroes and lis
martyrs died, The spirit of Progress is its
vital breath, the pulses of its being throb
with aspirations for the elevation of the
poor. "Good will to men" is its motto, and
the light Of the future shines for its guild
ance, along q path radiant with bless
ings for all.
Between it, and the fair future which
faith, and love, and Gods promises, make
possible for men, stand in serried ranks
the armies of conservatism and reaction.
Children of the night, who love darkness,
disciples of selfish sloth, and indifference.
they seek to roll back, the on-coming and
majestic army of reform they hug the
past and its hoary wrongs /; they hate the
day, which arouses to duty, and imposes
new tasks; they resist the progress
which compels action, destroys exclusive
ness, and opens the chances of life to wide
populations. Selfish, cruel, intolerant and
proscriptive, relying on hereditary rights
and ancestral renown, they seek to resist
the onward march of the nation, towards |
unity and greatness. Allied with tyrants
and reactionists all over the world, stained |
with crime, their hands red with innocent
blood, they have rallied for final struggle
on this continent. Is this time for tina,d
irresolution, for selfish chickering's, for cop-
ardly maaction, for apologies and con.pro-
mises scah the foe ?,
From all true hearts among us comes up
a laundering and defiant, no! Let the
trumpets sound it in the ears of the foe,
"Dsfance!' Pass the slogan along the
line, "Defance (" Lifting before us the
humblest citizen, as the type of all, let us
swear before God to make him equal in |
rights to the highest and the best; to open
to him and his children all the best oppor-
tunities of life; to bring down to him the
omnipresent and majestic shield of the Law;
making the roof Of his poor cabin as se-
cure as the dome of Heaven, and his pillow
of straw, as safe as The arms of God! In
his sign ace shall conquer!