The Van Buren press., 1872-11-26
Has the Past Campaign been Of Any
Benefit to tbs South

ing public servants, are OF value far Dcyon'
the mere election Of individuals to particula
Offices. Like storms on the SEA, they serve
to purify the political ocean and turn TO th'
sunlight the corruption of the past In th'
past campaign many things were brought t.
ight which, but for the feeling manifested by
spponents, might have remsined unknow n
unexposed and rs a csakcring sore, would
hare continued to feed upon the vital. of the
Nation.
The corruption attending the building ol
the great Pacific thoroughfare, under the
guise of the Credit Kobillisr, which embraced
within its hereulesn grasp many promnen,
Members ofCongress, would have been still
In the dark and uneYposed. Another start
ling fact demonstrated by the past election, 10
the helpless condition OF the ballot box. when
opposed to money and patronage.
While those who love country more than
party may be alarmed by these developments,
icy must not pause too long to philosophise
-,ourn over their existence. but must more
A}to seek = remedy in the future.
die South been benefited by the cam
,~,gn9
This il the first question for the eon,idera-
ton OF Southern men. And it should be one
ofgreat import to all who fully understand
he true theory Of our system OF free govern
y -.-nt. After the battle. it is always good
policy and the part of wisdom to collect all
material eftthat may be servceable in future
campaigns. There 10 one fact, that is unde-
niable. The meetings at Cincinnati and Bal
tinere, taken together,--the one asa PROPOSE :
ton, the other as an ceptance--have been
ofincalculablc benefit to the oppressed pco-
pie Of the South. The offer at Cincinnati.
whatever may be said the men chosen, was,
in one sense, test of the willingness OF the
Democracy to accept the fnal results OF the
war. The action at Baltimore meant an un-
qualified acceptance of all those war issues as
settled. It meant full and unreservcd ad
mission of the fact that, the 18th, lith and 18th
amendments had been finally chrystaliz,d
into the Federal Constitution and could never
sgsn become issues upon which parties could
be built.
In this view Of the relative status Of parties.
the campaign opened. 1t became simply
question Of the personal popularity of Gen,
GRANT and the personal and political record
OF Mr.. GREELEY Both parties held that GER
tain reforms were needed and thereby the
followers and admirers Of Grant admitted the
existence OF evils that called loudly for cor
rection. Foremost among those evils was the
unwi,e Interference of the Federal Govern
mcnt in State politics. We have some as
surances that Grant SO understood this issue
and is determined to give us this reform. To
the request OF Louisiana officials FOR troops
no returns an emphatic refusal Another
prominent issuc was the reform in the civil
service. The fact had become patent to all
thinking men. that the indiscr'm inmate appli.
cation OF the bale fHl doctrine. Ito tho victor
belong the spoils, WAS filing eur offices
with Incompetent. as well as corrupt men
This evil threatened not only the distraction
ofparty. but the very life of our institutions.
The Philadelphia Post-ot,icc matter, aud the
treatment o! Simon Cameron by the Prcsi-
dent, lead us to hope he, also, appreciates the
Importance of this issue. And in the general
aspect Of the case, looking to our future. we
may find ground for hope. Grant has been
chosen by an overwhelming majority, and
while we reflect that this was made up princi-
pally BY the newly enfranchised negroes, yet
they are now citizens, and the result so far
rs msjorities are concerned. is q full endorse
ment OF Gen. Grant. lie stands before the
world as fully yindicated as even his greatest
ambition could desire. This vindcation
comes from the American people and he Is
too wise to belittle his triumph by attributing
1t TO party leaders. lie cannot hope for n
third term as tha; means "term for life. :"
May he not desire to leave the presidential
Office with an enyiablc reputation? and can
he do it, il he turns his back on the reforms
demanded in the Grant platform? No enc
will, for moment, deny that he has it in his
power to win good name as Chief Exc.
tive. Republics are forgiving creatures and
will not hesitate to forget his past adin!nis,ra-
tion. ifhis future one Is high-toned and states
minlile.
We pen these thoughts. because we desire
to look upon the bright side not that We, for
an instant, cease to declare that, rn,ler our
present system ofregistralion and election.
the ballot box is = useless instrument SO far
preston Of the will OF the people AZ an in
strument OF fraud it ia a perfect success. We
however, feel that We owe duty to oHr coun.
try and to posteriy. to do all in our power to
keep the old ship ailost. We may not like
her commander. bu, lie Is the only one We
have at present and we had better do the bes,
: we can. And while wo say this, we intend to
expose fraud wherever and whenever we may
nd it, and intend to war increasingly on in
oetcncy and corruption in office We
ter bear IN mind, that although the
We party is now disintcgrated and
lAicd, its principles are vital and are
.nged by the overwhelming defeat they
.just suffered. We believe the country
ast e~sher or later return to these princi-
pies that they are the fundamental principles
of our American system. That upon these
the opposition party must and win be built.
sE' The Minatrels here are slia confident,
that Clayton will, by some hocus rocus, count
tpr n tIor tn all