Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-09-05
The Policy of Forgetting.

TWELVE years ago, at this time, the
most momentous Presidential election
that the country has ever known was
pending. The real significance of the
campaign was not, however, fully under
stood by the country. Few persons sup
posed that the two tendencies which had
been long evident in our politics were
now joined under circumstances so threat
ening, and that the most cruel and san
culinary civil war was hidden in the bal
lot-box. The anti-slavery struggle had
long before practically severed the Union
No citizen Of the United States who was
conspicuous as lover of liberty, and who
boldly asserted the truth of the Declara
ton of Independence, was personally safe
in half of the country. The laws had
ceased to protect. Fundamental rights
were scorned. Good men almost despair
ed. But there was still in the general
mind an invincible faith in peaceful pol
itics. War had become a remote tradi-
tion, and there were few men who could
understand or who would accept as true
the remark which was calmly made at a
dinner-table in September, 1860, and
which threw shadow upon the feast
abraham Lincoln will be elected, and
then there will be the fiercest war in his
tory"
The two parties in that election repre-
sented the two views that had long before
absorbed all other considerations in pub
lie affairs. The one that was liberty and
justice, or, in a word, equality, was indis
pensable, not only to the peace and pros
perity, but to the continuance of the
Union. The other was that the Union
might not only be stable, but would be
stronger, if half slave and half free With
this moral there was corresponding po
litical disagreement. One party main
tanned the constitutional right of the Sc
cession of any State at will from the
| Union, and the other denied it. These
were the moral and political differences
of that tremendous campaign. Fortunate
| ly the future is hidden. In the glare and
| music and excitement of the hour, in the
| parade of Wide-Awakes, in the mingled
fun and earnest which makes the Presi-
dental campaign a kind of huge national
| frolic, the tragical import of the hour was
| not generally considered Abraham Lin
coin was elected, and the war followed.
Twelve years have passed, with i'm
mense changes. We are again in the
midst of a political campaign. The same
old organizations dispute the field. The
issues are in form different, but they in
volve the same convictions, spirit and
ltuu0uCl6S. u6 party uOW
as then is strongest in the Southern
| States, and among those who were then
the advocates of secession and afterward
the leaders in rebellion. The Republican
party now as then is strongest in that part
of the country which is most enlightened,
most Industrious, and most prosperous.
The real question is one of Administra-
ton. Can the Government be more wise
ly and safely committed to an alliance
of which the chief and necessarily con-
trolling element is the Democratic party,
with the composition, principles, history
and spirit which are so familiar?
The earnestness of its appeal to forget
the past should arouse the suspicion OF
all Thoughtful men. For history cannot
safely be forgotten. The attitude of a
party ten years or two years age
cannot wisely be disregarded. A man
wishes to engage coachman who will
drive his wife and children. Because the
coachman processes to be sober to-day, i:
the fact that last year he was sot un
worthy of consideration The Demo
cratic party promises to respect and en-
force the amendments, and the whole
spirit of the settlement of the war. L
the fact that it has always contemptuous
ly and bitterly denounced them, that i
believes them to bear harshly and unjustl,
upon its special friends, of no importanc
in considering its probable action +? LIE
US shake hands over the bloody chasm
says the Democratic candidate. But VIII