New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-17
TIE SITUATION-WHAT rs a PATRDlTS
DUTYf

who conscientious, and wish 10 support 'ho .'
party the representation Of Republican pihcipcs
Together with yourself Charles Sumner and Keupen
T. Fenton standing sc parated by political chasm from
Henry Wilson and Schuyler Colfax Is possiDio lha'
both sides truly representing the Same principS
are be placed before the people two tcAes from
tho Republican Party Many things in the present Adj
mnisratOn repugnant to the cOinmon pcopio' -
that the fault OF the Executive
Sir the young in this country are being awakened
to their responsibility citizens who are to play their
part in this national drama in order TO secure good gov
ernment Upon which side Of this political chasm are
they to stand should like to read before our Assoca
ton your views and suggestions, which, II you are
pleased 10 give will shape the course OF many Hoping
that we may honored with your opinions In reference
to Gus" Yours, o. WIZ
Buffalo, April II, 1872.
Response by The Tribune.
DEAR SIR: Your questions are pertinent and
timely. We shall endeavOr to answer them
frankly and lucidly.
Political parties are not devised by poll
ticians: they grow out of diverse convictions on
grave public questions. Ours began with our
proper National life under the Federal Consti-
tuition, and related essentially to the rightful
construction of that instrument. Those who
had resisted its adoption naturally sought to
have it construed strictly, rigidly, while those
who had framed and ratified 1T as
naturally gave it more liberal in
tcrpretatiOn. The former would have
made it tho treaty of league; the
latter regarded it as a charter Of government,
rendering us no longer mere cOnfederacy,
but nation. Yet, when those who, while out
of power, were literal, vigorous construction
lists, at length came into power, they broke
their own rule and, under the plea of neces-
sity, exercised power for which they found no
warrant in the Constitution. And this was by
no means the last instance in which party
triumphed on an avowal of principle and pro-
ceeded to act in palpable defiance thereof.
Thus the Republicans in their latest National
platform Chicago, 1869 affirmed that, while the
conditions of reconstruction might be prescribed
by Congress, yet the States which had re-
NAMED loyal must determine, each for itself,
what portion of its citizens should enjoy the
Elective Franchise. Having triumphed on this
platform, they proceeded to perfect COnsti-
tutional Amendment which forbids the disfran-
chisement by any State Of any class or por-
ton of its citizens because of race or color.
This was inconsistent with the platform, but
lin our view very great improvement thereon.
The Republican party was formed in 1915
by fusion of Wings, Democrats and original
Abolitionists into one organization, which had
for its main object the exclusion of Slavery
from territory which had, up to that hour,
been free soil. The immediate impulse to this
movement was a formidable and ultimately
successful attempt to legalize or tolerate
Slavery throughout the vast wild regions west
ward of Missouri and Iowa now known as
Kansas and Nebraska, which region, by the
act which admitted Missouri to the
Union as Slave State, was guaran-
teed to Free Labor. AS the contest
ton by the Republicans of Mr.. Lincoln as
President in 1860, seven Slave States seeded
from the Union, and were ultimately Joined
by four others and the eleven formed the
Southern Confederacy, which resisted the
authority and defed the power of the Union
through bloody, devastating civil war of
four years. duration. iDuring this tremendous
conflict, Slavery was abolished by two procla-
nations of President Lincoln, and an amend
ment of the Constitution interdicting it in
every State and Territory was carried through
Congress and finally ratified by the requisite
three fourths of the States. BY subsequent
amendments, similarly ratified, equal legal or civil
rights were accorded to the lately emancipated
Blacks and the Right of Suffrage secured to
them as aforesaid. At this moment, these
great changes are beyond recall. The political
equality of rights for Whites and Blacks alike
is as firmly fixed in our political system as the
republican form of government or the separate
existence and essential equality of the States.
Senator Sumner-always in advance as
champion of equal rights-has proposed that
Blacks shall have equal access with Whites to
all public cOnveyances hotels and public en-
tertainments. This has, thus far, been baflled;
but it seems likely to prevail at the present
session. And, once enacted, it may in some
instances be disobcyed, but can hardly be re-
versed.
The Republican party has thus accomplished
its original object, with very much more. 1t
will soon be transformed or disntegrated by
reason of its complete, conclusive successes.
party with this name may outlast the CEN
tury but it must contemplate other objects
and work to other ends than those which
united and animated the Republicans of 1860.
Your present duty, young men, is to read,
observe, and think. The party-crics daily
raised of "Keep the flag fying!" "Stck
"to the party "No breaking ranks !"
&C., &c, appeal rather to mems passions
than their reason. They are mainly i'm
PEELED by those who expect to retain their
present Offices or achieve better through the
party organization. The party called Repub-
lican may DO the best in existence, and it may
be your duty to sustain it but it is so, if at
all, for different reasons from those which
called that party into being. A good many OF
those now most Jealous for maintaining the
po.,l,I;c,n orgapiz,tion arc huilIip, tl,o ton,h,