Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-06-26
SHALL WE PRESERVE WHAT WE HAVE WOW

SHALL WE PRESbhNE WHAT WE HAVE NOsI
When Mr.. Lincoln was lnaugurated In 1851
there was only one issue before the country,
the preservation Of the Union. Three r'nnths
OF his Administration had not passed before
the flag had been fired on at Sumter, anu INC
ao,tl, ..--- a. unnI VI revolution. state
after State passed ordinances Of secession,
put armies In the field, and attempted the
capture OF the capital. The rebel sontrles
were posted at one end OF the Long bridge
aud the Union soldiers at the other. We
have no desire to retell the story Of the war
to recapltuate the bloody acts Of the great
drama on which the curtain finally fell at the
Appomattox COurt-House. The war brought
the country not only a settlement OF the
question of secession, but II also brought the
settlement of certain great principles aud
ideas against which, for thirty years, the
South, aided by q vigorous and, up to 1861,
omnipotent ally In the Nortn, had contended.
II there had been no war emancipation
would have been postponed for teu years.
Mr. Seward, 1t Is true, said that the conflict
was irreprosslble," but there Is no doubt that
the feeling In the North between 1881 and
1858 was every day in the wook In favor of
Its indefinite Postponement, and that the
Northern States would have gladly made
peace on any terms short Of secession, of the
total Independence Of the South.
when the war closed the bitter partisan
aght that the Democracy waged against the
Republican policy OF reconstruction, the ter
ribe spirit OF mlsrule aud hate that showed
itself In the South, led TO the passage Of the
constitutional amendments. The fourteenth
and fifteenth amendments would not have
boen passed II the Southern politicians and
their Democratic friends In the North had
accepted the situation as they should have
accepted IL. The Republican party made as
surauce doubly sure. Measure after meas
ure, then and since deemed harsh and Sc
we're, was passed solely that what was won
In the war should be placed beyond all per-
adventure In the future. Andrew johnson
was unintentionally a benofactor. II instead
Of arraylng himself In opposition to the
party that elected him he had acted with
tho party and been faithful To the principles
TO which he had pledged his carly allegiance,
the policy OF rcpublicanlsm would not have
been rounded into the grand proportions In
which we and 1t to-day.
The question to-day Is shall we preserve
what all those years of blood and battle
brought us2" Gen. Butler said u few nlghts
ago, at Boston, that the campaign upon
which we are entering Is only a continuation
Of the campaign that was begun on April 10,
1851. Tho most cursOry glance at the pOliti-
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