The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1872-07-13

RETROSPECT AND PR01REcEs
From the Christian Union, Jsns 1osl EssTo

RETROSPECT AND PRosPEeEs /
tFron the Christian Union, Jane 3osl Easso
The Conference of Free Traders.
called to meet at the Fifth Avenue
HOTEL assembled, and talked till
midnight, and went out 10 darks
ness; the advantage, on the whole,
being clearly with Grseley.sa In
deed, il looks to- 10 simple folks
who know little Of the machinery Of
politics, as il the conference Lad
come togc.her-like the famous
German dwsrfs OF the fairy ssory,
--.se hump their backs ssti, form !
bridge ,iyon whiclf their country.
man, good Carl Schur1. ceald walk
over to M. Greeley ;. He 10 ssfely
over! Not so his compan ons in
grief, the Free-traders- on. ..princi.
pie They did not step quick
enough. But being left dessla
they held IA alter meeting, and
deter mined to leave Grant spi
Greeley to fight out their differ
ences, while new party, with
Groesbeck, Of Cincinnati, and
Olmstead, of New York, should
march straight upon Washington
and take possession of the Coy
crnment!
Now, then. people can take their
choice Of the three G's-Grant,
Greeley, Groesbeck. the brave
soldier, the skillful editor, the
acute lawyer; the old Republican;
the new Republican Democrat, and
the old Democrat. As for our
selves, we stand by our colors-
Grant and Wilson, and the old
Republican party, which bas been
bred and provcd in stormy days
when the whole nation leaned upon
it and found it sure support
! 1t went through the fire and the
food to save our country. We do
not believe that the common peo-
pie of America are ready to throw
away an old servant, and put in
it's place q party whose whole
strength lies in the adhesion TO it
of the very men whom the Repub-
lican party has fought before, at
Shiloh, at Vicksburgh, at Gettys--
burg, and around Richmond. They
tried 10 take Washington several
times before. They could not do
it by bullets. and We do not intend
that they shall by ballots. This
country is not prepared to pass
the Government into hands Of that
party which has for fifteen years
done nothing but fight those lave
and that policy which they hope
soon to -construe ana administer. !.
1t is not even pretended that the
rank and Gle Of the Democratic
party have been converted to those
ideas for which the whole war was
waged. They have changed their
policy, but not their convictions. !.
They will 60 to Washington ~
Liberal Republicans but once there
they will throw off the odiops name.
and staId forth out-and -out De-
mocrats. The old questions are
not settled. 1t is not likely that
any party will attempt to over
throw the Constitutional, amend
ments. But law may be made
nugatory without abolishing it.
The spirit Of an administration
may neutralize q Constitutional
proyision without attacking its
letter. 3ad2 5.aa-v c
# the Republican party Is de-
feated it will he mainly BY the
concentration sf Democratic votes
North and South, The Democrat
ic element will preponderate tc
such an extent, that it will be I'm
possible to carry on the; govern-
mens except by its political and
moral influence. In six months
d there will not be the shadow OF !,
doubt that the Democratic party
has swallowed and digested all tht
erratic Republicans that helped it
and 1t will stand forth. no new
creation, born ont of past struggles
with regeneratcd genius to lead OF
q new era, but from inevitable in.
ward necessity it will be the oil
Democratic. party. The voice viii
be jacobs, but the hands will b.
Esau's. Now is the time 10 con
slider the may be's. ~ s..
How far from probability IL il
that in a year. or two. should thil
new movement succeed, will thu
new Administration think it bes
to pension the Southern wounded
veterans, for their service ans
suffering 7 II. they are taxed t,
paw the national debt. why. thcy
will say, should we not be paid fo1
some ofcur own losses2 There i
q prodigious property interest II
the South, now in silence and oh
security. that may, If fair occasion
he given, bring an irresistible pow
cr to bear on the Governm eEt, an,
double the "a ional debt.
The policy OF the, Republica,
party, from and alter Presiden
Lincoln's death, was not tina
g which we thought the wisest. I
seemed to us then, and We hav,
never changed our opinion, that i
would haye been wiser, in the Ion,
run. to have made it the interest o
the Southern people to give I,
their late slaves the franchise, ant
to protect them in 1t by measures
which, if they made enfranchise
ment slower and gradual, wouI.
yet make II the interest of. boal