The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-07-23

In advocating the reelection of President
Grant, we desire to be distinctly UNDER
Z stood as seeking a leader, not a ruler an
efficient executive of the will of the great
g National Republican party, not a dictator
of " my policy" as his predecessor so
blindiy assumed to be. a'a# @
1t is as the tried, faithful, and able agent
of the patriotic people who elected him in
1868, that he has earned our commentator
and is entitled to our hearty support in
1872. We believe that now, as in 1869,
when he was inaugurated, be has "no pol
icy of bis own to enforce against the will of
the people )" and are impressed with the
belief that the policy of the National Repub-
lican party is vital to the prosperity, if not
the life Of the nation, and that President
Grant will loyalty conform his official acts
to that policy. 1t is proper, therefore, that
we briefly review what that policy has been
in the past, and what it promises for the
future.
1t seems almost as idle as a thrice told
tale to enumerate what has been accom-
plished by the great Republican party
whose principles We advocate, but it is
proper for a clear understanding of the
responsibilities which rest upon US, until it
can be said of the magnificent work in
which we have so long labored-Ffnis
co,onat opus. ~
In 1860 We found the government in the
hands of its would-be destroyers, with a
President weakly asserting to their treason,
and avowing that he could find no power
7 under the constitution by virtue of which
he could rescue the country from dislnte-
p grafton and destruction. The following
year left us struggling against a mighty
armed rebellion, and it became clearly
demonstrated that slavery must die if the
country would live. Lincoln's emancipa-
ton proclamation Of January LIST, 1868,
virtually abolished slavery, and the SUISSE
quent adoption of the thirteenth constitu-
tional amendment ratified that grand charter
of human rights but let it be borne in
mind that every Republican State leeisla-
ture endorsed, and every Democratic State
legislature rejected this charter of personal
liberty. Now, when the logic of events
has constrained the Democracy to accept
emancipation as an accomplished fact, those
who were then chattels but are now men
should weigh we'll the claims Of Democracy
to any merit in accepting what they
struggled against, but could not prevent.
t. 1OPS ,r,ooI ,nhallinn yyac arnchad I.
and true to its principles of humanity, the
Republican party approved Gen. Grants
magnanimous parole given to the officers and
men who surrendered at Appomattox-
that they should lay down their arms and
return to their several homes, there to be
unmolested so long as they obeyed the
laws.
From 1865 to 1867 the contest continued
in another form, disappointing the hopes of
good citizens who wanted peace. Obstinate
efforts were made by the Southern Bour-
bons to replace slavery, by peonage, open
opposition to the government, by nullifica-
ton of its enactments for public safety and
personal protection. The recorded acts OF
the Legislatures, assembled by virtue of re-
stricted suffrage, Ito which that of Virginia
was no exception showed plainly that it
was the settled purpose of the disloyal
white majority to ignore freedom and per-
secute loyalty. The alternative presented
was to maintain a standing army to enforce
the thirteenth amendment, or to give the
ballot to the freedmen for their own protec-
ton. The fourteenth a mendment was
adopted as a compromise, in the hope that
purging the State legislatures and execu-
tive departments of a portion Of these
r~eactionists would lead to a better condi-
ton of affairs, but it was rejected with
scorn, and on January, 1867, a act was