Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-04-18
Shall the Republican Party Disband

SINCE the New Hampshire election
speculation about the Cincinnati Conven-
tion has changed. 1t was originally in
tended to be a conference of Republicans
who preferred another candidate than the
President, and whose decided expressions
and character and numbers would, it was
hoped, influence the Philadelphia Con-
vention to select some one else. But as
the election in New Hampshire shows that
the Republican sentiment of the people
is unshaken, two things have happened:
the Democrats despair of electing party
candidate; and the Cincinnati Republi-
cans consider that the Philadelphia NOM
inatlon is foregone conclusion. There
fore the disposition to change the Conven-
ton at Cincinnati from a Republican
assembly of observation to the nursery of
a new party is now very evident. The
Tribune has stated plainly that the sue
cess of either party would be equally
agreeable in Connecticut, and that the old
organizations are crumbling. Mr.. Doo-
little, stumping Connecticut, says that
the Democratic party will sustain the
Cincinnati nominations. The New York
World would be glad to support Liberal
Republican, provided that the Democrat
ic Convention should adopt him; and
other Democratic papers prod Senator
Sumner to hasten out of the Republican
ranks, without, however, betraying the
least disposition to leave their own. Are
we, then, upon the eve of the formation
of new party? If we are, what are its
distinctive principles? Or have we come
dissolution and good feeling?
1t seems to us to be the merest folly,
and perilous folly, to speak of the issues
which divided the country for a genera
ton, and which led to the war, as in any
final sense settled and closed. Politics
are not a mere game, in which one side
having lost and the other won, there is q
smiling adjustment of the board for a
new turn. The division between the Re-
publican and Democratic parties was
founded upon differing views of the very
nature of the government and of human
rights. Those views were absolutely in
compatible, and admitted of no pacific
settlement. But when the life and char
acter and conscience of one part OF the
population are hostile to those of another
part-when the spirit of society, the the
ories of industry and of original right
in one section are hopelessly opposed to
those of another, and the result is des-
olating and cruel war, in which one party
Internationally conquers the other-what
supreme folly to imagine that mere
formal acquiescence in the defeat has
healed or settled the real difference
The present condition of the Southern
States, the Ku-Klux, the sense of insecu-
rity of the new. .citizens, the consequent
slowness of recovery, show the real situa-
ton. Nor can any considerable share OF
this be attributed to the National Govern.
ment. Besides the inevitable material
consequences of the war which slavery
occasioned and waged, there has been nc
punishment except a brief disfranchlSe-
ment, which has been removed, and q
| limited disability to hold office. But the
hostile spirit remains, and the false theory
of the government is still held. We GER
tainly do not think it strange that il
should be so. But the Democratic lead
ers insist that by-gones shall be by-gones
Very well: if the Democratic theories
principles, policies and measures have
passed by, if the issues upon which par
ties werere divided are settled, why does
the party which represents the defeated
issues still maintain its organization a? il
will be time for the victorious party tC
disband when the conquered party yields
1t will be time to form a new party wher
the old parties have naturally disap
peared.
But if there are no new issues upor
which parties may be formed, the ques
ton of the Presidential election is to b'
one of administration. Then the inquiry
is whether those who believe the princi
Piles of policy to be unconstitutiona
and unjust are its safe guardians, anC
whether the Democratic party are likely
to be more honest in administration be
cause they are reinforced by some Repub
licans. That is the question for the Gin
cinnati Convention. 1t cannot propos'
to form a new party, for there are no new
issues; and personal opposition to a can
didate is not a sufficient new party equip
ment. If the candidate of the Conven
tion should be successful, it will be be
cause Of the support of Democrats, no
as independent individuals who have dc
cided that their party has done its work
but as members of a political organiza
tion which will have ratified the nomina
ton for its own purposes and not for tn
purpose of a new party.
The honest Republicans who may go Z
Cincinnati, or who may sylnpathtZe WIT
the movement, should carefully ask them
selves what they will have gained, or wha
anv caucn Or OrinciDle dear to them Wi