, 1872-10-17

habituaIy frcqucntng the roomR and spending por-
ton of the day in reading. Tho department Of read
On Sundny has been uucxceptionnble, and the
rooms have been still and orderly as on secular
days. While renders have called for religious
books the other classes Of reading sought for have in
tile main, been instructive and profitable"
WHAT THE LIBERAL PARTY HAS DONE.
The boast Of the Grant party, and tho in
ference drawn by some weal-hoarted persons in
the Liberal party, that because the regular
Republicans we're successful in two States at the
October elections, therefore the cause Of Liberal
Reform is defeated, have no foundation in fact.
October elections. Tho great truths which aro
embodied in the Cincinnati platform will still
exist as truths after November, us before. Their
excellence will be just as undeninble, and their
necessity just as pressing. They undcrlie
tho prosperity and perpetuity Of the Republic.
They are superior to the accident Of an election,
which is ct best but an incident Of the great
battle. If Mr.. Greeley should be elected then
the Liberal movement will crystnl1iZe itself i'm
mediatcly and these truths will be pnt into prac-
tical operation. IF NIr. Greeley should be de-
featcd, these truths still remain and possess the
came binding force which they are destined some
day to exert. The Liberal movement was not
based On ephemeral issues, but he'd its founda-
tion in the absolute necessity Of reform, grow
ing out Of the corruptions OF IN old party,
/ whose vital principles have been accom-
plished, and which has nothing left to do
but to promote personal ends. The OBJ
iect OF that movement ia not accomplish
ed until this reform is secured.
The Republican party, IS now controlled, is q
party without any future purpose, except that Of
personal egsrardizement. without any principles
except the huaks Of truths which long ago went
to seed. It, therefore, reyo1vcs about and de-
pends for existence upon one man, the appoint
ing power, who, instead Of representing princi-
pies, is the purveJor Of the patronage which
keeps it alive. Tho Reform movement, on the
other hand, has sure hold On the future, for it
is founded On principles vitality necessary to the
permanence Of free institutions.
Whatever may be the event Of the November
election, the fact still reuaains that political
party, in the history Of this country, has ever
accomplished 60 much before in so short time.
In reviewing its work, it must be remembered
that no party las ever before had to labor
against such obstacles. 1t vas obliged at tho
outset to oppose itself to the dominant party,
which had the advantage Of discipline, the pres
tigo Of past successes, the influence Of the en-
tire public patronage, the occupancy Of nl1 tho
public Offices. carpet-bag control of one section
OF the country, and possession Of tho votes of q
whole race Of people recently omancipated from
slavery and invested with the elective fran
chiBe. Against such odds as these, tho Liberal
party has worked without organization, without
Office to bestoM, without money to spend, with
out the control Of vote further than that vote
truth, without the concentrated power Of rings,
without anything but the inherent force Of its
principles. Notwithstanding these dieadvan-
tages, it has accomplished enough to entitlo it to
the everlasting gratitude Of tho country. The
war of the rebellion WAS Tagcd under Republ
can Administration. It organized armies and
aeets, and employed the power Of the country to
suppress tho rebellion, and succeeded It con-
quercd the arms, but not the hearts Of the South
1t has forced obedience there, but has never cul
tiveted loyalty, or sought to inspire
patriotic feeling; On the contrary; it has
done everything to repress and discourage
such feeling. What the Republican party has
failed to do in this respect, the Liberal party
has accomplished. Under tho influence Of its
policy Of reconciliation, and its demand that all
sections Of tho country shall be treated alike,
and that every State shall be left free to manage
its internal affairs, without dictation from tho
Federal Administration, the South has publicly
and voluntarily proclaimed its loyalty to the
Union, it's acceptance of all tho results Of the
war, and it's Willingness to submit to and obey
and to vote for an Abolitionist. For this ad- |
mission, which is = matter Of public record, the
country is indebted to the Liberal party, which
in six months by the arts Of
peace, what the Republican party had failed to |
accomplish in Elk years, by the arts Of war.
The Liberal movement has removed all re-
naming opposition to the three last Constitu-
tional Amendments. It has thoroughly and for |
ever removed the pre-existing hostility to the
negro, which is fact of the first magnitude es
affecting tho future Of the Inter. It has in
duced the Democratic party to accept its plat
form, and by this act has forever removed the
question Of slavery from our political syatem,
thus making it imposeible ever again
to establish pro-e1avery party. These
are permanent benefits which will affect the
country for years to come, whether Grant or
Greeley be elected; and their influence hereafter
must permeate and affec: the whole policy Of the
Government, and elevate cur Republican syatem
in the eyes Of the world. The benefits which
have arisen from this new con1mingling, not
only Of different nationalities, but of those who
have hitherto been bitter partisan opponents,
involving the obliteration OF old party lines and
the ostablishmcntof more inGepend-