The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-09-27
we would have waited for some signs Of con-
version before giving them

conversion in the Democratic party? The last
opportunity that was offered was in Washing
ton, IT the last session OF Congress. The Sup
Elementary Civil Rights bill was introduced
and in the debate upon that subject, the
party spoke IA one man. They took the same
old Democratic ground, the same old
spirit of hatred TO the colored man.
All the same old slavery virus came
frothing out in the speeches OF tho
best men in that party. Seventeen times,
Monday after Monday they STAYED of and
voted against the bill, which was simply the
completion OF equal rights. They voted
against il two or three times after the Gin
cmnati Convention. and with their lips still
red with saying No." hurried off to Balti-
more and cried "equal rights to all men,"
Mr.. Curtis here quoted from the speeches OF
number of Democrats and from several
Southern newspapers to show the spirit of the
Democratic party was the same that il ever
had been. he then continued:l
l can conceive of no reason why n man
having the true interests of his country at
heart should vote for that party except this
that, bad az the Democratic party may be, the
Republican party is worse. Is that true? 10
the Republican party, which has done more to
maintain free government than any other
party in the world, 80 bad as that {? You will
agree with me that those who attack the
Administration have always the advau-
tage of position. IL IL easy to sketch
model Administration without blunder or
weakness. Tried by such standard, any
merely human Administration will fail. But
every honest man will try to be just. In the
details Of our Government, administered by
10000 or so, 900 officers scattered over terri
tory from the Lakes to the Gulf, there will be
constantly facts occurring which are inter-
preted to the disadvantage OF tine Govern
ment and not fault or error can be COM
mitted by postmaster or collector, but we
shall instantly be told that the entire
Administration is huge fraud. On
the other hand. they will tell us what
they will do. Had they. been in power, this or
that would not have taken place, and instead
we should have purity, honesty and reform.
They will be as lavish in their promises AZ the
maple is of red leaves in October, What are
the probabilities that they will be kept? They
wish TO pass the sponge over what theys have
done, and only wish us to listen to what they
say.
What is the record OF this Administration
Taking the first great point which any gov
eminent is hound to observe, has the Repub-
lican party guarded the equal rights of the
citizens? 1t is the very glory of the Admins
tration that it has done so. 1t found 4,000,.
600 slaves 1t has made them men and
women it has united them in holy marriage
and they sit with us in our Legislative halls.
Dcolittle and Others talk Of negro supremacy
upheld by the bayonet The negro has his
vote that ID all his supremacy. How is il
upheld by the bayonet When it was found
there was an organized terrorism at the South
to trsmple the black man under foot, lhe
Government simply kept its word. Frederick
Douglass, who has known what slavery was
and what il has been to his race, heard those
words of Doolittle. and cried with trumpet
tongue to his fellows ITO the negro he
Republican party is the deck all else is the
sea. Stand loyal to Grant" Amen, amen
cried North Carolina, III the first
FURIOUS ONSET or THE CAMPAIGN,
standing steadfastly Republican.
After referring to the financial record, Mr..
Curtis in reply to the remark often made tnat
Gen. Grant did not pay the debt. said that in
the same sense he did not put down the re-
bellion. 1t was the Union army that put down
the rebellion, but Gen. Grant was its head.
The prosperity of the country is owing to the
confidence and trust OF the people in the
sohdity OF the Government. Mr.. Curtis
continued
1t is not great many years ago since a
Lieutenant in the United States army was sta
toned on the extreme frontier OF Oregon. He
had an observing mind he had a thoughtful
mind, and this he observed: Among King
Georges men" the Indian WAS treated in a
different way from the treatment he received
from the " Boston men," II one Of King
Georges men went away for IA day among the
Indians, he went uuarmed and safely returned.
II one Of the " Boston men" went among the
Indians, he never returned, or if he did. 1t wac
with mo hair on the place where the hair
ought to grow" The difference was. King
Georges man treated the Indian honestly: the
Boston man cheated him. The Lieutenant
is now the President of the United States, and
his Indian policy is the result of his personal
observations upon the frontier. Treat the
Indian as man, Is the policy the United
States. Nearly 900 Indians are cared for
by the Government. The Indian expenses
have increased to S7000.000. Gen. Walker
tells why. Because the Indians have been
driven more and more from their hunting
grounds. Therefore they raise their hand
against the white race. But steadily the policy
of the Government is having its effect.
Another cry is directed at what they call
the abuses in the civil service Of the country.
But Is 1t the Democratic party to which we
are TO look for Improvement IN this particu-
lar am free TO confess, after a great deal
of study and investigation of all persons in
this country who are known as bitterly OPP
posed to reform in the civil service, none are
more hopelessly so than the leading gentle
men who nominated Horace Greeley at Gin
cinnatl. The present system came in with
Gen. Jackson. who regarded all the offices as
the pluuder OF the dominant party. When
Gen. Grant was elected he desired to effect a
reform in this service; but when you reflect
upon lls enormous extent and the number of
offices to be filed, you will see at once per-
SOnal acquaintance amounts 10 nothing, and
the President must depend upon the repre-
sensations Of Senators and Representatives.
A great many of the Offices are Of no impor-
! lance. Out of $4,000 Postoffices, %, 600 pay
less than 800 year. But they have become
a sort Of currency by which members of Con-
gress pay their political debts. In all these
appointments the Senate is responsible, az 1t
confirms them and il has also usurped the
proper functions of the President by deter
mining that no nomination shall be confirmed,
except II is favored by the Administration
Senator from the State in which it is made. /
have begged Of q Senator to support a certain
nomination, and he has replied that he should
like to crafty me. but it would depend on
what the Senator from that State should say.
The Office Of Judge was vacant, and the
Senator from that State wanted n man ap-
pointed whom the President knew and believed
to be unfit for the place. He nominated man
after man, each being rejected-unqueston-
ably because they were not acceptable to the
Senator from that State and the Office re-
NAMED vacant for more than year. l have
come to the conclusion that no thorough re-
form is possible without the cooperation Of
Congress, or until public opinion asks OF every
man nominated for Congress, =" Are you in
favor of a thorough reform 2" and gets from
him categorical answer. The President il
guided strictly according to the rules he has
adopted, but no man knows the difficulties in
the way. The principle Is, however, adhered
TO that all pOsitioDs shall be filled by ascer-