The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-08-16

Tie progress OF the times is to-
wards established principles OF truth
and virtue. Tie history Of mon
accl,y is one OF oppresssiM and
wrong, aimsoned with rivers Of
blood. Republics arc the offspring
Of popular intelligence, guided by
an instructive thirst Tor universal
freedom and equal justice. The
s,scccss Of the latter las been CON-
mensurate with the growth aud
adoption Of intelligent truth. Tic
ends to be maintained by govern
mentare peace and security The
bases of these are wic and cquita-
be laws faithfully administered and
obeyed. These can never exist
wherc there is not q clear and en-
lightened comprehension of human
desire, and willingness to confer
every favor and privilege that, in
the same relation, it would ask.
This latter we denoninatc be-
ncvolencc sometimes, sometimes yir-
tue; hence we say Of a republic,
that il is strong and substantial in
proportion TO the intelligence and
virtue possessed and practiccd by
the people. Guided by these IDEAS,
the fathers Of our Republic favored
every enterprise that seemed TO
hold out a promise Of increasing
intelligence and promoting virtue
among the people. Mistakes were
made, such as the practice of reli-
Gious intolerance, tho establishment
Of human bondage, and in other
directions; but increased enlighten-
auent and experience demonstrated
their evil character, and the de-
termined progress ofmind towards
n more perfect standard Of right
aud duty, first modified and then
destroyed their existence. The
opinion that deterioration in mind
and morals is thecharacter Of Amer
can progress, will not stand the
test of close scrutiny. One need
hut glance over the remarkable
political events which have trans
pired within the last dozen years in
our country, to prove that the prog
ress of the nation has been towards
increased enlightenment and virtue.
A relic Of barbarism, a giant wrong,
the enslaver of millions, whose evils
Of wrong and degradation The eyes
Of generations yet unborn will gaze
upon, has been swept away before
the onward march Of O more llu-
name and enlightened civilization.
The millions of enslaved have been
made citizens, and the struggle be-
tween truth and error, enligl,ten-
ment and ignorance, still continues.
The political contest now before the
people, cmbodies the two bclliger-
ant ideas that have SO long been
struggling for the mastery. The
Republican party represents the
progressive educational and moral
idea. It's opposed to caste, favors
universal freedom and equal rights,
and popular education, or the free
school system. The opposition par
ty is made UP Of oil the various
phases Of oppositionto to these. There
is the South, with its record Of
slavery and blood, and its Ku Klux.
There is the North, with its history
oftruckling obedience to cbehests
ofthe South, its opposition to free
schools, and its present position of
nunprincipled mendicant at the
feet ofa few Republican Judascs.
The Republican party represents
that class Of the American mind,
whose aspirations are for q purcr,
frecr and more enlightened civiliza-
ton. The opposition party, if we
may use tho language Of its csndi-
date now before the people, for