The Van Buren press., 1873-02-04
The Reform Movement,

The Reform Movement
little reflection and recollection OF past
events. will soon convince any Que oil the Ut
tor folly of viewing the Reform NOV, ment III
Arkansas. as well as throughout the Union
"a a merely personal matter and despleapie
struyyic for Office. per "a. Tic Cinc'nnati
movement presented certain general poiiticai
principles embodied In the platform there
adopted, and asked the Democracy OF the
North MS well as South to take this PLATFORM
and the candidates nominated thereon, as
solution to the vexed question. How can the
South find relief from unconstitutional meas
nres, fraught with unjust and grinding OPP
preston, political and financial The De-
n,crecy Of the country assembled ut balti-
moro, and, after mature reflection, concluded
/, accept the Cincinnati platform aad candi-
dates. thus giving to tho world an unmistaN'
able evidence Of their complete acquiesence
In the validity Of the lith and 10th amend
mcnts. II WAS an acceptance ofthe situation,
at the temporary sacrifice Of all party pride
It was direct abandonment Of all claims to
party preference In the pending campaign
Hut Il certainly meant more than this. lfthe
Democratic party proposed tn shake hands
across tho bloody chasm. by which the
North and South had been separated, only for
The purpose Of succeeding In ousting the par
Il. OF Capitalization from powcr-tfen was 1t
indeed petty movement. and this idea robs
the grand movement of all Of its title to pat
rlotis intendment and belittles 1t into mere
campaign party trick No; II we understand
the feeling Of the MASSES. who eagerly ac-
eepted the movement as tho long wished for
solution, they meant 1t not for n temporary or
campaign move, but as a permanent chrys-
ralIzation Of all the elements antagonistlc to
corruption in Office Into a new party, and one
that had Ks eve firmly fixed on glorious fu-
ture and with the hearts OF its members
swelling with patriotic pride, they despised
the miserable inbeclity OF pickering about
the name by which the party should be chris
tened. We are panied to see that some Of
mon, whose voices were loud In their praise
Of this Reform movement, now are cry ing
Out against continuance oftheir connection
with the Republicans who initiated thisgrand
movement cftho people against those vino
by fraud assume 10 be their masters This
disposition, when manifested by Southern
Democrats, is especially to be regretted, be-
cause II places In the hands OF the Radical or
Or Grant party, n club with which to belabor
our Northern Democratic friends. These
Grant men say: Yes, you now see, gentle
men ofthe Democratic party North, that the
Democracy Of the South were insincere. and
only desired to climb into office by this pre-
tended cordial acceptance Of the olive
in truth stAersd at Cincinnati They do not
ments ss hnai and aetolAfcept the amend
only pretended to do so In order to Dit I,bfu but
OLD rebel leaders In a position to i,,, apain
ho!sted into Office. This accomplished, they
would ut once begin to tear down the whole
reconstruction business, put the negroes back
into slavery or compel the Federal govern
ment to pay for the slaves emancipated, " etc,
ETC. These consequences arc too easily fore
seen Tor any rejecting man to fail to rccop-
Mise them. II the Reform movement had any
worth, " -,as b~sausU, " .~on.o,.o..v.. y.
good men to relieve the government of the
bad men, who have been famous for nothing
save sslfshaess, eupidity aud mismandgemcnt,
And this was to be accomplished, not merely
in one campaign, but 1t was to be party or
ganlzatlon for all time to come. Self-dcnial
on the part OF old Republicans rs well as
Democrats was to be the chief feature be-
longing to Individual members Of this party
Personal ambition WAS to be checked and re-
buked. And the aim Of all should be to stop
the tide Of federal cncroachment upon State
reserved rights, and consequent centraliza-
,ion Of political power In the general gov
ernmen. The refusal OF some gentlomen in
Arkansas to serve on the new Central Com
'nittce, does not smack Of the true spirit We
fear this 'a,tion. on their part, Is hasty and
upon mature reflection may be regretted
This committee Is not the exponent Of a new
party any more than the entire Reform move
mcns In the recent campaign II we were
sincere In that movement, then we prove It
only by remaining true to the principles en-
bodied IN It, In peace as well as in war Let
10 be truo to our professions and determine
by strict adherence to our faith mould
healthy public opinion during the coming
two ycars. that will aid us IN preventing tha
frauds that have forced upon us in the past
election. mon In whom the people cannot
confide.
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