Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-09-05
New Political Parties.

respecting the creation of new political
parties. 1t is evidently supposed by some
that 1t is not only very simple thing to
make new party, but that it is a work
which may be accomplished in very
brief space of time. This was the case
with the selfstyled Liberal Republicans
last year, when they met In Cincinnati.
1t must be confessed that if varied talent,
political prominence, personal popularity,
and long experience in partisan manage
ment, could qualify men for making a
new party, those who met in Cincinnati
last year and nominated Horace Gree.
ley for the Presidency had every reason
to expect success. They counted upon
these qualities as being ample for the ac-
comp,ishment of their purposes, and
doubtless had full confidence in the CON-
plete success of the scheme.
The result served to show that they did
not properly understand the material out
of which political parties are made, or
the process of their growth. They failed
to learn wisdom from experience, and
therefore fell an easy prey to folly. Not
satisfied even with this experiment, some
of those engaged in that effort to establish
a new party, have united with few 9TH
ors and made another effort in the same
direction, and that within year from the
time the former disastrous undertaking was
engaged in. The movement last year
really assumed the appearance of strength,
and, until the hollow shell was pierced
and the weakness of the movement expo
sed, many persons regarded it as formi-
dable organization, well calculated to en-.
danger the success OF the Republican
party. The elections exposed its weak
ness and practically wiped it out of ex.
istence.
These, and similar failures to establish
a new political party, were occasiOned by
misconccption of the elements essential to
the successful organization of parties.
They can never be established where no
necessity exists for them. They are not
| like children's play.houses, to be made
and unmade at pleasure; but must be
deep-rooted in public sentiment, and there
must be laudable motive, an urgent
necessity underlying the whole super
structure. The Republican party was not
ofmushroom growth. 1t was years and
years forming. During all the long years
of the groans of enslaved millions, the
necessity for party which should wipe
out such stain upon our Government
such libel upon our revered Declaration
of lndependence-was being created and
the progress of education and christianity
opened the way for such a party.
The Republican party never had even
the semblance of forced growth. On
the contrary, the people had become so
| fused to leave them untll II became abso-
lutely necessary to do so in order to pre-
serve the character of the Government and
| prevent 1t from becoming great nursery
for human slavery and all its attendant
evils. For years, there were large num-
bers in both parties who felt that some.
thing should be done to prevent the
! further spread of slavery and that the
slave States should not have special repre-
sentative power in consequence of their
slaves. So strong had this sentiment be-
| come in the Democratic party in 1S4S,
that in their platform in Ohio they de
clared slavery to be an evil which should
be restrained, and finally eradicated. The
Wings were divided in sentiment and in
name, some being called Wings and
others Free Soil Wings. Thus the ele-
ments entering into the organization of
the Republican party were of slow, but
permanent growth.
When finally the party was fairly or.
ganized and people began to cut loose
from their old partisan associations and
prejudices to bestow higher and better
service upon their country, it was like the
bursting forth of long-smothered flames
1t was spontaneous and enthusiastic de.
votion to principle-to human rights and
human freedom. 1t needed no prophet
to tell that the victory was theirs, for they
went into the fight conscious of the recti.
tude of their principles and thoroughly
impressed with the necessity which exist
ed for their success. 1t is true, they did
not elect their first candidate for Presi
dent, but they felt conscious of their abil.
ity to succeed in the next struggle; and
they have succeeded at every National
election since This success has not been
achieved through any mere efforts of pol
iticians, but because the party was found
ed upon principles of Right and Justice
The Republican party did not have its
origin in love for the spoils of Office
its active friends and originators were moi
men who had been pronounced unworthy
and kicked out of the other parties-bu
it was based upon true principles. twas
organized to defend and enforce the prin
ciples upon which our Government was
founded, and faithfully and honestly ha!
it adhered to the objects for which It wa.
organized. Corrupt men-spoils hunters
have crept into and secured honorable
positions by deceiving the people, but NJ
corruption and no dishonesty has beer
excused by the Republican party, and ne
man upon whose garments has been evel
the smell of corruption has been able Il
stand before the indignation of the party
The people have had, and they still hav
confidence in the necessity for and in tn
integrity of the Republican party. Itwa
not thing of forced growth, but neces
sity, and SO long as it adheres to its devc
tion to the best interests of the country
the people will sustain it.-TOEedo Blad,