National Republican., 1873-02-03
THE FUTURE OF TuE REPUBLICAN
PARTY,

PARTY.
The Republican party has It within Its
power TO govern the country for the next |
quarter Of u century or to throw the magnla-
cent opportunity away. Ithas Just como out |
of an exciting political campaign more victo- |
rious than ever. In 1881 II came into power |
upon popular minority vote. The dissen-
sions and the divisions Of Its enemies gave II |
strength. In 1865 II eamo into power again |
under Mr.. Lincoln with n majority Of the |
people Of the North upon It's side. The sad |
tragedy in a theatre Of this city had the effect |
Of temporarily remanding the control Of af-
fairs back again into the hands OF Its ancient |
enemies. But through the Senate and in the
House Of Representatives II practically con-
trollcd the dcstinlcs Of the country and gave |
shape to our foreign and domestic policy.
Ia 1869, under Gen. Grant, the party tri- |
umphed as II had never before triumphed.
Its popular majority was greater than
ever 1t was. The people set the seal
Of approval upon each and every one
Of its acts. General Grant was nominated
rs the best representative Of Republi-
can Ideas. His fame was the fame Of the
party. he had led its armies; he had given
the sternest and most rigid enforcement to
all Its mandates. He had indorsed Its emanci- |
patton policy, and carried Ii out at the point
of the swords Of his victorious armies He
sympathlEed with 1t in every respect lie
was as much of politician, Republican
politician, rs 1t was possible for q military
leader to be. lie had served ii faithfully and
Loyalty, doing all that through Its majority
in Congress, 1t commanded him to do. His
nomination at the hands Of the party was
inevitable, not because OF his great military
name and fame, but because he represented the
loyal spirit OF the country, and the party
that was the embodiment Of that spirit.
When he was lnaugurated four years ago he
promised, In the name Of the party, the reform
Of the abuses which had crept In under the
rule OF his predecessor. He promised that he
should act only for the best interests Of
the country; that he should be as faithful to
the best Interests Of the Republic in peace as
lie had been In war. How well and faith
fully he has kept that promise the re-
cord of his administration, the history of
the country during the last four years
conclusively show. Every State has been
restored to Its proper relations In the
Union. Tue most troublous foreign questions
have been satisfactorily settled. The ma
tiOnal debt has been reduced so low that the
question Of our ability to pay II to the last
farthiDg Is no longer q matter Of doubt.
Great reforms in administration have been
achieved. In word he has fulflled every
promise that he made, and that the party
made for him. And TO that alone must be at
tributed the renewed success which came to
him and TO 1t In the late canvass against
combination, political and personal such
Us has been rarely formed In our history.
But In this, the hour Of supreme victory Of
the Republican party and of Republican
principles, the dangers ahead Of 1t, II 1t wishes
to have something more than mere four
years lease Of power, are greater than over
they were. The danger no longer lies In the
strength OF its enemies, but In Its own
strength. Every morning the columns of the
newspaper press are darkencd by a tale Of
decentralization and corruption and political
iniamy that have scarcely parallel in our
annals-onc day 1t comes to us from the
Capitol and on the morrow from the distant
West. II tells Of public and private de-
bauchery, Of loose manners, Of suspicious,
and all but unCxplainable transactions. It is
true that In the main 1t concerns Democrats as
well as Republicans.
1t bears upon one side as hard as upon the
other. II throws dlstrust upon Democratic
as well as upon Republican leaders. There
Is story of old Thaddeus Stevens, that al
one time, while he was q member of the
House OF Representatives, two men came 10
Washington, each claiming that he was the
legal and duly elected Representative of a
Al.
before the House for action Republican,
the story goes, said to Mr.. Stevens, who was
then the undisputed party leader, the fact ls
Mr.. Stevens, both Of them are rascals. +"
WELL" said Mr.. Stevens, "what Is the name
Of our Republican rascal? Let us vote for
him Eight or nine years ago II was pos
slble, without party danger, to vote a Repub-
licAn rascal in and Democratic rascal out,
but the times and the generation have
changed, and 1t Is possible no more. We
have entered upon new era. What could
be done then can not be done now. We do
not know that we are any better or any wiser
or any greater, but no one will dispute that
We must, at least, have some regard for the
amenities and the proprleties Of respectable
politics.
AHt ull 10 lAhtu uONu WIN EEdNt CudTRtbs
They affect honor, honesty, and patriotism.
II the Republican party wishes to live, If il
wishes to govern the country In the future
Il must sift them to the very bottom. We do
not declare that any man is guilty but we
declare that the country expects that the In.
nooence OF every man must be made as clear
as the snow upon our valley sides. There is
spirit abroad In the land that II Is not wise
or safe to Ignore, and the sooner our leaders
In Congress, II we have any leaders there, be.
gin TO understand Ii the better The Repub-
lican party cannot afford TO do as Its oppO-
nents have done, II 1t would perpetuate its
rule. Republlcanlsm means reform. 1t
means advancement morally aud politically
and II some who should have been faithful
have fallen by the wayside, the party must
march on without them. 1t Is to be hoped
there will be wisdom and courage enough to
do IL.
TIE TRIBUSE'S INTEREST IN TWEED.
IL Is singular fact that all the TriJuns's
articles In regard to Tweed's late prosecution
and trial were calculated to aid the escape of
that arch criminal, 1t assailed the prosecut-
ing counsel In the most savage manner, re-
ported the proceedings at the trial In an
unfair and prejudicod way, and generally
conveyed the impression that 1t would be far
better pleased to sec him acquitted than
otherwise.
The Sun, In an article on the subject on
Saturday, said During the progress Of tn,
trialfepeated attacks have been made upo
the ability OF the prosecution especially b.
the Tribune. These attacks have worn very
much the appearance Of An attempt to fayol
the aoquittal Of Tweed, doing by ludlrection
what there was not courage enough to do
npanlyn