Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-08-29

cratic Party, with its multiplied crimes and
foilies and blunders thick upon it, which can
point TO no redeeming act in twenty years, IS
TO be forgiven, it seems to me the most iastid-
ious should look with charitable eyes upon
the venial errors of the Republican Party.
When we contemplate the glorious record OF
the Republican Party, which is without par
allel in the history OF parties, IFS terrors are
but specks upon grand picture which CLOVIS
all over with light and lite and beauty.
WHAT 1T has DONE.
you would judge correctly of the Repub-
lican Party you must look atits grand results.
take in Its whole history tor twelve years !;
lust as in compreh ending the full power and
glory OF the sun you would look at the whole
orb, aud not contiue your vision to some little
spot Oh lis face. When we louk back through
B period Ci only twelve years and find that
the Il publican Parry suppressed the might
est reosil'on III history, preserved the Union
abolished slavery, elevated 4 Geo 900 of peo.
p,.t from the condition of slaves 10 the enjoy
meni u civil and political rights, restored the
coantFy to peace, and that under its rule the
country Is growing IN wealth, power. and in
isiilSence AS never before, We can put aside
eih contempt the petty ISLANDERS upon il and
challenge the nduHration and confidence OF
the nation.
TIE OLD, OLD STONY.
Ii we recur to the history of the past we
hnd that villitlcatIun OF Congress was even
more general. malignant, aud personal during
the Administrations vi Washington, j, iferson,
and jackson than it is to-day. The business
OF detection and slandtr seems to have lost
much ut lis vigor and facility since Washing
ton was almost daily charged with "the foul
est designs against the liberties OF the people,
concealed under the cloak OF patriotism II
e L. i l,..t
sale calumnies The country would grow rapid
ly worse and the neXt generation be mach
wickeder than The present; for there is moth
ing so demoraliz!ng as a general beiiet in
the corruption OF mankind. II our children
can be made to believe that they breathe an
atmosphere OF corruption, and that every thug
is wicked about them, they will have small
inducement to become honest men ard wo-
men, and will be likely to fall in with what
they understand TO be prevailing customs.
And will Jast say here TO those who have
the leisure and opportunity TO review the po
lltical literature OF the last seventy years that
they viii ind that under every Administration
the opposition to that Administration has
charged 1t with being more corrupt than any
that mad gone before, and that the period was
one of general official prohigacy, which I'M
less ii was checked by turning the others out
and putting them in, would result in the ruin
Of the country.
CHEERFUL OUTLOOK.
As general rule, the public men are 1t
representatives OF the people, and represent
the people. especially in their manners and
morals. And while | am not wanting in VEN
Grafton for the memory and character of cur
fathers, l am sure | do them no injustice
when say that the mass Of TIE people of this
country at the present day are their superiors
in morals, education, and intelligence. Their
means of Improvement and their opportunities
are vastly greater, than were those of the IA
Tiers; and as a general rule their public men
have kept pace with them. l believe the
world is growing better instead OF worse and
especially this part of the world in which we
live; that the principles of free government
are better understood in this country to-day
than ever before; that there is more devotion
to them, and that the sacrifices for the preser-
walton of the Union in the war of the rebel
lion were, to say the least, of far greater
magnitude and quite equal in degree to those
made in the Revolution. Human rights are
| better understood and more strictly enforced
! than ever before; and whereas, at time of the
Revolution, there were few men who, risin|
above all their contemporaries, perceived thu
great wickedness and dangers Of human slav
cry, the mass of the nation has now come I,
| CoinpTenenu IL. AZ our IatheT5 III the reVClu
ton were wiser than the Colonsts, so is tht
generation of to day wiser and better than thu
| fathers.
Mr.. Morton then spoke of the salary
! grab. condemning it as wrong and dan
gerous. He also spoke of railroads and
their abuses, and said the matter would
be Investigated at the next session of Con-
gress, and the republican party while deal
ing Justly with the railroads would protec ct
the people in their rights.