National Republican., 1873-04-28
DEsPAIRING OF THE COUNTRY.

4 large number Of well-mcanlng and
Amiable persons are In the habit these days
Of looking with despondency upon the re-
public. We read their utterances In the book
and newspaper press; occasionally we hear
them in the pulpit, but more frequently their
evil bodings find expression only In private
conversation. They argue that the country
Is already far advanced on the down grade
TO destruction; that we, the degenerate sons
Of patriotic sires, have lost the early faith
and the carly picty; that the days Of states
manship are forever gone, and that we have
fallen upon dark and evil times. They are
accustomed to contrast the present with the
past; the men prominent In our councils
with those who lived and ruled only ten years
ago. In searching for patriotic parallels
they are content with comparatively our
more modern men-with the Lincolns the
Stewards and the stevcnses--whcn they wish
to point moral. Clay, Jackson, Adams,
Madison, Washington, who have become as Il
were canonized saints In the popular Idea,
are no longer singled out as exemplars Of
honesty, integrity and disinterested devotion
to the public good. Our despairing friends
arc, as we said, content with our later day
saints, who are Just beginning TO put on the
robes Of Immortality and to take their seats
In our national Walhalla.
II Mr.. Lincoln and Mr.. Seward, Mr.. Ste
vens and Mr.. stanton could come back TO us
for few days or weeks and learn this altered
tone Of our public opinion, probably no one
would he more surprised at the change than
themselves. It Is only eight years since we
pursued each and every one Of these gentle
men with the coarsest and most rIbald abuse;
only eight years since Mr.. Stanton was de-
nounced as In league with army contractors;
since Mr.. Seward was accused Of corruption
In the acquisition Of Alaska; since Mr.. Ste
vens was painted as a second Danton. Mr..
Lincoln was charged with all manner OF
fraud and corruption; with protractIng the
war unnecessarily TO enrich members OF the
Republican party; with an utter insonsibilily
to the distress and suffering OF the country.
But time has set all things right and these
illustrious men have been set In the places 10
which their great ability, spotless lives and
patriotic devotion so justly entitled them.
There were gloomy prophets then as there
are now, who despaiTed Of the country, who
saw In Mr.. Lincoln and the members Of his
administration the dostroyers Of the republic.
WIN eight years effect similar reversal Of
popular judgment so far Us our public men Of
the present time are concerned
But, however that may be, there 10 no oc'
casiOn whatever TO despair Of the country
The stock Of honest and faithful men Is by
no means exhausted, as any one can see who
reads the opposition press. The number o.
bad, unscrupulous and unprincipled RePub'
lieans in office is only equaled by the number
Of yirtuOus and hlgh-toned Liberal Republ'
cans and Democrats who are out. Public
virtue Is fairly running to seed In the ranks
Of the opposition. Such a blRmcless, high
toned, spOtloss crowd Of politicians and edi'
tors never before In the history OF the coun'
try were allowed TO languish aud pine foI
office as those to he seen at tue present time IN
every section and city OF the country. And
not alone are they distinguished In mora
point Of view, hut they are Pre-ominently
illustrlous for their ability and requirements
There are half dozen Liberal Republican
editors who could run the entire Government
In their own estimation, infinitely better thar
it's run at present, or than 1t has ever beer
run be ore. They could set our finance
right In u week. solve the Indian question II
a day, and regulate the navy at sight' II
singular that the people cannot learn 10 ap