National Republican., 1873-02-06
THE WORK BEFORE Us.

ttHr hatdt Nc miA feccite bV card. The business
hours " his Oeec lrdH b. from tn o'clock a. ~ 10
three S'sioot p. M.
- - - ----.--.----- -
THE WORK BEFORE US.
leading journal iu the interior Of the
State Of New York, In commenting upon Gen
Buffers recent speech upon the 1912 pension
bill, says: There is more weight, more gem
nine worth, In this brief speech which Gen.
Butler made, than in all the platitudes about
shaking hands across the bloody ohasm which
the coalition newspapers aud orators in
dulssd in durlsg tho canvass. II the old
wounds Of the South heal slowly the fault
will rest upon the southern people, who
having been guilty Of great wrong. refuse
To he rUcOnriled because they did not succeed
The aim Of Congress and Presidents Grants
administration is to cement the Union to-
gether iudlSsoluhly not by force, but by fos-
tcrug loyalty to the nag and community of
interestI; and when the South shall be able to
appreciate that aim and to extend hearty
cooperation, then there will he no bloody
chasm for dcmagogues to prato over, but the
lilc-hlood Of the republic will carry health
and strength To every part Of the American
nation"
Gen. Butler strsck the key note Of tho Re-
publican policy Of the future when he said
that 1t was the New Orleans of 1912 and not
the New Orleans Of 1862 that he wished TO
remember. The echoes Of his speech coming
back to the Capitol In the columns Of the
country press from all sections Of the Union
show that hc touched popular chord, and
awakened a feeling Of the broadcst and
deepest patriotism. There is now no sub
stantial ground Of difference between the
two great parties that have divided the coun.
try during the last seventeen years. The
Democracy practically came over TO the Re-
publican standard when they indor.ed the
nomination Of Mr. Greeley at Baltimore
They placed themselves upon substantially As
good Republican platform ~ that which
vas fraHcd ut Philadelphia, and upon which
General Grant was reuomlnatcd. They
recognized the equality Of all men before the
law, and held that 1t was the duty of the
Government in It's dealing, with tho people to
mete out equal and exact Justice to all, of
whatever nativity, race, color, or persuasion,
religious or political They pledged them
selves To maintain the Union, Characterization
and onfranchisCmeut, and to oppose any re-
opening Of the question:" settled BY the
amendments to the Constitution. They de-
mandcd the removal Of political disabilities
imposed on account of the rebellion, q reform
"f the civil service, tarin policy which
meant neither protection nor free trade,
declared that the public credit should he
maintained, and "dcnounccd reputation In
every fern and guIse." The soldiers and
sailors Of tho war 10 which their leaders at
ono time declared they would not vote a
dollar were backed, and told that mo act Of
ours shall ever detract from their Justly
earned fame ar the full reward Of their pa
triutism.' An antl-lHnd grant policy to rail-
roads was snunclatoi, and in regard to our
Intercourse with foreign nations, that 1--WE
should not demand shat l. not right or sub
nit to what Is wrong" In the platform
adopted nj Philadelphia lhero is hardly a
single Idea that is not As strongly and clearly
expressed as In that Of IL opponent
Ia the campaign that followed the two plat
forms we're completely loss sight Of, aud the
contest became one Of mon and not Of prin-
clple. Both parties stood on precisely the same
ground IS far as the great questions that had
for so many years rent aud agituted the
country were concerned. The candidates ou
both sIdos wsro Republicans. There wa. no
letter Republican In the country than lie who
was defeated. Il was purely n struggle for
power, and the opposition was defeated be-
cause tho men who led In II did not possess
the confidence Of the country. The public
saw that tksy were animated almost entirely
by personal hostility to Gen. Grant-a per-
sonsl hostility arising in the smallest and
Ileauaat Df mDtiWea ilN rSEulI ~ "A nap
vass was a vindication Of hi. administration,
OF his military and civil career during the
last twelve years. Several considerations,
however, tended TO roll up the magnificent
Republican majority last November, chief
among which may he mentioned the general
feeling In tho minds Oi large portion Of our
people that the professions Of the Democracy
were iasincsrs aHd hollow. The history,
open aud secret Of their nominations and
their platforms gave COuntonance to tho Idea,
the strength of an unRlterablc conviction.
The dOatin. mass Of voters who hold the
balance Of power, and throw their strength
now upon this side aud now upon that, looked
with suspicion and distrust upon the coalition.
It seemed To them strange and unnatural.
There was nothing in 1t 10 inspire confidence.
1t looked what, 10 fact, 1t was-a plot and
a conspiracy and the people summed and
avoided II.
In u party point uf view the interesting
question during the next few years will he
whether or not the Democratic party adhere
to the Baltimore platform or 90 back to Its
old Ideas. In sithor event II is certain to be
defeated. There are three men among Its
leaders who say that As u party 1t Is dead,
which may he true, but we sec no evidence
anywhere Of that fact II l., Il is true, IN
hopeless mlHOrlty, but II still polls several
million OF votes, and 1t has name that In
republic Is always sufficient to rally large
element around IT, The present Chief jus |
tce said some years sgo, when he was more
Republican than he Is now, that
the Democratic leaders who left the party In |
the beginning made rsIstake in not taking
the old name with them. But 1t was lmpos-
sinle. II the Democracy should stand by
their latest national pledges 1t must be uti- |
lnntely absorbed by the RepuSlcan party, |
unless, indeed rs Is sometimes the case with |
political parties, the greater should become |
merged In the lesser, which scelhs an arith-
retical impossibilily; hut, however that may
he, il Ia evident that the ideas cnunciated
by General Butler last week must prevail,
Both parties would seem to have resolved
10 forget the hutrcds and the aulmositlcs of
he war. In the future the only rivalry be-
wcen them would seem Ia he who shall do
most towards u full and perfect rcstOrntiono Of
he Union, Democrat and Republicans can
10 longer he divided upon tariffs or theories
,ftrad6. They are purely local questions,
Ill 4. II.lI IF.t tl...Is
cement by local Interests The only ground
( domarkatlon between the two parties now
,ould seom TO be cenluiEation Us opposed
, the States rights doctrine. All else has
clted away out Of sight aud passed into
ere shadow and oblivion. II the Republic
m party shall have, rs we have no doubt it
m have, tho wisdom to follow in the dlrcc-
m of peace and forgetfulness Of the near !