Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-08-21
The Usefulness of the Republican
Party.

ONE Of the silliest charges that the Co.
lumbus Pharisees made is contained in the
resolution cOndemning the Republican
party, and declaring that it has outlived
Its usefulness because a minority of its
representatives voted for the salary bill
On many OF the questions that arose dur
ing the rebellion a minority of Republi-
cans voted against the convictions of the
party, ana sometimes on matters vital to
the country. Did that make the party a
failure? Had it " outlived its usefulness {"
because Of this? Did it alter the great
doctrine OF equal and exact Justice to all
men, or the principle of the preservation
OF the Union for which it was struggling,
because minority chose to vote against
the party? Why, minority of Republi-
cans opposed coercion; minority oppo-
SEQ the PROCLAMATION of Emancipation a
minority opposed the Fourteenth and Fiji
teenth Amendments; a minority opposed
the reelection of Mr.. Lincoln. Had they
been powerful enough to succeed by the
help OF the Democrats the result would.
no doubt, have been disastrous; but it
would not have changed the Justice of the
mighty principles for which the majority
contended, and would not have proven
that the party had outlived its usefulness.
~ 'NhIiiNt SlOOti, HOI OILY Il lldlOTlUN OF
Congress, but twenty millions of people,
and this great army marched on, regard
less of the treason, timidity, or mistakes
Of the few.
The Republican party has undertaken a
reform in the civil service: it has inaugu-
rated an enlightened and conscientious
foreign policy; ii has well nigh secured
settlement Of the old issues of the war
upon basis of political rights to white
and black, and impartial suffrage. Where
the slightest indisCretiOn might have in
VOWED US in disastrous foreign wars, the
country is at peace Where a weak yield
ing to popular clamOr might have thrown
Us into an extensive and bloody Indian
war, careful policy has saved us from it.
Where undue harShness or weakness might
have made Ofthe South vast field of bloody
strife and confusion, firmness and wisdom
have given it the first quiet in decade
The Republican party, true to its tradi-
tional reputation, goes forward to other
reforms. Having liberated race, en-
tranchiscd the enslaved, saved the nation,
and brought about domestic tranquility,
II turns its attention to other wrongs, and
with vigor unreIaxed directs its ponder
Gus blows at the new evils that threaten
the country from the combination of
ihohopOiltS, Ana II VIII succeed as 1t
has ever succeeded. While weak men are
crying aloud at it in the old absurd fash
ion, 1t goes straight on in its mission of
reforming another great abuse, and before
these idlers in the vineyard shall have
ceased their denunciations, it will have
placed the people once more under debt
of gratitude for its devotion to their in
teTests.
Are not the maintenance of the bless
ings already secured and the success of
the work upon which it has just entered
ample reasons for maintaining its organi-
! zation? Has it Outlived its usefulness be-
| cause an insignificant number of its vast
| membership voted contrary to the popu-
lar Will? Can the Democratic party, a
majority Of whose representatives voted
for the salary increase, hope to become
| useful by changing their name, while mil
| lions of Republicans sink into helpless
| inactivity because a few of their number
did so? We beg our" discontinued" Lib
| eral Republican and patched and revamp-
! ed Democratic friends not to lay this fiat
| tering JUNCTION to their Chicago.
| IHter0ceaR.