The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1873-10-09

Recurring to what has been said before,
confidently assert that the Republican
party, by virtue of the original principles
out Of which 1t grew, by virtue Of all of its
traditions and all of its acts, has peculiar
yes, exclusive-claims to be the flttest in
strumentality by which the popular demand
for reform is to be fulfilled.
Why, 1t sprang from an uprising of the
people against q monopoly much akin to
that which confronts them to-day. It is
within the memory of the youngest voter In
this house when the institution of slavery
occupied towards the people a relation
analogous to that which is to-day occupied
by the corporations. Slavery was corpo-
ration almost within the legal definition of
the word. 1t was an artificial institution.
had perpetual succession. It claimed invio-
liable privileges and exclusive rights.
It was a gigantic monopoly. To
dedicated one-ha1f of the national
farm. South of line drawn midway,
from east to west across the land, free
labor did not and could not go. 1t claimed
equality of right in the territories, and,
grown strong and grasping, it finally claim
ed the right to legal existence in all the
States. Personal liberty became tolerated
alien In her own heritage. The unoccupied
public lands were shut against free labor BY
the persistent refusal Of this monopoly to
permit the passage Of homestead laws.
Like the monopolies with which we deal to-
day, this institution took to itself the func-
tons of sovereignty. 1t set up the Presi-
dency at vendue to any Didius who would
give to Its prRtorian cohorts the most law
IF }v,
legislative halls. 1t worked upon the ofiic-
ers Of the law until grave judges in their de-
Grium spoke strange words, not knowing
what they said. Through it the honor Of
the soldier was furnished, like sword dis
graced. Through it wise men of science
manipulated the skulls of forgotten Phara-
obs and driveled about inequality of race
and consequent inequality Of rights-those
rights which God gave equally and abso.
In all. It took one step too far. The PEG.
pie, under the leadership of the Republican
party, rose In their might against it, and the
institution-the corporation-went under
the waves of the Red Sea of war, anG
'sank like lead in the mighty waters
there, thanks be to God! to rest forever anc
ever.
The issues which the party dealt with
ceased to exist; and upon the theory of the
trainers of the Owatonna platform it was
then fitting that the Republican party should
cease. But it did not pass away. Upor
the return of peace the problem of recon
struction arose, and found in the principles
Of the Republican party ample formula 70,
| its solution. It is rehearsing familiar his
tory to detail what was done. It is stuff
| cient to say that the results of the war were
assured by constitutional guarantees, bit
| terly contested, but now supreme and I'M
| questioned. The question of reconstruc
| ton being thus settled issue, the logic O
immediate dissolution of the party which
had thus carried these great question.
to such triumphant conclusion. Blu
the party survived. It found that thu
internal revenue system, which wa.
endured patiently during the time of war
was felt to be too OnerOus for the time
Of peace. It modified that system of tax
alton, 1t restricted the subjects OF taxa
ton, it diminished the number O
revenue officials. It also from timt
to time put upon the free list or reduced
many of the commodities upon which tn.
tariff had necessarily been extremel,
heavy. While doing all this 1t steadily re
duced the national debt, thereby making
possible still further reductions of taxation
It also devised and maintained a currency
so stable and 80 secure in the confidence o
the people that the cyclone which few
days ago strewed Wall street with thu
wrecks of stately fortunes was scarcely fel
in the West. No merchant failed, no legi
innate business suffered more than q mo
mentary check in a revulsion which had it
prototype in 1857, when every business in
terest in the country was paralyzed by tn
shock which required years for recovery
The Republican party was equally success
full in its adjustment of grave complication
with foreign powers. The cruisers o
Great Britain, sailing under the flag Of tn,
Confederacy, had laid waste our com
merce aud swept away our mercantile
marine from the seas. For this wa
the battlefield. but in that serene tribuna
Of the nations, which held its sessions unde
the shadow of the mountains of the oldest q
republics. judgment went In our favor
and the damages were collected; while 8
the same time there was settled, more de-
initely than by treaty, those grave question
) of International obligations out Of whic
} that litigation arose.
And the party has survived the success!
} full result Of all these efforts. And it wi
survive until it abandons those principle
by which it has been sustained for so man
years. When it does abandon them it d.
} serves to die. But it is novel doctrine thu
the doom Of a great political organizatio
, follows as logical sequence from til
success with which the efforts of that OF
; ganization have been attended. AS we'll a.
7 que that the righteous judgments of cou
: are sufficient reasons for its adjournmel
r sine die,
r The Owatonna platform is clamorous #
r legislative regulations Of freights. But tt
: Republican party had regulated them b
1 law two years before the new party W.