National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-07-22

who gave their lives that the Union, which
Southern Democratic hands sought to tear
down, might be perpetuated, it is necessary
to raise several hundred million dollars an
nually, and, if 1t is not done through the
agency of custom houses, it must be done
by the restoration Of the income and other
taxes, which the experience Of every other
country which has tried it shows to be oner-
Gus, unequal and oppressive to the poor
man. In the South Democracy means II
it means anything, the defeat of the recent
amendments to the Constitution, the
practical restoration of the condition Of
society fourteen years ago when al! political
power was vested in the hands Of
fraction of the population. The most su-
perfcial observer who will give the least
consideration to the subject can see that the
restoration Of . party with these diverse
ends in view would be very little short of
the introduction Of chaos ITSELF A glance
at the States where the opposition is in
power gives an idea of what may be ex-
pected nationally, if the people should lis
ten to these gentlemen, which we have no
thought they will. In Connecticut and
Maine we have seen during the last six
months the most shameless prostitution of
power for purely political and partisan
ends-the creation of new offices to reward
faVontes; the gerrymsndering of election
districts to defeat the will of the people; q
reckless defiance Of precedents and tradi-
lions and law to maintain themselves in au-
thority. From Wisconsin wall comes to
US that the new reform Democratic party is
as rotten and corrupt as it can be. Ten
nessee, in the South, groans under an enor-
nous debt and load of taxation, which
the carpet baggers had no hand in sccumu-
lating; in Georgia colored men, to the num-
Der of thirty thousand, are 50 intimidated
that they dare not approach the polls; IN
der Gov. Coke, in Texas, life and property
are as insecure as among the Ashantees of
the gold coast; and in Alabama, Louisiana
and Virginia we are threatened with war
of races. The Democratic Governor of In
diana boldly clamors for reputation, and
Missouri's wealth and industry are robbed
and stiled by ruthless and wicked ring,
which has its headquarters in the State
House under q Democratic Governor. Is
it wise or prudent to restore a party to
power whose administration, locally, whose
Home Rule" about which we hear so
much, is characterized by the worst forms
of rascality, oppression and unpatriotism?
What the country needs is order and not
disorder; peace and not war or semi-war;
rest instead of ceaseless, foolish agitation of
questions which had better be laid away
with the dead and forgotten issues Of the
past. 1t needs steady, stable policy which
shall gradually settle the grave and impor-
tant questions that at present retard our
growth and hamper our industries; the res
toration of specie payments by slow and
easy steps which will be just alike to the
debtor and the creditor classes; the restora-
ton of our lost commerce, destroyed by the
treason and reasonable uterances of the
men who are pressing to the front demand
ing to be given back the power which they
abused. The country needs the settlement
of the transportation and the railroad ques-
ton; the construction of great internal lines
of improvement; a wise craftsmanship
which shall bring prosperity back to the
South and close up the wounds which dem
agogues, for their own selfish purposes, are
endeavOring to keep open and bleeding.
We need policy which shall not take US
back into the shifting quicksands of ten or
fourteen wears ago; which shall legislate
not for the past but for the present and the
future. Which party is the more likely to
give US that policy; the party in power or
the mob that is striving to get in, which
avows to-day what it disavowsd yesterday,
and trims its sails to catch every passing
BREATH We have no fears as to the answer
the people, who know what the American
people have done during the last decade,
will give.