Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-06-25
REPUBLICAN LEGISLA ZION,

ToNer1HnenL since 1904, ana It's acts
have been ssch as to command
the approval OF every fair minded
citizen.
If a party is to be judged by the
character Of the Legislation for
which it stands responsible, the Re
publican party may well invoke the
favorable judgment Of mankind.
But one measure, duriug its thirteen
years of power, has met with pub
lie disappreval, and the promptuess
with which that measure was re-
pealed shows how quickly the leg.
islative branch of the Government
conforms to the popular will. We
refer to the back pay measure pass
ed by the Forty-second Congress,
and repealed during the first SEES
sion of the Forty-third.
1t is but just to remark that this
measure, though enacted by Re
publican Congress, could not have
passed had it not received the
hearty support of Democratic men,
bers. 1t was in no sense a party
question. 1t was condemned by
Republican leaders, in both Houses,
and its repeal demanded by the Re
publican sentiment of the country.
TO dwell on this single faSiehc and
overlook in its discussion tire mag
nifcent record of thirteen years, is
TO blot out the light of the sun be-
cause single spot has been dis
covered on it's surface. Passing
over those measures necessary to
the support of our armies in the
field, we pAay regard with pride and
satisfaction those leading acts which
have conferred substantial benefits
on all sections Of the country. The
homestead acts, the land grants for
schools and colleges, the measures
for the protection of American citi-
zeus abroad, the appropriations for
river and harbor improvements, the
protection of immigrants, the es,ab-
lishment of 4 commission 10 protect
Am etlcan seamen, the establish
ment Of the present banking sys-
TEN, the liberal laws granting
bounty and pension to soldiers and
their heirs, the creation of new
States and organization Of Terri
teries, laws relating to the treat
ment of Indians, and numberless
laws OF equal importance and merit,
having for their object the protec-
ton of personal liberty and the
development of national wealth,
have stood the test of experience,
and to-day receive the unqualified
Endorsement Of the American peo-
pie.
To assert that every measure
passed during the past thirteen
years was the very best that human
wisdom could devise would be to
claim human perfection. This we
do assert, however, without fear of
contradiction, that what has proven
to Ire defective Congress has i'm
proved upon; that what it knew to
te wrong, it abolished; and that
which it believed was right and
necessary to the prosperity, happl-
ness, and protection Of the people,
it framed into law. Add to its acts
of legislation the constitutional
amendments which it submitted to
to the people, the moral triumph
over England in the settlement Of
The Alabama claims and the dis.
puted San Juan boundary, aud Il
wise policy that has secured peace
and friendship with all the civilized
nations of the earth during the ex-
istence Of Republican power, and
We have party record, on legisla.
t'on alone, that must stand out
through all time as the best argu.
ment to prove the patriotism and
virtue Of the Republican party, and
the consummatc wisdom which has
characterized the craftsmanship
that controlled it. TO review the
record Of the parity and claim as
our opponents do, that its mission
ended with the abolition of slavery
and the close Of the war, is to claim
that the mission of the English Ian
guage ended when it recorded the
Lords payer. The principles Of
our party, like the application of
the mother tongue, are all pervad-
ing in their influence and power.
The abolition of slavery, the doing
away OF great public wrongs, the
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