Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-11-12
THE LESSONS OF DEFEAT.

J "Whom the Lord loveth, he chas-
teneth." This is the language of
Holy Writ, and it applies to the
Republican party in its present hui
initiation. Never was a political
party more previously Inundated
and cast down. That the Democ-
racy should be preferred to it, is
terrible rebulSe /; for has not the
Democracy been stencil in the
nostrils Of the people for these
many yearsl 1t is not to be pre-
sumed that the people propose to
give power to the Democracy. The
recent elections are not evidence of
an intention to indorse the Demo-
cratic party, but of determination
to rebuke the Republican party,
with view to purge it of evil and
reform its organization and manage
ment. Crimes have been committed
in the name Of Republicanism; the
recent elections are the penalty.
Mistakes of administration have
been committed the recent cleo
tons are notice that they must not
be repeated. Personal selfishness
of certain leaders has usurped the
place Of singleness of desire for the
public good; the recent elections
constitute a rebulxe to all such men.
The masses of the Republican party
never were and never can be led +,
there has been an attempt to lead
them ; the recent elections are a
warning against all who seek to use
the party organization for personal
advancement. The Republican Re-
representatives. in Congress last winter
forgot one Of their main principles
the doctrine of equal, civil and po-
litical rights. They were guilty of
cowardice in refusing to enact a civil
rights bill the recent elections show
conclusively that the masses of the
party are devoted to those plinci-
pies. The Republican majority in
Congress refused to remove the re-.
strictions on national banking, so
that it might be free to all persons
and all States and all Territories
alike. The rebuke for this refusal
may be read in the election returns
from every Republican district.
The Republican party in Congress
is responsible for the passage of the
so-called "Press-gag law )" the re-
cent elections are evidence of popu-
lar disapproval of that act.
1t is for these faults, light in
themselves, but distorted and made
to appear huge by the constant
harping of the Independent Demo-
cratic press, that the Republican
party has been rebuked. Thousands
of Republicans to-day regret that
the rebuke is so pronounced. They
wish to chide, not condemn. They
are true to the grand old party, but
desire to chasten some of its leaders
desire to curb the pretensions of
some of its members. They desire,
in word, that the party shall re-
main as pure and as patriotic as it
was in the days of Abraham Lin
coin; and what is more, they are
determined that it shall SO remain.
Hence the defeat of last Tuesday.
An Opposition paper compre Len l 5
this fact when it says:
In short, if the party does not 60 t, the
dogs--whlch it is unlikely to dot wi being
defeated, set to reforming itself IS d measure
of regNiung the popular confidence. Ii is yet
a power in the land, and it must be met AIDE
quately at every point.
1t cannot be met adequately at
every point" by the Democratic
party ; hence the defeat of to-day
will strengthen it for victories on