Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-11-05
TiIe Republican Party-The Next
Contest.

W ere uOt IJOiAtICdl p.OpHSlS dnHOliilClusS,
that now the Republican party had full
filed its mission, and TIE time had
come for it to disband. We remember
that when it elected Lincoln, and the
Democratic party gave signs of rebel
lion thereat, very notable political
sage of Ohio, who, like the venerable
VIM. Allen, though: politics was going
to the bad when he was not reelected
by the Wings to the U. S. Senate,
emerged from his retirement and lifted
up his voice to offer his prescription for
preventing trouble, which was that
the Republican party, having fulfilled
its mission, which was solely to pre-
vent the extension OF slavery, should
now disband.
Likewise, when the war and the re-
construction measures had abolished
slavery, such prophets rose up and pro-
claimed that now the mission of the
Republican party was finished, and it
had no longer any excuse for existence,
therefore it should formally disband.
Here we observe that, by neglecting
the advice of the first prophets of dis
solution, tie mission of the Republican
party had been extended from simply
resisting the extension of slavery to its
total abolition. This seems to be a les
son against too swift acceptance of dis
solving prophecy. But neither this
nor all the other lessons given by the
work Of the Republican party in saving
the republic, and in successfully ad-
miDistering its affairs under circunl-
stances of extraordinary difficulty, ST.
fenced the heralds of dissolution. Con-
tinually have they cried that the work
of the Republican party was finished,
and that now it should disband.
The argument that because a party
has done we'll it should disband, is
wonderful; the more so when the prop
osition is that the party which has
done we'll shall disband, to give place
to the party which has done i'll. This
rule would change the sentence in the
parable to something like this: We'll
done good and faithful servant, depart
from me!' and on the other hal-d to
this: Come, ye workers Of iniquity, in
to the kingdom prepared for the faith
full servants Such logic suggests that
personal necessities perverted it. These
prophets were men whose political am
bition had met with some check; or
whose timid nature had taken them
out of the current of events; who, like
Logan, the Mingo Chief, abode in their
cabins while the party of freedom grew
up and took possession of Government,
and who wanted to turn the current
backward to the place where they fell
into the eddy; who want to lead with
cut the capacity to do it,and who think
the world does not appreciate them.
These prophets used to be mostly of
the class of 'Old Wings who had been
unable to adapt themselves to living
issues, and had ceased to have any po-
litical existence. Latterly their sue
cessors have been from Republican pol
iticians who, for lack of appreciation'
have become disaffected, and who fan
cy that new shuttle may bring them
to the top. The most notable of these
efforts was by lot of disappointed Re-
publican politicians and unsatisfied
editors, which became al
most farcical by its elimination in the
of Greeley. The journals
that embarked in that venture have
since been continually looking for a
Democratic and Republican disband
ment, and casting about for some can
didate to build la new party upon, of
which they shall be the organs.
Among the rest there are the Prohi-
bition politicians, who also cry that the
party has fulfilled its fnis-
sion, and therefore should disband and
give way to a new party to be formed
on the sole principle of statute prohibi
ton of the sale of intoxicating drinks.
These unconsciously repeat the same
absurd reason that, because the Repub-
lican party has done what it set out to
do, it should disband. We mean no
reproach to any by CHASING them as
politicians; for, in the first place, our
theory of government assumes that ev-
cry man will be a politician; and, sec
ondly, if we take the term in it mar
rover sense, those who propose to
make and lead political party are pol
iticians.
Since the repulse met by the Repub-
lican party in Ohio and Indiana, some
Of these politicians have announced
that now the Republican party must
and now is the time to organ
ize a prevailing Prohibition party.
But to the rational observer the effect
is the reverse of this. In the long con-
tinuance of the Republican party in
power, and in the security of large
energetic labor in political Or
gaDizatian was suspended, and vigi-
lance relaxed. All felt that the result
was assured, whether they voted or
not, and many became Indifferent
about voting. Besides this, the secu-
rity of a large Republican majority has
seemed to many time when they
could indulge in the diversion of third
parties, upon single and side issues, to
give expression to sentiment without
any sacrifice.
But the repulse of the Republican
party will put an end to all these di-
versions, for it has impressed upon the
people the fact that they mean the tri-
umph and reign of the Democratic par
ty. This will be the issue of the future