The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-11-21

troll Of the Government. The rebellion
In the South was In reality nothing more
nor less than q move Of the Democratic
party Of that section, and all the "ald and
eomior" which the rebellion received
from the loyal States, was from the
Democratic party Of these States. This
element Of treason will not be entirely
"burnt and purgeed away" Tor many
years yet, and LET Democracy get the
power, our present pension laws will
DO repealed or elsc amended 80 as 10 in
clude the disabled Cili3ers and soldiers Of
the rebels, and all tho widows and or.
phans Of those who fell 10 the rebel ser,
vice.
Another result Of Democratic ascend
ency will be radical change In our pres
ent excellent tariff laws, which are prov
Ing 80 efficient In building up the great
industrial interests Of the country. There
Is q large element Of "iree trade" In tht
Democratic party, and should that party
gain the cole control Of Congress and the
Executive 1t Is very probable that The
tariff laws will be 80 remodelCd that they
will become Inefficient as measures OF pro
lection to home industry or for purposes
oil revenue.
l do not, however, regard the recent
Democratic success as a political rcvolu
tlon, showing that great numbers OF the
people had undergone change. 1t Il
rather 10 BIO aSctibed to apathy on the
part Of the Republicans. Ia the greater
portion Of the States there was but asmall
increase In the Democratic vote, but q
general falling of Of the Republican vote
This disaster to the Republicans should
teach them lesson 1t should teach them
that there Is always danger In apathy.
This success will give the Democracy
fresh courage, and will render the task OF
bringing the Republican party to lis for.
mer status laborioua. Il Is highly neCes-
sary that those who are influenced by nc.
tives Of patriotism should take into con-
sidGratiOn the present state Of affairs. The
Republican party has made some mis-
takes, a few Of its prominent leaders have
proved recreant to their trusts, o large por.
ton the masses Of the party have become
Indifferent and Iold their hands until the
enemy wins the battle. This is reprehen.
sible. The Republican party Is the party
Of the people, and il a few Of It's public
servants abuse their power, it should not
beget apathy, but every member Of the
party should labor to purify 1t, to correct
abuses; apathy and indifference will not
correct them. The good commander
never gives up battle because OF the dc.
reelection OF some Of his officers.
Under Republican rule our country has
prospered beyond q parallel, notwith-
standing 1t has had 10 contend with and
suppress one Of the most gigantic rebel
lions known 10 the worlds history. Since
the war it has been the party Of progress
and liberal ideas. Let those Of its mem
bGrs who are not pleased with its work
ings look around them, and see il they
can find any better organization than the
Republican party. Can they mend mat.
tiers by turning over the government TO
the DemocracyH
Let every honest patriot in the land
contemplate the work that Democracy
has done and the rebellion which ii fOst-
cred and Dursed into lie, and the hun.
dreds Of Thousands of valuable lives that
1t sacrificed in that unholy and murderous
strife, and the burdensome national debt
that it has entailed upon the nation, and
then see Il he can reconcile himself 10 the
Idea OF permitting that organization 10
take the helm OF the Government again.
II he will permit! the past iniquitiCs Of
the Democratic party 10 pass in review
before him, though he may condemn some
OF the acts Of the Republican party, he
will find that It will be much safer to
keep that party as the custodian Of politi-
cal power than 10 transfer It to the De-
moCracy. Especially should West Vir-
GINA Republicans beware oftrustipg the
Democratic party. They have had their
State Government controlled four years
by that party, and what Hss been the re.
sultT They have constitution
fastened upon them that is
anomalous, unwieldy. and iucapa-
bic Of interpretation. Undcr that cOnsti-
tuition they have a political Supreme
Court, 10 which Democratic platform is
the "higher law" and the cold man Of
the sea-" the County Court, with its IN.
wieldy appcndagCs, and the people are
Cursed with arbitrary hog laws, the poor
arc oppressed and ground to the earth.
Let West Virginia Republicans look at
their own State government, and see how
they would relish the nations being gov.
erned alter like model.
l will say in conclusion that tho consC-
GuenCes Of the recent Democratic victory
will not be disastrous il the soreheaded
and aplthCtlC Republicans will not con.
tinue in their state Of indifference, but
will properly consider tho consequences
Of their conduct and the serious results
to the country If the Democrats are per-
mitted to regain power, and arouse them
selves to the work Of correcting what
they have suffered TO be done without
raising hand to prevent it.
have thrown out these suggestions
hoping that they may cause some Of the
apathetic Republicans to reflect on tht
great danger Of permitting the Democracy
to regain power.
Very respectfully,
II. s. NoRTHCOTT.