Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-11-26
THE REACTION.

The result OF the late ele ctions in
some of the Northwestern ST. tes shows
that the sO-called Liberal and other
reform mon enIents have had their
day; sIIu in the future the contest viii
be squarely between thfi Republican
and Democratic parties. Republicans
have discovered that the effect Of the
so-called Independent or new party
movements, Vas not to establish a par
ty, or secure genuine reform of any
kind, but simply to res tore the Demo
cratic party, with its old leaders and its
Objectionable principles, to power,
Those who, iD good faith, acted with
the Repubi lean party, and who adhere
10 Republican principles, Can not act
permanently with, or aid in placing the
control oil the Government in the hands
of the Democratic, party.
That there has been ground for dis
satisfaction with the Republican party
is no. to be denied, but the ground all
along taken by the Gazette we will ad
here to, viz: that all needed reform
can best be secured within the party
This argument WAS urged upon such
men as Carl Schurz, but in many cases
il was not needed. Schurz inside OF tht
Republican party and i'll opposition t
bad measures, would have proved ;
great power; but outside of it, his nfiu
ence operated in favor OF the Demo
cratic party, and the result is to be seer
in Missouri, which State Mr.. Schurl
now represents, in part, in the Unite'
States Senate. Missouri is no longel
Republican, nor is it Independent.
is Democratic, and a Democrat will bt
chosen to succeed Mr.. SchurZ. Thu,
the latter will be voted out by a part,
that he helpet largely to place in pow
er, and principles will be represented
that he detests. If Mr.. Schurz shall bs
voted for at all in the Missouri Legisla
ture, the votes must come from the Re
publican side.
| What is true of the Missouri Senator
Is true of other men who actuated by
the same motives, left the Republican
party to form new, and as they claim
ed, a better party. The new party
movement is dead. The Greeley cam
paign killed it, and the elections of IS7.
buried it out of sight. The Democratic
party, which, it Was supposed, wOul,
disappear and give place to the new
party, instead of departing, gained new
life from the enterprise, and now treat
with scorn and contempt all who refus,
to identify themselves with their par
~, 10 become members of il, or hesitate
make way for the old leaders. The,
don't talk anybody for President il
1876 except lifelong Democrat. They
10 not seek advice from Schurz, o
Trumbull, or White, or BowIes, or mel
of that class. They think themselve
able to walk alone, and now the tall
is about the old aar-horses of the party
such as Tilden, Thurman, Rendleton
Allen, and Hendricks. Having uset
the flies which were caught in thei
web, they now propose to subsist OF
pure Democratic debt.
OF course, Republicans who kicket
out of the traces take notice. of this
and, of course, they must choose be
tween the Democratic and Republican
parties. Men like Gratz Brown will
of necessity, stay with the Democrati
party. There they will find their nat
ural element; but such men as Schur
can not live in any such party; the,
can not find new one, and they will
naturally drift back into the Republican
party, and help make it. what it Ough
to be.
Another year, therefore, will find tn,
Republican party much stronger thar
in 1874, and the tidal wave i'm 1876 will
be altogether different from what i
was in October and November of tn,
present year. It will carry into tn,
Presidential chair Republican, and re
store the House of Representatives t.
the same party Gin. Gaz.