The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-04-30

unctuOus expressions Of penitence 10
which they frequently give utterance on
the Eve of It's execution. have long been a
subject OF psychological study among cp-
rious inquircrs Ia rental pathology.
Whether these cOntritc expressions pro-
coed from al inward spirit of compunction,
or are inspired by a seryile fear Of " the
wrath Ia come, - are points about which
the acutcst doctors may differ and the
soundest casuisls disagree, for 1t is a pain
ful drawback upon the sincerity with
which condemned culprit may deserve
10 be accredited, that owing 10 the infeli-
city OF his position. he j. doomed 10 pub
lish all his pcniicntial professions under
circumstances which preclude the posi-
bility OF his living long enough 10 bring
forth fruits meet for repentance"
We dislike TO indulge m unpleasant
comparisons, but. mindful though we are
OF DOgbcrry's famous dictum, we must
take the liberty OF saying that when our
Republican friends talk 10 Us 80 beautiful
ly about the progress of reform within
the party and express the hope that "a
decided reaction has begun against dam
gcrous tendencies In the party we are
iOrcibly reminded of the parallel between
It's present situation lever since the last
autumnal elections) and that of a convict
whose sleep j. disturbed o nights, not on
ly by signs of contritiOn, but also by
dreams of slipknots and dead-falls and
black caps.
Though sentence Of condemnation has
undoubtedly been passed upon the party
by great majority of the American peo-
pie, IL IL barely possible that, in grateful
memory of the public virtues which adorn-
ed It's early career, the people might have
granted Ii a reprieve. IL. during the time
and space awarded TO il for the bringing
forth Of sautary fruits, it had shown the
marks of genuine conversion. But hav-
ing sinned away its days of grace during
the entire sessions of the last Congress,
and having added only new oflenses 10 the
long catalogue gifts former transgressiO
we are compelled TO hold that its promises
for the future must be taken at inc
estimate fixed for them by the degree in
which il has kept the promises OF the past.
What that estimate deserves TO be we can
easily perceive by referring To a few among
the most significant promises contained in
the earliest and the latest Of the national
platforms" proclaimed by the Republic
can party.
In the national platform of the year 1850
the Republicans declared that the "main-
tenance inviolate OF the rights of the States,
and especially the right of each State TO
order and control lis own domestic insti-
tutions according 10 it own judgment ex-
clusively. is essential 10 that balance of
power OH which the perfection and en-
durance of our political fabric depend"
The whole policy pursued by that party
towards the reconstructed States since the
war has been studious. protracted and
aggravated violation OF this solemn declar-
ation-a violation which only reached its
climax when General DE Trobriand, in
January last. invaded the halls of the
Louisiana Legislature.
In this same platform, the Re
publicans of 1860 declared against
the reckless extravaganza" OF Mr..
Buchanan's administration. and de-
manded "a return to rigid economy and
accountability" I'm order TO "arrest the
systematic plnnder of the public treasury
by farored pqrsisans "a declaration which
sounds strangely enough amid the politi-
cal cries OF the present times, rs elicited by
Credit Mobilier frauds, Sanborn contracts,
and similar denominations which have dis
graced the latter-day history of the Re-
publican dynasty.
In the same platform il was decla ed
that " the Republican party Is opposed TO
any change in our naturalization laws :"
and yet. by the Act of July lith, 1870.
these laws were modified in total defiance
of this pledge, as subsequently,. by treaty
stipulations with cert of the German
States. our German naturaliZed citizens
have had their civil rights "put in circum-
scription and ccniine,n greatly TO their an
hoyance and displeasure.
The ancient standards Of the party sur
vive only To point and measure its deiiec-
ton from the line of duty prescribed to
itself when first soliciting the confidence
of the people. Nor has il been more
faithful To it, latest engagements. In the
national platform of 1872 il declared that
complete liberty and exact equality in
the enjoyment of all civil, political and
public rights should be established and
effectually maintained throughout the
union.n In the presence Of this pledge il
has, by upholding the President, trodden
down the civil political and public rights"
of whole State. by first dispensing its
Legislature. and then reconstituting that
Legislature by the award of Congress
ional Committee,
In this same platform a reform OF the
Civil Service was promised with asscrva-
tons the most vehement, and even the
pretense of its fuliillment has now been
publicly abandoned by both the President
and his partisans. who to-day present in
their persons "A shocking example of " the
fatal decentralization" resulting from the
distribution of Government places "a the
rewards of "mere party ZEAL The high
est and the lowest places have within the
last few weeks been equally made the
footballs OF Executive favor.
In the same platform IL was declared
that the Republicans favored "such addi-
tional legislation as will extend the bounty
of the Government to all our soldiers and
Sailors false promise which President
Grant has the merit OF breaking after hav-
ing already protited by il IN the last
Presidential election.
In the same platform it was declared that
"the ranking privilege ought to be abol-
ished, and the way prepared for aspeedy
reduction In the rates Of POSTAGE de-
-. A. LII a