, 1875-01-05


character Of " Independent " was ass,l,,cs
by thon merely for The occasion. The,
sought elections in Republican tlistricta. ant
had to suppress their Democracy for time
in order to bo elected. They never ceased tc
DC DamocrAts, nntl of course will net with
their party. But tito Republican members ol
tho General Assembly who wcro elected
as Independents represented nh honest
sentiment, that sought specific relief FROM
certnin alleged cxtortions and nbnses by cor
porntionF, which abuses tho previous Legis-
lature hnd laborotl III vaiu to correct. For
tho better accomplishment Of these reforms,
tho Republican Grangers and Farn,era in
yarlots counties nonlinRtea mixed ticket,
one-half Democrats and tho other Rep,,l,-
licans, md elected them as Independents.
The Democrats, having everything to gnin by
this arrangement, and nothing to lose, OF
course co-opcratetl. Hut these Democrats
were never anything clse and neyor intended
to DO anything else. than regular old Dour-
bons The 1lepnb1ican Independents are
now left no other alternative thnu to 70 with
their Dcmocrntic colleagues into tho Demo-
~AAsAe llAA W tT4hSlAE ~ w tljhkf lb IT,
sumo their af1il;atiou with their Republican
friends. The Democrata are clenrly right in
ono thing which they assert. Every man
must bo Democrat or Republican. Tllore
can bo no third party. Except in Republican
States where the majority to be overcome
was very large, the Democrats made
the direct fight rs Democratic
purity i'll 1874. They will nako that
fight everywhere in 1875. They hare the
only substantial strength in opposition to the
Republicans, and will make the plnin anu
direct issue in 1876 under their own
banner. These Republican Independents in
tho Legislature, therefore, ara to he invited
by lEs1Sa. McConst1cx, and DAN O'IIAnA to
join the Democratic narty-to cell out their
conGling constituents who elected them rs
Indcpenaents-an take up the battle Of tho
old Democratic party.
Now let these Republican Independents
asL themselves what tho Democratic party
has 10 offer in tho way Of political induce
1nont as compensation for abandoning tho
Union Republican party and becoming State
Sovereignty Democrats. Whit il there in
tho way Of political principle? Tho Demo-
cratic party has no distinctive political princi-
pic, save tho old ono that tile Government OF
the United States is not TINT Of nation, but
tho mere agent Of thirty-seycn States, each Of
them m Independent Sovereignty. This
doctrine, which was the great shield of sla-
States s. seeded" in 1861, and three others
attempted to do SO !; tlat doctrine authorized
the levy Of ar1nics ly Sovereign Stntos md
actual war upon the Union that doctrine,
despite the national calamitios it produced, is
now again The fayorite doctrine Of tho party,
proclaimed in ell its Conventions, aud in
dorsed by all its lending men. Thcse Rspub-
lican Independents nro asked to give up tho
vital theory TINT tho United States are NO.
ton, having MI the attributes Of nation,
and dec1nro That the United States are not
nation, but mere contcderacy or partner
ship agency, acting under the written instruc~
tions Of ita principals, the sovereign
States.' Can there ba Republican who is
prepared to move backward, md accept o.
tho true theory Of our Government tho principle
in support Of Which tho Civil War was be-
gun and waged? How many Of these Re-
publican Independents wish to renounco the
glorious history Of the eGoyernment forfourtcen
years, and under the lead of JOSH ALLEN ond
IIgsrEa declare the War for tho Union con-
inueluaurpation, and its prosecution All inya-
sion Of State rights aud independence, With
out warrant Of law or right? We do not be-
liers that my Republican in tho Legislature
ia prepared to enter into IN allinnco with tho
Democrats, to mako war upon tho restored
Union, tho constitutional amendments, and
the established national sovereignty Of tho
United States and yet this is what they arc
0sked to do at this umo in Springfield and
throughout tho Stntc.