The Indiana State sentinel., 1875-08-05


politics, for while Senator Thurman was de
liyering his opening speech at Mansfield
Gen. II. b. Hayes, the republican candidate
for governor, began the campaign In an ad-
dress at Marion. The democratic leaders
opinions may be fairly estimated from
the extracts given in yesfer-
days Sentinel. bat as TO Hayes's effort il
may be fairly said that there is little of IL
worth quoting, and not a great deal worth
criticising. A more weak and spiritIess
speech could hardly be imagined. Indeed,
the modern fashion OF writing out addresses
beforehand, and having them in the DOS
session OF editors thr,Hghout the country
long before the crowd to whom they are
nominaily spoken hears word of them, is
by no means conducive to good oratory.
The speech of Gen. Hayes occupies four
columns and half OF the broadside sheet in
which 1t is circulated, and nearly two COL
umns of it are devoted to the religious ques-
ton, and over half column to the war. The
remainder is given to the discussion of the
financial issue. From this arrange
publican candidate for governor treats
matters with the cunning OF a po-
litician rather than with the discrimination
of statesman. The popularity of the
speech is that it avoids making any defense
of the party and devotes itself, in a rather
mild and wavering fashion, to an aggressive
policy. There is nothing said In explana-
ton OF the great system of fraud
and violence which was inaugu-
rated in the South under the name
of reconstruction nothing of the
bankruptcy of South Carolina; nothing of
the armed Intervention in Louisiana; moth
ing ofthe attempted revolution in Arkan-
sss; nothing Of a long series of kindred vii
lainies. Neither is any excuse offered tor
the corruption in the department of the in
terior-the frauds in the collection of the rev.
enue, lately exposed, and the knavery in
the management of Indian affairs.
Not a word is said in defense
of the character OF the leaders of the
administration. No reason is given why the
mantle of Sumner should have fallen upon
Butler, or why Logan should assume to
bend Stewards mighty bow. Gen. Hayes
fails to show why the republican party hav-
ng fulfilled its mission and grown lazy and
corrupt among the spoils of Office, should
not be thrust out of power. He does not at
tempt to explain his reasons for urging
the continuancein authority; in time OF peace
OF aparty which, when successful in war
of four years, spent ten more years in try
ing to foster and foment the animosities of
the period of strife. seeking to perpetuate the
violent passions and dishonest methods Incl
dent to a revolutionary era. He preferred
to leave these matters untouched. To him
and all others who assume that the
achievements of the republican party
up to the time of Lincoln's death are guar
antee of its present purity and fitness for Of
fee the answer is easy. Even granting
which the Sentinel would not do, save for
the sake of fargument-that the organization
was pure in action, righteous in purpose. and
triumphant in policy during the first
four years of its power, and
still the fact of its subsequent de-
generacy remains too plain to dispute. The
character OF an individual often breaks down
under temptation: the character of party
never withstands it. For instance, Solomon
began his reign as the favorite of God and
the wisest of the SONS of men. and yet he
lived to hear this denunciation. "For as
much as this is done of thee. and thou hast
net kept my covenants and my statutes,
which / have commanded thee, will
surely rend this Kingdom from thee, and
give it to thy servant" Nero
one of the worst of the Roman tyrants en-
tered upon his public career as a model
youth, the darling of philosophy and the ex-
emplsr of every virtue, and yet he lived to
steep himself in every vice and i'm
brue his hands in his mothers blood.
1t is the tendency of irresponsible
power to corrupt, and if virtuous
man yields to its influence, what can be ex-
pected of party organization. the leaders
of which have passed away, leaving their au-
thority in the hands of a set of adventures,
who come to the surface amidst the civil
commotion?
But word or two as to what the
speaker said, as well as to what he did
not say: In arguing against the policy OF
imitation, General Hayes illustrates, curl
ously enough, one of the strang-
est transformations of the day.
He appears as representative re-
publican abusing the currency which his
own party is responsible for, and using lam
guage in regard to it which, II Lawrence
county be so truly loyal as he represents it
in his exordium would have earned him a
coat of tar and feathers ten years ago, and,
to maintain his position, he quotes demo-
cratic authorities, and argues from demo-
cratic principles. The following passage IL
lustrates the curious turn things have
| taken:
During the last few years q great deal has
been said about the centraliziDg tendency OF
recent events in our history. The increasing
power OF the government at Washington has
been a favorite theme for democr tic declama
| ton. But where, since the foundation OF the
government, has proposition been seriously
Snch