New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-04-22

The Approaching Presidential struGgle
The year preceding that Of the presiden
| tial election is usually ono Of quieocence
A great silence fails upon politicians, and
the people generally stop to rink seriously
Of the impending cri-is. The prelude ia
the quadrennial political battle is like the
hush that precedes great contests Of arms
American people have put on their ''think-
ing caps" and the question lie: shall the
republican party be continued IN power.
| OF shall the control of affairs be intrusted
to the Democracy! There is no longer any
thought ut now party; the Democratic
party has thrown off its DISCUSSES and
comes to the front holding aloit its old
banners. As lar a. possible, it has placed
on guard its old leaders, and rewarded
with the most responsible positions it's old
| standard bearers. Eighty odd ex Confed-
crate officers, the flower OF the rebel
armies, will take seats in the Forty fourth
Congress, and the Congressional Directory
will contain accounts OF rebel victories and
defeats, with minute descriptions of the
bloody scenes in which rebel generals,
colonies. majors and captains, now trans.
formed into lawmakers under the constitu-
ton they fought desperately to destroy.
The presence in the halls of Congress- of SO
large body of the late enemies Of the
government is fact OF great eigni-
tcance. 1t is an evidence of unexampled
magnimity, of spirit of forgiveness al
most impossible to comprehend. That the
Republican party should, in the short
period of single decade, have been able
to bury all its righteous luminosity toward
treason OF the blacklist character, and to-
ward It's human instruments, impelled not
only to war but to the most horrible deeds
OF brutality in the pursuit OF their fell
purpose, is almost beyond belief. That it
should have 80 shaped its policies as to
permit men so lately in rebellion to alb
solutely control the legislative branch Of
the government is an evidence OF frank
good faith above and beyond question. 1t
is almost an offer to submit to rehearing
questions decided by the arbicrament Of
arms. In. the presence Of this impre-
cedented spectacle Of generous confidence,
who dare doubt the honor and the patriot.
ism of the Republican partyl 1t is, in fact,
SO thoroughly convinced Of the justice of it's
course in the past as to be willing to sub
init its work to the decision of its enemies,
who were also lately enemies OF the coun-
try.
That the situation is exceptional; that it
is even startling, no man in his senses can
for a moment doubt. The people are pom
dering this novel situation. They are ask
ing themselves whether the Republican
party has not gone too fars When they
note the fact that the trend Of Democratic
sentiment is toward a reassertiOn of the
dogma Of State rights, which was 80 lately
settled adversely to the Democratic view
by the trial of battle, the query naturally
arises: is it wise to reopen question which
1t cost hundreds OF thousands OF lives and
thousands of millions of money to settle!
If the theory that we are not q nation but
a mere congregation Of independent States
is to prevail, the last war was a needless
expenditure of treasure and lives. More
than this: If the Democratic doctrine of
State rights is to be resuscitated and be-
come guide to the policy of the country,
the recent amendments to the constitution
must be declared void and the 'recOnstruc.
ton laws unconstitutional. According to
the Democratic idea, the act of emsncipa-
ton was void because it trenched upon
State right, namely: the right of the States
to manage their domestic affairs in their
own way. In . word, the return of the
Democratic party to power, pledged as it is
to the old doctrine of States rights, is
return to the class which controlled the
country up to the period of rebellion, and
the attempted disruption of the govern
ment Ii is the first step toward another
civil war. OF course the country will not
knowingly take this step. That it is a step
in that direction has not yet fully possessed
the minds Of the people. The people are
in reflective condition. They scarcely
realize the force Of the astounding fact
that a majority of the Democrats in the
lower house Of Congress are ex-rebe1 Off
cers. They, as yet, fail to comprehend the
significance of the tact that all the new
Democratic Senators are either nOnentities
to be mould ed into any desired shape, Or
pronounced BourbOns, possessed by all the
worst Democratic instincts of the ante
rebellion period. Wallace, Of Pennsylva-
MIA, is a type Of the nonentity class, and
Eaton, Of Connecticut, type of the
Bourbon class. The question the people
are now considering is, whether or not the
country is cafe in the hands of such men!
Eaton was sympathizer with the rebellion
in 1861. He declared then that troops
should not march to the rescue of Washing
ton except over his dead body. He declares
now his adhesion to the doctrine OF States
rights upon " hich the rebellion was under
taken and secession was attempted. Is
Eaton to be esteemed any more trust
worthy as political guide to day than he
was in 1862 This question agitates
the minds of the people. They do not
discuss it loudly, but they ponder it in
their innermost hearts. AS the year rolls
round, the significance CT the election Of
Eaton and men of his class by the Demo-
cratic party will become more and more
Election there can be but one conclusion,
that there is danger to the country
in the elevation of Bourbon Democrats to
the seats of power. The Democratic party
changes its methods, but it adheres to its
principles, such as they are, and to its old
1t talks Of economy and
reform, but it takes care of the men and
the principal machinery which have made
of the terms economy and reform mock
Nnuty Who
Society, which had gorged itself with forty
millions of plumber, was dethroned by the
onslaughter Of an outraged people,
but it is resuscitated and again power in
the Democratic party. 1t was able to name
the man who should be Governor of
New York. From the day of his
down to the p.esent time
Mr.. Ti!den has been .oGtensibly en-
gagged in the business Of reform. But |
John Kelley stood behind him urging relief |
TO Tammany, and now, under cover Of an |
attack upon the canal ring, he pardons one
If the most notorious convicted thieves of |
mat society! Tammany is stronger than |
Governor TilGen, stronger than all the rank |
and file of the Democratic party; and, in |
coalition with the eighty five ex-Con
officers in Congress, it will dictate |
The creed and policy OF the resurrected |
Democracy. Think Of q political party, |
compact and strong, all whose forces are |
welded by a coalition Of plunderers and |
,x-rebels. Can anything but evil flow from
,uch ascendency in the government of the |
,ationi Surely not. Whether the Dem
,cratic party, SO differed, shall win the
battle OF 1876, is the question to be decided
~ the people.
That tho. Republican party has made
that it contains within its fold
ome mere politicians and some positively
rad men, none will deny. But, on the
whole, its administration Of the power 10
rusted to it has been remarkably able and
lonest. 1t is the party OF moral ideas, the
,arty of progress ana reform. These are