National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-18


tcnce is sufficient ordinarily to provoke q
emile from those lovers of the Union who re-
member the part taken in the rebellion by or
the past political history of the speakers but
the not very distant past is too thickly stud
ded with the graves of comrades and friends
who fell battling against a Democratic rebel
lion to permit any feeling of merriment to find
Judgment in the heart of the true patriot.
Wrapping about themselves the mantle of the
Constitution, Northern Copperheads and South
ern rebels, the latter living witnesses to the
clemency and magnanimity Of the Republican
party, rise in their seats to teach those who
helped save the Union they sought to destroy,
devotion to the Constitution.
With the shameless aifrontery Of a courte-
san who boasts of her virtue, these immacu-
late Democrats pTste about their loyalty
claiming not only for themselves but their
party at large q devotion to the Union and the
principles of free government far superior to
that professed by Republicans.
Do these Democrats remember, as they in
dulge in self praise or hurl their philippines at
the Administration and the party of which he
is the head, that they were Democrats who
stole the public funds, the public arms and
arsenals, and the navy of the United States?
that they were Democrats who first dlsre-
garded and endeavored to destroy that Consti-
tuition they now pretend to so greatly respect
and lovel that they were Democrats who
initiated and sustained the rebellion against
the Government which the Republican party
put down. and that, while our soldiers were
fighting Southern Democrats at the front,
they were themselves being continually as
sailed in the rear by Northern Democrats, who
only lacked the necessary courage to join their
brethren, the armed rebels, in the fieldl These
matters are not easy to be forgotten, and it
matters little if they do not remember them.
The people-the loyal people-will not forget.
That the condition Of affairs in Louisiana is q
sad one no one will deny; but that it is charge
able TO the misdeeds of the Republican party
no one will be rash enough to assert after haV-
ing read the message of the President upon
the subject and the accompanying documents.
Democrats may seek to cover up the truth,
but it will come out nevertheless, and to con-
denim them. They may attempt to deny the
political murders and assassinations in the
Southern States since the war but to no pur-
pose. They may endeavor to laugh them out
1t may answer their purpose with the party
to which they belong, for scarcely half score
of gears has elapsed since Democrats COM
pleted their selfassgned task Of filling some
quarter of a million of graves; and what to
them are a few scores or hundreds of negroes
killed. carpet-bagger or scalawag now and
then assassinated! These crimes only tend to
reduce the majority of votes of the party in
power-their commission is only carrying out
the spirit of rebellion. And as Democratic
Senators, while denouncing Republicans, do
not condemn the outrages perpetrated upon
such of their constituencies as happen TO be of
an opposite political creed, they must approve
all the acts of lawless violence for the putting
down Of which the Republican party IS now be-
ing arraigned. But, as we said in the COM
mencement, the debate has now reached the
climax. The Democrats already begin to feel
that they have at least broken ground too soon;
that they ought to have waited for the facts,
and not endeavored to manufacture public
opinion with no other machinery than lies to
work with. And those newspapers, ever ready
for a sensation, those Democrats and political
hermaphrodites so eager to rush into the breach
when there is no danger, will soon fnd out
that they have made mistake, and not for the
first time either. If General Grant or Sheridan,
or the Republican party, Needed any other vim
dication than that contained in the Presidents
message, they had it given them in the speech
Of Senator Logan. His utterances will find
Judgment in the hearts OF the loyal people of
the land; and from the heroes of Corinth and
Fort Donaldson, of the Seven Days, Fredericks-
burg, the Wilderness, Petersburg, and a hun
dred other battles, will go up fervent "thank
God! there is one who puts matters in their
true light" The soldiers of the Republic are
not the ones to find excuses for traitors.
Yes, the President is right, Sheridan is right,
Logan is right, and so is the Republican party,
upon this question. We want no more COM
promises with or concessions to traitors. We
want the political murders to cease. Wewant
security guaranteed to every citizen ofthe South,
black or white, Republican or Democrat. We
want peace.
1t is the duty of the Republican party to
give 1t to US; and to this end Grant and Sheri-
dan should be sustained; and, if necessary, the
army ought to be so increased as to enable the
Administration to picket every city, town and
cross-road in the States where rebellion ex-
lists, and aid the legally constituted authorl-
ties in bringing to justice all violators of the
rights Of citizens of the United States.
JUSTICE.