The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-09-02
The Dividing Line.


where they differ.
Twenty years ago, when the Republican
party was formed, the great question be-
tween IL and the Democratic party was
The extension Of slavery. The Democratic
party, constituting strictly the Constitution
~ IL then was, believed in maintaining the
institution OF negro bondage, According to
the compromises OF that Constitution, they
believed iii catching and returning slave s
who had He'd from their owners and many
among them, like Mr.. CHARLES O'CoNoR,
contcnded that every citizen of n slave
holding State had n right to take his slaves
with him into the Territories of the United
States, and TO keep them there in slavery:
and, in effect, TO plant slavery in those Ter
ntories. The Republican party was organ
yea TO resist this new Of -, subject and
Ciy from the new Terrific
rIes; but it did not then propose TO abolish
slavery in any State where it was legally
established. At that time this question of
slavery extension formed the only dividing
tine between the two parties
But when in 1861 the Southern States
starting from the election of n Republican
President pledged against the extension OF
~
eminent for themselves and making war
upon the United states, then the DIVIDING
line became changed. Indeed, we n,,v
say it became oblterated by the coylai..t
the bloodshed, and the fire Of the civil
war. The Republican party went IN fron
resistance to the extension of slavery 10
hostility against slavery itsc'. r. and finally
20 its abolition through ,be ,mancination
proclamation of Pre- ..tdent LINCOLN and
the thirteenth am sndment to the national
Constitution Against these measures,
the Demo" ratio party, though ut bottom
deeply dissatisfied with them, set up no
re.I resistauce in fact, il may be said that
there was then only one party i'll the
Union, so much were all the people engaged
In the business Of lighting. The form and
organization of the Democratic party were
preserved, but its life was feeble and its
utterances were of no great account. 1t
was every where in the minority, and so
remained until the end of the war.
This great struggle left behind it in the
people and the Administration two strong
~ marked tendencies, each Of them a
direct Inheritance of the war One pro-
ceedcd from avarice and the corrupt on Of
morals 1t was the tendency to public
robbery and it was shared equally by
Democrats and Republicans. In the for
mer, however, 1t was soon checked from
the absence OF opportunity. Their gen
eral extinction rs u political force had left
them powerful In only ore important con-
tire. the city and the state OF New York.
There TWEED and CoSNoLLY stole their
millions, and were detected aud driven
ont; and there the Democracy, headc,i 10y
SAM TTLDEN, is now destroying the rubh,
plunderels of the canals while the Re
publicans, possessing the national AL
ministration AT Washing ton, with n MAJ
Indifferent TO every form of public
pluuder at its head, and anxious onl,
that the plundorors shall be his friend
aud relations, still continue the work o
rapacity, robson. DELANo, SHEPHERD
WILLIAMS, ORvIL GRANT, CowEN, am
she whole countless gang, competing wit
each other and fattening themselves OF
the Impoverished and suffering taxpayers
In this respect the Republican part
IL infinitely worse than the Demo
cratic, because the worst elements of
have control; so that it's condition Is hope
less, and reform within il Is impossible
The Democracy, having been long on
of Office, and having had so niue
less opportunity and temptation TO b'
come corrupt, is much more under ii
direction of the honest men in its rank
while in the Republican party the hone
men have to stand in the background M
leave the robbers to follow their own vii
The other tendency, inherited fro
the war, to which we have referre
Is a matter OF political principle, AZ
IL, in our judgment, OF the hieho
moment. During the war the Rcpu
hcan Administration was almost onnl
otent 1t exercised war powers; il was
military government; its hand was ever
where. and its will was felt in every fibre
the peoples life. II was in effect, a centri
hing Administration; and the party
whose name it was conducted became
centralzng party. such il still remai
The theory and policy OF the Republic
party nj present are that the country mi
be ruled by one government at Was
ihgton; and that government must
what in European monarchies is called
pdtornal one interfering in every conce
Of the people, as for instance in edu
ton, agriculture, aud the repression
crime
Ag,inot this policy tne Democratic pan
rcvOlts. True to its ancient principl
even after so many years and so ma
radical changes, it stands forth for the
American idea of local self-gOvernmt
and republican equilibrium. II cOntei
for the exercise of the least possible
thority In every sphere OF political affa
and for the greatest possible mdependel
In the individual the township, and
state. II repeats the immortal truth, n
the best government Is that which COVE
least. It's against Capitalization. II is
State rights, personal rights, local rigl
IL is thus the hulwark of personal III G
and public progress, This ~ its chief I
tinction and its great glory to-day; {
this IL the reason for which the Amer.'