Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1875-01-28
VICE PRESIDENT Wilson.
His Remarkable Letter on the Po-
litical Situation.
He Believes the RepubDican
Party has Enough Power 10
Elect the Next President.
Fer the Springfield Republican. ).

w ASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 1870.
ED1roR REPuBL1cAN:-I find in your
journal a statement that agree with you
that the Republican party is dead. I beg
leave to say that 1 do not agree with the
Republican, or with any man, or set of
men, in the opinion that. it is dead or
defeated. On the. contrary, I
believe that the Republican party has n
II power to recover what Is fost, and TO
elect the next President. In saying this
I am not unmindful of the grave ques-
tions at issue, and which are pressing for
solution of the disasters that have fallen
upon it, nor of the hopes, expectations,
and strength of the Democratic party,-a
party whose strength and power I have
never underratcd: believe it can recov-'
er all it las lost, win back its former
prestige, and still retain its power in the
government. And believe this, because
believe it 10 be necessity OF the coun
try. The grand work Of liberty and pat
rlo,isrn it has performed imperatively de-
mand that it should continue to guide
the policy of the Nation. Liberty, law,
order, protection and civilization cannot
afford to have it permanently defeated.
I saw quite as early as any one the peril
of the Republican party, and more than
thirteen months since I warned my po-
litical friends of the danger of losing the
next House of Representatives. The par
ty has made mistakes, and is now paying
the penalty of those mistakes; but its
ideas, principles, and general policies
have not been condemned. It has been
tau yht by recent disasters that it is mortal,
and if it is wise i: will heed these lessons.
1t would seem that neither selfishness nor
stupidity could fail to understand them,
or could misinterpret their import. 1fthe
Republican party now dies, it will die by
the hand of suicide, for there is no arm
other than its own, potent enough to strike
it down. 1t cannet, think, hope to re:
cover its lost prestige and power by a
policy of rewards and punishments. OF
by party discipline. There arc hundreds
of thousands in the Republican party to
day who spurned the brides and frowns
of power, and left the Wing ard Demo
cratic parties for the sake of principles
deemed by them important and sacred
These men canno, be seduced by the b!an
dishments ofpower, nor greatly moved by
+ threats of discipline. Mere politicians
who think they can govern by the whil
of party discipline, will find that they can
not thus reach or control the thoughtfu
and independent men who struck the lasl
from the hands of the slavc-masters; no
can We recover what is lost in Massachu
setts, or in the country. by impertinen
intermcd6ling of otfice-holders in nomina
!, tions and elections. Oflice-holdcrs shoult
learn from the recent elections that the.
can serve the Republican party best b!
performing their official duties with scru
pulous fidelity. The people should b
left free 10 manage in their own way, ant
without interference, their priil. ary meet
t ings and elections, for, righ,fully o
. wrongfully, they have been compelled It
believe that there rre those holding offic
in Massachusetts, in the country, aud G.
? pecially in the South-some Of them il
) important positiOns,-who do not It'll
represent the desires and wishes Of thei
2 localities, and who have not the publ
confidence. The party burdened by sue
) is not likely to be led to victory by thei
, obt:usive interference, either in Masss
F chusetts, or in the country, North o
; South.
A The disastrous division in the Republ
can party in 1872 was to me distressin
event Ii seemed to me to be the III
necessary division of comrades who la
t"ilud together for many years for nobl
! purposes and a glOrisus cause. d al
| could by remonstrance and appeal I
: prevent it, and have since sought to n
unite what was then so disastrously all
} unnecessarily broken; and would no'
i throw the doors wide open tor the retur
y of thosr who voted for Dir. Greeley i
n 1872, and earnestly invite them 10 reuni.
l. again with their old associates. Indeet
J. ut any moment since that election woul
r have pursued generous and magnan
r NOUS policy toward the men who the
;, left us, and now, without the loss of fsingl
Il hour, would, in all sincerity, extend til
: hand of reconciliation. I would appe;
l. to you, sir, and your associates of til
! press in that unfortunate division,
r unite with the great party which, with a
its errors, faults, and mistakes, has mad
o glorious record for the country, freedom
It and progress. do not ask you to refrai
? from criticism, nor to leave unnoticed i
l. mistakes, for party that cannot tolera
! that is already in its decadence. 'rhe'
!. has been, and now is, n class of men
y the South--Douglas Democrats and oil
!. line national Wings; who were dragge
d into the rebellion, but who have very II
e tie sympathy with the Democratic part
n hoUa hnl;ovo1 oHi ,h11H RA1i Gv6s 2lS