Fair play., 1875-04-29
uoribund Political Promises.

ing under sentence of death. and Il,
unctuOus expressions Of penitence L
which they frequently give utterance Oh
the eve Of its execution, have long been
subject of psychological study among GU
riOus inquirers in mental pathology
Whether these cOntrite expressions pro
ceed from al inward spirit of OfcOmpunctiOn
wrath to cOme," are points about which
the acutest doctors may differ and the
soundest casuists disagree, for it is pain
full drawback upon the sincerity witt
which condemned culprit may deserve
to be accredited, that, owing to the infeli
city of his position, he is doomed to pub
lish all his penitential professions under
circumstances which preclude the posi-
bility Of his living long enough to ''brine
forth fruits meet fer repentance
We dislike to indulge in unpleasant
comparisons, but, mindful though We al,
of DOgberry's famous dictum, We mus,
take the liberty of saying that when oul
Republican friends talk to us so beautiful.
ly about the progress of reform :. within
the party" and express the hope that "a
decided reaction has begun against dan.
gcrOus tendencies in the party" we are
fOrcibly reminded of the parallel between
its present situation lever since the last
autumnal electiOns) and that Of convict
whose sleep is disturbed O. nights, hot Oh
ly by signs Of cOntritiOn, but also by
dreams Of slipkn0ts and dead-fals and
black caps.
Though sentence Of condemnation has
undoubtedly been passed upon the party
bya great majority Of the American peO-
pie, it is barely possible that, in grateful
memory OF the public virtues which adorn-
ed its early career, the people might have
granted it a reprieve, If, during the time
and space awarded to it for the bringing
forth of salutary fruits, it had shown ths.
marks of a genuine conversion. But hay-
ing sinned away its days of grace during
the entire sessions of the last Congress,
and having added only new Offenscs TO the
long catalogue Ofits former transgressioHs,
we are compelled to hold that its promises
for the future must be taken at the
estimate fixed for them by the degree in
which it has kept the promises of the past
What that estimate deserves to be We can
easily perceive by referring tOa few among
the most significant promises contained in
the earliest and the latest of the national
"platfOrms" proclaimed by the Republic
can party.
In the national platform Of the year lSGO
the Republicans declared that the "man-
tenanoe inviOlate Of the rights of the States,
AAu cok'cCidiiy tIic IiSut VI esaCH otsitc 10
order and control Its own domestic insti-
tutiOns according to its own judgment ex-
clusively, is essential to that balance Of
power on which the perfection and ELI
dnrance Of our political fabric depend"
The whole policy pursued by that party
towards the reconstructed States since the
war has been q studiOus, prOtractel and
aggravated violation of this solemn deciar-
atiOn-a violation which only reached its
climax when General DE TrObriand. in
January last. invaded the halls of the
Louisiana Legislature.
In this same platform, tine . Re
publicans of 1860 declared '.against
the reckless extravaganza" Of Mr..
Buchanan's administration, and de-
manded "A return to rigid economy and
accountability" in order to .'arrest the
systematic plnnder OF the public treasury
BY favored parsisans''-a declaration which
sounds strangely enough amid the pOli:i-
cal cries of the present times, rs elected by
Credit MObilier frauds, SanbOrn contracts, |
and similar denominations which have dis |
graced the latter-tay history Of the Re |,
publican dynasty.
In the same platform it was dccla ed !
that " the Republican party is opposed to |
any change in our naturalization laws:"
and yet, by the Act of july llth, 1870. |
these laws were modified in total defiance |
of this pledge, as subsequently,. by treaty ,
stipulatiOns with cert,in Of the German
States, our German naruralized citizens |
have had their civil rights put in circum-
scriptiOn and cOnfine," greatly to their an
hOyance and displeasure.
The ancient standards of the party sur
vive only to point and measure its defiec-
ton from the line of duty prescribed to
itself when first soliciting the confidence
Of the neonie' Nor has If been more
faithful TO IFS latest enpaDemenfs. In the
national platform of IS:5it declared tb.t
{. .cOmDIefe liberty and exacf euuali,y in
the endowment OF all civil, political and
public rights should be established and
effectually maintained throughout the
Union.', In the presence Of this pledge it
has, by uphOlding the President, troti,len
down the civil political and public rights
of q whole State, by first dispensing its
Legislature, and then recOnstituting that
Legislature by the award of a Congress.
iOnal Committee!
Tn th;s Same n,.tform a reforn of tho
Civil Service was nromise,, with .SSarva.
tions Tho n,ost 10 v.I,au"an, ,nI .ran ,h.
nrcrense of ;ts fnifiIimant haS NOW, h.nn
nnhliclv abandoned nv hoth five Pres;, ,,ant
Ind his nartisans wb9 to.J.v nresant ;n
fbeir narson- . shncr;rr .y.;,,.la of =. ,h,,
fatai femor.,i-at;on,, resnlt;nr from rho
of 1;ovornmant nI,c.s ,S tho
rewards of g ,nsra marty zea, ;, Tho h;,nN
pst and The lowest nIaccs have within ,ho
I.st feu, woo,.s heen aouo,j, made IN.
oot-haJis of EXec,t;va f.ror
In the Same n,atform n was a.c,,r.a
hat the R.nnhl;cans favored {. .such .,i5i.