National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-03-10
THE PRESENT CONDITION AND DANGER
OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

existence under peculiar circumstances.
The aggressions ofthe slave power had be-
come alarmingly bold and presumptuous,
and, as in the case of the early Hebrew
nation, an overriding Providence seemed to
have mission for the new party to exc
cute, as His instruments in the cause of
humanity.
Immediately after the election of Presi-
dent Lincoln the representatives OF the
slave power, without cause and against the
better judgment and warnings of their own
friends, rushed into rebellion, and forced
the patriotism of the country into a pro-
tracted war in defence of the Union. Urea
son was defeated, peace was restored, and
the chains OF bondage were broken, under
Providence and the fundamentally of the
Republican party, from the limbs of four
millions of human beings. In the terms of
peace General Grant generously allowed
leach officer and man to return to his
"home, not TO be disturbed by United
Estates authority so long as they observed
"their paroles and the laws in force where
"they may reside"
1t might reasonably be supposed that a
permanent peace would have followed these
conditions and the final cessation of hostil-
tiles arranged between Generals Grant and
Lee, on the 9th of April, 1865, and that the
conquered people and army would return
to their homes, in good faith, to pursue the
arts of industry, and cooperate with the
Federal Government in restoring a wasted
country TO its former condition and accus-
toned material development. But such
was not the fact. The Legislatures of the
disaffected States almost Immediately com
menced to enact laws to reduce the freed
men and all colored people to a condition
of peonage or practical slavery, and to de-
prive them of their constitutional rights.
But this was not enough. From that Pc
Rod to the present time either Ku-Klux,
White Leagues or other political sssocia-
tons have existed in strong force over the
country to intimidste and Cypress white
and colored Republicans. Free schools,
aided by funds from benevolent societies,
generous donations by philanthropic indi-
viduals, and provided with male and female
teachers from the North because they could
not be obtained in the South, were burned
down by the hundred, and the teachers
were either murdered or compelled to es-
cape from the country to save their lives.
These and numerous untold atrocities
were, in every instance, the work of the
Southern Democracy; and winter after
winter, up to the present time, their crimes
have been persistently condoned by the
Democratic members of Congress, who
have denounced the President for ordering
a military police to the South to arrest the
hand of the assassin in its bloody work,
and have declared Gen. Sheridan to be
unfit to breathe the air of Republic.
Is it the will of the people that the Gov
eminent shall be turned over to these men;
to the inspiring spirits of the Democratic
Ku-Klux and White League organizations
in the South and their aiders and abetters
in the North? Or shall the Republican
party be sustained in their efforts to ad-
vance the cause of peace, humanity, educa-
ton and morality? Seriously, important
issues are still pending, and their success
full solution will require great wisdom,
mature judgment and a high order of
patriotism in our halls of Federal and State
legislation. The duty of selecting the
right men to meet the nations emergency
is imperative, and it falls directly upon the
people.
And here, as a public journalist, and in
consideration of the peculiar condition of
the country, the pending issues and the
public interests involved in these issues,
we would urge upon the Republican party
the necessity of entire unity of view, har-
mony of cooperation, and selfabnegation
in the selection of Presidential candidate,
Representatives in the Forty-fifth Con-
gress, and members of the State Legisla.
lures
On the part of aspirants to Office, from
that of the Chief Magistrate down, there
should be patriotic spirit, and an earnest,
general desire and determination to select
the ablest and best fitted men for the re-
spective places-men of experience, wis
dom, judgment and integrity.
In all primary meetings and nominating
conventions these qualities should be kept
constantly in view in the choice Of candi-
dates. The popular sentiment should be
carefully consulted; it may sometimes err,
but It is generally safe guide.
Ifthere is any one thing more than an
other to endanger the success of the Repub-
lican party in the coming elections, and es'
pecially in the great campaign of 1875, it is
the increasing number of self-constituted
aspirants to the Presidency and subordinate,
but not less important places of public re-
spopsibilitY. But it is not too late to avoid
this rock, upon which experience and his
tory assures us that many good political
party organization has made shipwreck of
its strength and usefulness.
"Our country's welfare is our first concern,
And who promotes that best, best proves his
duty.