National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-02-11
THE PERIL OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
THE PERIL OF THE COUNTRY.


political questions will occur in the Forty
fourth is so apparent, that a few earnest
words of advice to the Republican men,
bers Of the present body are deemed to be
imperatively required. Particularly does
this appear to be true when it is remem-
bered that up to this time no definite action
has been reached which will relieve the
party of impending pcril-a peril which is
in reality the peril of the Government it
self.
1t is useless to talk of what might have
been" We must grapple with the brief
and fleeting present if we would protect
ourselves against disaster in the future
1t is wise, however, to allude to the past
as a means of explaining the apparent de-
moralization of some of our should-be lead
ers at this important junCture, and we can
not recall that past without bringing up
bitter memories of Credit Mobilier scan
dals and Back Pay cowardice We find
that many of the men whose characters
were smirched, or whose backs bear the
marks OF fageIlatiOn, as the result of the
Credit Mobilier investigation and the Back
Pay business, still occupy positions which
should entitle them to recognition as the
thoughtful managers of the party. We do
not wish to be understood as indorsing
those scandals even in the slightest de-
gree, and our opinions regarding the salary
grab are well known. But we insist that
ened 10y criticisms of the so-called indie
pendent Press, based upon those scan
dals they would now be able to stand up
with more courage in support of party
measures when those measures are opposed
by influences which have caused them to
cringe and beg for mercy at the
hands of sensational and reckless
critics. In other words, they do not for
get the lash which was applied, justly or
unjustly, with such unsparing force upon
their backs by irresponsible newspaper
scribblcrs, whose unprincipled desire to
attract attention blinded them to every
sense Of decency and justice. For example,
Charles A. Dana, the editor of the New
York Sun, man who has willfully and
maliciously lied about nearly every prOmi-
nent man in the Republican party, a man
who has dcbased a noble profession by
using it as the medium TO vent his personal
spitcs, and man who is VIGOROUSLY the as
sociatc of thieves, blacklcgs, dealers in
counterfeit money and discharged and dis
honest detectives, is more of a power to
brighten the tinlid, burnt children" to
whom we alludc than they are willing to
admit, or than their sclf-pride, if they have
any, will justify. And Dana has number
of less capable followers, blackmailers
of less force, who also make themselves
felt, 10 the injury of party principles in
which they have no interest, and for the
defeat of which they earnestly work. Start
ling and apparently inconsistent as these
facts may seem, it is nevertheless true that
men who led the van in support of those
measures which served to save the country
during the war, who braved the dangers of
the battlefield and endured the obloquy
which followed from loyal support of
antislavery and Union principles, now
falter, straggle from the ranks, and run
away from duty like a drove of cowardly
sheep whenever the asses in lions skins,
known as the editors of the In
dependent Press, appear in their
midst or make the faintest attempt
to initiate the growl of real lions.
If they dared to stand up to the rack
fodder or no fodder" as the Changers
would say-if they dared to kick one of
these cowardly asses, OF strip one of them
of his borrowed skin, the people would
applaud them and they would themselves
feel relieved of nightmare. But, no
They tamely submit and some of them
have even gone so far as to seek protection
and kindly entertainment at the hands of
these shams. Like cur dogs, they lick the
hand that smote them.
The result, as we have said is an appa-
rent Generalization among should-be lead
ers at this important juncture when fearless
craftsmanship and sturdy devotion to prin-
ciple are imperativcly demanded. The
Cheap Transportation question suffers delay
and is threatened with disaster as a conse-
quence. Next year, when the farmers of
the West begin to burn corn as fuel again,
the excuse that aid to private transportation
schemes or the development of internal i'm
provements savored of jobbery will not be
sufficient to relieve those who are recreant
to duty from criticism more just and more
damaging in its consequences than that
from which they fly with abject terror
now. With thousands and millions of dol
lars worth of cereals rotting in the grana-
ries, with cotton, tobacco, naval stores, and
with manufactured stuffs deprecated in
value because greedy monopOlists eat up
the profits on them with extortionate freight
tariff, and with full knowledge of the
cowardly manner in which their Represent
atives have knuckled down to the demands
of demagogues, the people will be in no
better humor next year than they were last
fall. Take the case of Representative Nc
Crary, of Iowa, as an example. Contrast
the devotion of his constituents to him and
their heartfelt support of his course in Con-
gress with the difident lack of enthusiasm
Welded by the constituents of a dozen Of