The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1875-04-08
The Republican Party.


preparations and dictates legislation of a
majority of the State Governments, and
OF numerous minor county and city Offices.
Its programme has already been announced
namely, to assail the Republican party
through investigations of alleged abuses.
1t was this specious promise, with the
promise to reform everything, that induced
the people to hand over the governing pow
er to the Democracy, both in the National
Congress and in State Legislatures.
1t is the tendency of all political COM
binations, after they have grown large and
powerful, and have held control of Govern
ments for long time, to develop corrup-
tions and abuses There has never been q
political party of any description in any
country, whether the form of government
has been republican or monarchical. which is
an exception to this rule 1t is the same with
political parties as with churches. Corrupt
men do not get into either and abuse
their positions until the organizations have
grown large and powerful There is no
danger in the churches which are poor and
small. On the other hand, the poorer and
smaller they are, the more do purity and
divine grace abound in them. Bad men
do not develop themselves until the churches
become large, rich, and fashionable. So
with political parties. At the outset the
Republican party was blameless. 1t was
not until it swept State after State by large
majorities, and held the control of patron
age for many years, that it attracted cor
rupt men into its organizations 1t was
the party which saved the country. 1t re-
presented the majority of the intelligence,
the rcspectability, the patriotism of the
country. Its aims were high and pure
1t was the party of morality and humanity.
Notwithstanding this, as soon as it had re-
wards to distribute and patronage to be-
stow, it attracted, from the other party
many knaves and rascals, men without prin-
ciple, and bent only upon schemes of plum
der and selfaggrandisement The majority
of this class came out of the Democratic
party, and were skilled in their nefarious
practices through long experience in its
ranks while it was in power, and, now that
the Democratic party is coming into power,
and they have no further opportunity to
plunder under Republican cover, they will
gravitate back to their original surround
ings. The Republican party has passed
through a terrible ordeal 1t has been
tried in the furnace of civil war. 1t has
not only had to conduct this war and estab-
lish the relations of subjugated States to
the National Government, and of a race
emancipated from the servitude of two cen
turies to their masters upon terms Of civil
equality, but it has had to suffer from the
national decentralization and the low stand
ard of public morals which always result from
great wars and enormous military eXpendi-
lures. That it should have suffered dur
inc this time from the selfish misconduct
of bad and unprincipled men is not remark
able. During the past two years it had
been investigating these abuses upon the
demand Of the people, and it has done it
and pretty thoroughly, although
it has had to suffer still more in conse-
ouence thereof Rather than conceal these
abuses which have crept in, it has dragged
them to the light, and suffered loss of con-
fdenee in consequence. 1t has, however,
the compensation of having purified its
ranks, of having ostracised the corruption
lists, and of having swept and garnished its
home. What it has failed to do is trifing
as compared with what it has done. The
dark spots in its escutcheon are small as
with the brightness and glory of
its record. 1t saved the Republic, emanci
pated the slave and made freeman fhim.
IF it had done nothing more, it would still
be entitled to the everlasting gratitude OF
all lovers of humanity and liberty.
What does this Democratic hue and cry
Of investigation amount to? The New
York Times pointedly remarks: "The
last time the Democratic party went out OF
power, is left behind it, as the results of
its long rule, plundered country, Gov
ernment handed over secretely to traitors,
and devastating war. The mistakes, the
follies-even the Jobs under
the rule of the Republican party are venial
indeed in comparison with these crimes.
This is true, and it is a statement which
is too frequently overlooked. When the
Democratic party went out of power it
would not bear investigation one-tenth as
well as the Republicon party will now.