The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-08-05
Republican Duty.

The NJ Y Tribune, after a well-drawn
picture of the misrule of the Republican
party in Washington, says:
ut remains 20 be seen whether IL has not at last
cost the party its ascendancy In the country, and
turned over the government to the opposition"
Commenting on the doings Of the admin
stration, and the manner in which the
party which nominated Hayes has upheld
or tolerated them, the Tribune adds:
'tThoy illustrate the character the tendency, the
spirit aud purpose OF the administration; There IS
no need Of longer attempting TO hoodwink the
public or gloss over the conduct Of the president
The popular Judgment Of President Grants admins
tration Is already made up aud cannot be changed
There Is but one question concerning II which has
any current Interest, and that Is whether the Re
OF andto defend 1t through the presidential
canvass"
In other words, will the party repudiate
the acts of its recent national convention,
one Of which is printed below?
XVII. The national administration merits com
mendatiOn for Its honorable work In the manage
ment OF domestic and foreign affairs and President
Grant deserves the continued and hearty gratitude
OF the American people for his patriotism and his
immense services In war and In peace"
The party assembled in Cincinnati not
only commended the administration for its
management of our domestic affairs, but
declared that Grant deserved our hearty
gratitude" for what he had done I'm
peace which. of course, could only refer
to what he had done as president. This
was said and done only last June, by the
convention which nominated Hayes and
Wheeler, and both of these have explicitly
indorsed, and assured their fellow citizens
that they fully approve this estimate of
Grant. And now the Tribune tells its
readers there is but zone question" in the
canvass and that is whether the party, and
its candidates will turn back on them
selves. Unless this be done, the Tribune
intimates that the defeat of Hayes and the
election Of Tilden arc assured. This party
condemnation of the administration damns
incusively the Republican majority in the
senate, which has confirmed the nomina-
tons of Grant aud thus made his misrule
complete The Tribune insists that
1.-THE only escape Is for the party TO say distinctly
In IT. state convention in the first place by its nomi
nations whether " proposes the continuance OF
Grantism, and In the second place by it, resolu-
lions whether IL approves the course of the re-
formers who have been kicked out by the president
or the conduct OF the president In kicking them ont
But this is not enough, for the senate, be
fore it adjourns, must condemn the admin
istration, or else the inference is inevitable
that, if Hayes is elected, the Republican
majority in that body will exert the same
Influences over, and demand the same
things of him, that il has exerted and de
manded of Grant And even more must
Come. The members of the cabinet must
repudiate Grant and his doings, or be in
cluded in the party condemnation of tn,
administration which the Tribune demand
as the price of its support and of tn
election Of Hayes. Indeed every membc
Of the present cabinet must be held a
approving what has been done by the ex
ccutive since the Cincinnati convention
adjourned, aud SD must the Republca
majority in the senate which, by confirm
ing the presidents nominations, has up
held and not condemned his acts. An
worse still. The present administrator
has eight months more ofexecutive power
Who during that time is to be responsible
for the government? Is the Republica
party, which created the administration
to be permitted to run away with an,
abandon its mighty trust? Aud if il does
can the pCpple ever nuain hermit II 10 hnl
power?