New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-16

NEW ORLEANS
the exposure Of accident might put
upon it IT, however. it be granted that
the Republican party is, in its cor
porate political character, corrupt then
the majority of the American people who
compose it must be corrupt, and the
theory Of our government as fiat and as
fatal failure as that of any Asiatic des-
potism. Upon concession of popular
corruption arises the theory that only
anti-Republicans are honest. We ask, in
all seriousness, if any persons really be-
ieve, because dishonest officials have
been tried and convicted, that, therefore,
any untried and unconvicted person
must prove competent successor?
A further consequence would result
from such illogical action. The American
people would not only exchange men
indicated by acquittal under investiga-
ton for men who have had no such certi-
ficates Of tested fidelity, the destinies of
the country would be committed to men
who agreed in nothing except in the
opinion that they were filter than others
to perform all official duties
This agglomeration of politicians
which, like the mercenaries that over
run Southern Europe, Asia and Africa,
is composed of bands commanded by
separate leaders; they differ in all else
except in the success of a common cam
paign and the partition of common
booty.
What would be the national policy of
these political mercenaries in the cam
paign for official conquest? Would the
government continue a national popular
sovereignty? We know that the most
powerful section of this agglomeration
claims still ''the autonomy of a sovereign
State. Would the system of revenue pro-
lection under which the United States is
exporting cotton goods and cutlery to
Europe and supplying its own railroad
iron be permitted to stand? We have seen
a band of sixty members Of Congress vot-
ing for free sugar and rice from foreign
country. Would the federal government
proceed to resumption of specie payment
at the earliest possible period? We
have large party contending that the
of the country depends upon
volume of paper currency adequate to the
volume of its business. Would the sys-
tenn Of national improvements which has
built the Pacific and other railroads, which
has granted aid to open the Mississippi
outlet, proceed to equalize the justice Of
the government by further appropriations
to the South? We have seen this system
and we know that among the |
nti-Republican army there are numbers
who deny the right of the federal govern
ment to enter within the limits of State |
to construct any work whatever.
The American people see that the de-
Eeat of the Republican principles would |
bring again political chaos. Each chief
tain who has contributed his contingent |
70 the common victory would claim a
light to reserve his own especial opinions,
u demand that the victory implied the
common adoption of these especial opin-
ons History records the union of all
Inti-D Democratic elements for the defeat Of
he Democratic party. The issue then
vas the alleged corruption of the Demo-
ratio officials. Harrison opposed and de-
Gated Van Buren,. There was q signal
riumph of the reformers. When they
anne to determine among themselves the
rational policy indicated by the result,
here was at once grand quarrel. Mr..
Jlay contended the victory meant a
United States bank, . protective tariff,
With federal roads and canals through the
states and Territories. Mr.. Tyler, who had
'ome to administer the government, denied
hat the victory meant any such thing.
We understood the campaign to have been
or reform in the official administration.
Tor himself he was State rights states
nan Of the strictest school; he opposed
'ank, tariff and federal highways. The
gglomeration went to pieces. No national
'olicy was instituted or executed by these
lilies, whose only bond Of union was at
asst, an honest wish for reform with some
nd an ardent appetite for Office with
theirs. The I'm, ed States has now a ma
ional doctrine AMI policy. Why should it
e discarded for 10 definite policy? We
ave these doctrine settled by the high
st authorities of peace and Of war. Why
hould they be reopened, to be again the
ubject of strife and struggle, to be anew
ecided one wey or the other, on the bat
lefeld?
UNCONSCIOUS Or INCAPABLE.
The Picayune complains that we adopt
a plan more ingenius than ingenious" in
MS: That we have charged dereliction
f principle in advising the Democratic
arty to recognize equally the hard money
nd imitation sections of the party. We
eiterate the opinion, and will prove our