Wilmington daily commercial., 1876-11-21
From Harpers, Weekly, Nop. IS.
Tne Repnblicnn PartY.

The Republican Party.
If it be the Republican party which pres
emily retires from the control of the gov
Enment, it is well to remember that it has
AIpsouder apd nohler history than any party
In English annals. 1t came into power six-
teen years ago, when the Democratic party
had virtually held the administration for
generation That party was the mere tool
OF the slave power, and had sedulously de-
bauched and demoralized the national con-
science. Inheriting from Jefferson and
Madison (the last of whom partially dis
avowed it) the doctrine of secession, or
that the Union is voluntary partnership
a doctrine which Jackson's proclamation
did not discredit in the party, and which was
substantially affirmed by Mr.. Tilden in 1860
it prepared the way for the movement of
the rebellion. 1t had utterly prostituted
the civil service. 1t had totally diegraeed
the American name, and it had brought the
American principle into mortal peril. But
it was apparently impregnably intrenched
in the solid Southern vote, in the doubt
that it had cast upon the true meaning Of
the Constitution. i'll the timidity of trade
between the sections, in the patronage OF
the civil service, in the sentiment of the
army, in the intense prejudice against the
= solored race, in tie hopelessness of consti-
tutionhl interference with slavery, and in
the fear of actual trouble with the insolent
and threatening slave power.
But the firm and courageous Republican
appeal to the intelligence and conscience of
the people of the Northern StaJes-for no
such appeal was permitted in the South
an appeal made in the face of the most de-
risve opposition and of massacres in Kan
sas as an earnest OF what should follow, SO
united the sfree States that they voted in
md
cessful. The Democratic party Of the
South instantly rose in arms. That OF
the North passively co-operated. AS Mr..
Richard ii. Dana, Jun, truly says, the very
term "War Democrat" is the conclusive ev-
idence that simple Democrat was synony
NOUS with anopponent of the government.
No one ever thought of speaking OF War
Republicans. To be Republican was to
be q Union man. Totally unused to ad-
ministration, the Republican party was at
once confronted with organized civil war,
with treason in the army and navy, with
corruption in the civil service, with an
empty Treasury, with ruined credit with
Sapial of its constitutional power to act,
with seeding States, crumbling Unioni
aud the sneering hostility OF foreign ma
tions
Without moments delay it arose to the
great emergency. RelylngGupon the people
Of the Free States, 1t created an army anc
navy. 1t made enormous loans. II wagec
tremendous war of four years. 1t held al
bay foreign powers eager to abet the ruiz
of the Union. 1t maintained order in the
field, and amply sustained them. 1t emanci
Free States. 1t sent army aftea army to the
pated four millions of slaves. 1t main
tanned the Union absolutely and withou
condition. It did not build scaffold no
take life in punishment. 1t enfranchise'
the freedmen and restored every rebel tt
citizenship 1t vindcated the American
principle before the world, and gave tn
country standing and respect among 9th
Ell nations that it lad never known before
1t made the Declaration OF Independence
truth and not lie, and for the first tim
made American mean liberty instead of slt
very In the ten years since the war enc
cd it has pad leigh hundred millions {
dollars of the debt. 1t has reduced the il
6erest account by fifty millions 1t has +,
duced taxation by two hundred and sixT
millions. It has immensely reduce
tho percentage of loss by carelessness {
crime in the collection and disbursemei
If lie public money. 1t has greatly d
cre4sed the running expenses of the go
ernment per capita since the last Dem
cratic Administration. 1t has negotiate
bonds at four-and.a-half per cent. intere
to replace those paying six per cent.
has declared for the resumption OF spec