The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-09
End of the Nightmare.


As soon as calmer thought enables every
intelligent man 10 appreciate justly the
full significance and nature of the great
victory achieved by the American people
on Tuesday, the liveliest gratitude for tins
suspicious event will be felt in the hearts
of those upright and really patriotic Re
publioans who conscienuously stood by
their party to the end, and who are now
emancipated. There are many such men,
and they can thank GoD not merely that
their country is redeemed, but that they
themselves are set free from superstition
and slavery quite as debasing rs that Of
the Hindoo fiinging himself to be- crushed
under the car Of Juggernaut.
Taking the record of the Republican
party for the lust eight years, and what a
horrible what an amazing thing IL l.. In
its earlier aud better days. that was great,
n noble party, moved by the spirit of free
dom, lighting for the integrity of the
Union, led by LINCoLN's uuequalled politi-
cal sagacIty, and SrANToS's Roman cour-
age and integrity. But what change
from LINCOLN aud his Cabinet to GRANT,
with those givers OF gifts whom he selected
10 administer the Government! In GRANTS
Cabinet the degradation of the Republican
party was signal, for the Republicans
adopted aud approved IL all. Since then It
has been the history Of one prolonged de-
cadence aud shame, eliminating in the
corrupl ION of robson, the bribery of
BELKNAP, IN the robbery OF "a hundred and
fifty millions i'll the Southern States, in
Whiskey Rings and conspiracies 10 kidnap,
organized III the White House itself, IN
dealings IN post tradcrships by the Presi-
dent, iii the promotion of election frauds
by his encouragement and support, and III
the gross crime of sending troops To South
Carolina and Louisiana to force the cleo
ton of Republican candidates, and turn
out State Government which the people
had chosen, and impose upon them one
which they had rejected at the polls. What
political crime is there that this party have
not committed, what outrage upon per-
sonal and public rights for which they are
not responsible? In all the records OF con-
stitutional governments has there ever
been party gully of such an aggregation
such Il universally of wrongs, that has 50
dehed and violated every principle, not
merely of justice and truth, but even OF
decency and respectable conduct?
But the great wonder of IL all is that,
while these things have been plain and
certain as the sun at MONDAY, good men
of the Republican party have not merely
tolerated. they have defended and praised
them. When It was proved that Robson
had taken S93, 900 from the public Treasury
in direct defiance of an explicit statute, Mr..
GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS fastened TO his
Justification. When GRANT was detected
in the Black Friday conspiracy. and IL was
proved that a large sum of money out of
the spoils Of that nefarious project had
been carried 10 the White House rs its
share of the profits, grave and pious men
in Congress ana elsewhere held their peace
about the shameful transaction, while they
poured new laudatIons on GRASr. When
the decree went forth from the President =
chamber that CHARLES SUMNER must be
| Inundated in the Senate for opposing tue
| san Domingo iniquity, was there amy re-
| bellion among those who were Republi-
| cans from principle and not for place
| No; they were content with the act and
content, too, THAI SIMON CAMERON should
| cceedSUMSER. Aud when it was establish
| tu tHat WHilc lAhlLlON lSh was '-'Ni '"i-
ny of state, his son-in-law, agent IN this
country tor the Spanish Governments was
able, at vast profit TO himself, TO use the
power of the American Executive for tn,
purposes of Spain. was any Republican
voice raised in Indignation mt this foul aud
reasonable proceeding? Not at all, fol
they loved their party more than theil
country, aud were willing after the fact Il
become accessory TO any atroclty rathe
than disturb the chances of its future can
dIdatcs or put i'll peril its tenure o
| power.
But now it is over. The nightmare i
| broken. The mOustroui dream Is ended
and every upright, unselhsh citizen, ne
matter what his party, ought to rejoice a
il with the heartiest rejocings.