Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1876-05-20

this noble array Of martyrs bearing the
Republican banner without fear and
without reproaeh. On broader field,
Lincoln, Chase, Seward, Trumbull
Seburz, led tbs Republican forces from
one triumph to another In the battle of
human rights. Under such leaders il
was an honor to serve. One by one these
great men fell by the way, and all who
survive are excluded from the councils
Of the party which they formed. and 10
which they gave the inspiration of ideas.
And now, who for years have been the
recognized leaders Of the Republican
party? Grant, Cameron, Morton, COnk-
ling, Logan, Blaine. ''LOOk first upon
that picture and then upon this" and
tell me how, for years past, 1 could fail to
pray ''Draw me out of this crowd"
Time would fail me to describe she de-
mOralizatiOn which has naturally result
to the entire party from this change of
leadership; nor is it necessary. The
daily journals have been so filled with
revelations of official malfeasance that
the public stomach has become nau-
seated and the public conscience hard
ened; until rascalities which a few years
ago would have aroused universal indIg
nation, now pail upon the public sense.
Il is idle to dwell upon the past, except
to learn lessons of present duty; and that
duty is reform. Upon this all good citi-
zens agree; but they differ as to meth
DDS. One Of the three sources is open to
us:
First-A third party. Since the mel
anclIOly failure Of 1872, any attempt to
renew the effort seems well-nigh hope
less. The fatal defeat ia that movement
was that it was started and carried out
as an attempt to create new Republican
party. Its purpose was mainly TO pre-
vent the denomination of Grant, and il
,.-,fsII gHfInn - rtfneaE NJ tfa Leaders
designed it should, had the National Re
publican Convention nominated a candi-
date who represented the traditions and
ideas of the Republican party But it
failed to provide for the contingency Of
Grants denomination. In assuming the
names of Liberal Republican, il could eX
pect no large accession of numbers other
than Republicans, especially when it
placed at the head of its ticket one than
whom hardly a Republican In the coun-
try was more obnoxious to the Democrat
IL masses. l saw then the mistake in
vOlved in the name of the party adopted
by the convention, aud labOred earnest
" with the men who had the ear of the
convention to secure the adoption of
name which should truly repre-
sent the real purposes of the honest mas
ses Of the country, and that was the par
" of National Reform. That would have
been a name to conjure with, and one
which would not have repelledthe Demo
cratic masses, without whose alliance
success was hopeless. Other eounsels
prevailed. Other luen did not feel as l
did, that the needed reform could never
come from the Republican party. Other
men distrusted Grant. distrusted the
party which created tH'l sustained
''Grantism." The inevitable result came,
and the experiment OF third party,
in my judgment, is defeated for a gener-
alton.
Second-Reform within the Republi-
can party. Is this possible? When did
party promise a purer administrative
policy than the Republican party i'm its
conventions of 1868 and 1872? What
have they given us? Let the revelations
of the last three years, and especially of
the last four months, answer. / will
not revive the sickening details. Can the
country trust future professions and
pledges? Admit that the Republican
candidate who to-day represents, espe-
oially, purity and reform shall be nOmi
mated at Cincinnati and elected. He goes
into office under the necessity of taking
counsel of the men who have elected
him. Among these undoubtedly would
be many of the purest men of the Repub-
lican party of the Olden time; but among
them, too, must be the men who have de-
graded the Republican party and dishon-
ored the country. The men who Danish
ed Sumner and Greeley, Trumbull and
Schurz from the councils of the party
must still be recognized as supporters of
the Administration and As entitled to a
voice in its policy. They are in the SEN
ate and control its action. They fill all
the important Offices Of the country.
VIII a Republican Administration turn
them outg Eighty thousand Republican
office holders are eating out the substance
of the people. Here and there one has
been detected in his nefariOus practices
hardly an infinitesimal fraction of the
whole. Will Republican, Administra-
ton call its devOtees to account for prae-
tices learned from their supporters? The
Republican press of the country, with n
few honorable exceptions, is controlled by
rOgues or their apOlOgists.
Take a single branch of the public SER
vice of the reform of which the promises
have been the lOudest-the Civil Ser
vice. Why has it failedg Not alone
from insincerity and hypocrisy, but
mainly from the impOssibility that a par
ty in power should carry out the reform.
Let me give an illustration of the inherent
difficulties of the case.
In April, 1861, Mr.. Charles Francis
Adazas, having been appointed Minister
to London, came home. Everybody ex-
pected that he could at once pack his car
the slave power had appointed our diplO-
matte representatives abroad, who had
poisoned the public opinion of all Europe
in regard to the causes and purposes of
the rebellion. Instead of fastening TO
the post of duty and of danger he waited
several weeks, and reached England the
day after the Queens proclamation of
recognition was promulgated. If there
was one man in the country to whom
such work was especially distasteful
that man was Mr.. Adams. What forced
him to do it? The exigences of the
party.
But we are told that new blood per-
haps s'blue bloody is being infused into
the veins of the party. win this vivify
a mOrlbund body? Imagine Carl
Schurz's blood injected into Morton's
veins, Trumbull's into Cameron's, Cur
tis's into Conkling's, Adams into LO-
gan's, Forbes's into SimmOns's-wh can
perdict what would be the performances
of the hybrid!
What ennobls knayes, or sots, or eowartsi
AIasl not all the blood OF all the Howards.
MOI no! There is but one way of saliva
ton for the Republican party, and that
is through the purgatiOn of defeat. The
spOils once out of their grasp, the corrupt
men who ''ratted" from the Democratic
party into the Republican would instinct
lively follow the scent of public plumber
and rat back into the Democratic party !;
and the Republican party, released of
its incubus, with its men of ideas at the
front, would again deserve the conf
lence of the country. This is a cOnsum-
Ration devoutly to be wished. Most of
my dearest friends are still in the Repub-
liean party, endeared through many
years of association by bonds Of common
faith and mutual trust. l mean to keep
the right to love them still. Gland in
hand we stood around the administration
Of Andrew, and felt his own great arm
lean on us for support" l live in the
undOubting assurance that they will soon
learn that patriotism and virtue did not
die when the Republican party committed
suicide, and that we shall yet come to-
sether in the trials and triumphs of
the future and wonder we ever separated.
What then remains? The Democratic
party. ''DO you belong to the Democrat
ie party? 20 No, 1 shall never again
'belong" to any party, but l am ready
to cooperate with any party or with any
men who, in my Judgment, best promise
to destroy the power which now curses
the country. l know full well how great
is the popular distrust of the Democratic
party. l have taken some small share
in creating that distrust when it was well
founded:
loved my country and hated IT,
But now old things have passed away.
When we are able TO vote in the milleh-
MUM we will welcome the ideal party.
Till then we must aim ut practical meth
Ods and practical results. l do not like