New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-14
special Correspondence Of the Republican
NORTHERN POLITICS.
The National Republican Party - Its
Make Up, Its Powers and Its NJ Is sion.
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Make Up, Its Powers and Its NJ Is sion.
NEW YORK, May 9, 1876.
, Daniel Webster, of Massachusetts,, in his
famous reply to Mr.. Hsyne, of South Caro-
lima, opened his grand Grafton by describ-
ing the condition OF a ship at sea,
where the captain, long battling against
treache1oIs currents under q cloud
obscured sky, is suddenly cheered by
a ray of sunlight, which enables him to
take bis reckoning with accuracy, and thus
ascertain his position and proceed with
safety on his voyage. IL call" said Mr..
Webster, in closing this apt figure OF
speech, "for the reading of the resolution
The great exponder of the constitution
then quietly took his seat, while the eecre-
tary of the Senate arose and read
the resolution" upon which Mr..
Hayne had spoken, and around which
with consummate tact he had woven
all the mists and refinements of the
South Carolina theory Of government. The
reading of the resolution in this case was
like the ray of sunlight to the mariner 30
long baffled by clouds and darkness. The
Senate was enabled to take its 'reckon'
ing' and proceed with the debate in the
broad light Of constitutional truth and his
toric facts The American world is ia
miliar with that debate, and there is
nothing finer In the whole range OF modern
forensic achievement than the effort Of Mr.
Webster On this occasion, from its happy
opening and through its mastery cons.itu-
tional argument to that magnificent clOse,
in which he CONNIE noes: when my eyes
shall turn for the last time to behold the
sun in heaven" and ends with these i'm
mortal words: "The Union. now and for.
ever, one and inseparable."
Following the illustriOus example of Mr..
Webster, propose to take advantage ol
this the first break in the clouds which
have for so many months obscured the po-
litical sky of the national Republican party
in order to take reckoning" of our posi-
ton and to consider the makeup of the party
itself. the survey of its power and the mis-
sion which still lies before it. The clouds
began to gather last winter with the Or
ganization of the Confederate Democratic
House of Representatives at Washington.
We were then thrown on the defensive, or
rather we permitted ourselves to be placed
on the defensive by the tact and courage OF
the opposition. But again, as so often be-
fore, the Republican party is saved by the
folly and madness of its enemy. The Con
federate Democratic coalition is now in
universal disrepute through the recoil of the
very means by which it expected to have
annlhilated the party of nationality and OF
human liberty. And the only possible
chance of escape from this "recoir' is found
in the remarkable specimen of ground and
lofty tumbling to which the New York
World is now treating its astonished
readers. The Worlds somersault con-
sists in the charge, that the chief
business of Republican Senators and
Representatives during the present ses.
sion OF Congress has been to Investigate"
it's own corruptions. to punish its own
offenders and purge itself from the influence
of it's own disreputable members. Upon
this business of self-purgation the Confed'
oHoto OcmOCEdCy, occO1NAnS w ono W" s'~'
has looked in silence and sorrow. The Con-
federate Democracy had no part in this
business of investigation" simply because
that party had no motive to investigate it
and no ends to gain by it. And so have
cleared away the clouds of defamation so
long hanging over the great Republican
party, and the light Of full, blazing sun
streams in once again upon the noble ship
of State. az, with every inch of canvas
flung to the breeze, with her storm torn and
battle worn colors nailed to the mainmast
and her we'll tried crew on deck, and every
man at his post of duty, she presses for
ward in the voyage upon which the happy
termination of which depends the last hope
of humanity on earth. And what voyage
What cargo this Republican ship of State
bears! Ride on, oh! noble ship, freighted a
thou art with the aspirations and prayers Of
those who, with faith in God Ind man. still
believe in the dignity of mere manhood, in
the divinity Of human nature, in the cspar
city Of man for selt-gcvernment, and that q