The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1876-05-04
MEN ARE NOT PARTIES.

| olteu we near OI men VINO nave WORMS
or some other isms, starting a new party
that is to become national, and sweep the
country. Generally they are men who
are cracked Drained, or one-idea men, and
who think the whole world must come to
their ideas, and that those who do not are
radically wrong; but occasionally some
prominent politician, soured because he has
| not had all at the hands of the party that
he desired, who thinks because he has been
elevated far above the heads of ordinary
men, that he can swerve the masses,
starts off on new party, in opposition to
the old one, only to find how weak and
powerless he is, and how little the average
American especially if he be a Republi-
CAM thinks of men when they have desert
ed the principles of the party that made
them. We have many notable instances
in the Republican party. Sumner, who
was for many years pet of the masses
of the party flew off because his dictum
was not taken, believing he would ruin the
party, but he found out too late that
man was not party. Seward equally
honored made almost the same mis-
take. Greeley, ambitious but unsuccess-
full, was lured on by the tempting bait of
a Presidential nomination, and fell, and
the defeat of that campaign cost him his
life. Schurz thinking he could carry the
whole German vote, sold himself out,
only to find he had been following q will
o-thewisp. Look at the campaign of
1872, with Greeley heading the Demo
cratic ticket, and taking his Tribune with
him; Sumner and Schurz and many such
former Republicans supporting him show
ing following that would surely bring
strength if leaders was all that was need
ed, and yet the coalition was one of the
worst defeated parties that ever appeared
for suffrage. These illustrious examples
should teach the common, ordinary mortal
that he cannot hope to succeed in wild
goose chase, and teach him that people
worthy to compose this great Republic,
look far over the heads of men, to princi-
ple But it should further teach others
that these same votes will weigh the men
who are placed before them on the plat
form of a party backed up by principles,
and pass their own judgment upen their
real worth, and determine whether they
really and truly represent that principle.
For instance; if the Republican party
should nominate some corrupt man, at
Cincinnati, and proclaim for reform, the
party would be buried out of sight. So if
it would nominate rebel and declare for
the blue; ornominate Southern sympa-
thizer and declare in favor of giving the
negro his rights. The party has great
duty to perform, an important trust in
its keeping, and it must faithfully dis
chargeit. To do so fully and to the en-
tire satisfaction of all, it has only to be
true to itself. To nominate some of the
good men who are candidates, and adopt
a platform broad enough for the nation
that that man must govern, and we will
sweep onward to victory as heretofore
But that candidate must be a man that
the people have confidence in, fully and
complete. One who can unite and not
sever. One who knew the blue from the
gray, and knowing, loved it. We have
plenty such. Blaine, Hayes, Sherman,
Morton, Conkling, and any number more
Whatever we do at Cincinnati, let us
not make the mistake of foisting weak,
unknown experiment upon the party for
its head piece. To do our duty, we must
have our best men on the State delega-
tions. Let us of Iowa do our part, and
send men of judgment, men Of sense,
and above all men of principle. Let us
show the public by our delegates that we
propose to cut off corruption, to bury
rottenness, to stop fraud, and then let US
do it. The Republican party is the only
one that dared punish its own criminals.
Let us always do so. The people are not
afraid to trust patty that will apply the
knife to its own fostering limbs, and lop
off the offending parts. Do these things,
and we need not fear the peoples verdict.