The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-12-30
COL. PLUMB TAKES AN AIRING.

rebels?
COL. PLUMB TAKES AN AIRING.
Col. Ralph Plumb, OF Streator, whom the
dark waves of oblivion seemed to have sud
denly swallowed up after the Morris conven.
p, ton last summer, suddenly pops to the sur
face in the Inter.OceaR and gives himself a
political airing. What the particular provo
cation Tor this intliction may be we are left
in the dark. Perhaps his ominous reticence,
since his cruel lay out last summer, has in
cited uuestlonings as to his enduring tealty to
the great radical party; or possibly sena.
torlal aspirations may have insinuated them.
selves into his mental composition. The
manel, it must be admitted, rests obviously
on the shoulders of Logan, and there is no
telling where it may tall
Whatever the motive however, the Colonel,
as touching his unbroken tealty to that politl-
cal conglomerate known as the republican
party, emits no uncertain sound. He belong.
ed to that combination from its origin, and
though it has had uninterrupted sway tor six
teen years, it has improved its time so poorly
as not yet to have reached "a point which
makes any abatement of devotion to the great
principle upon which it was founded either
advisable for the party or safe for the coun-
try" That great principle" is somewhat
loosely designated as the Fundamental idea
which the north holds upon the question OF
mans right to be free"
/ The Colonel, like most of the minor lights
of his party, (the greater ones, OF course, see
/ the righteousness of the delusionD is still
profoundly convinced that Opposition to the
spirit and purpose of the constitutional amend.
men,s is as real today on the part OF the
contederates of the south as it was before
Richmond fell" Like Mr.. Trimble, there
fore, one would infer that the Colonel regards
the indefinite prolo1gation of the political
combination known as the republican party"
as necessary to secure, some day. the "enforce.
ment of the amendments" Well, no-Col.
Plumb don't say that. In his view the pro
ongaton Of the lite OF the party is essential
tor apparently very different purposes. To
promote 1.-THE fundamental ideas which the
north holdsupon the question ofman's rights"
he insists on effective action on two other
questions whose correlation to the "funde-
mental principle" aforesaid is cerainly not
at the first glance apparent. In short, he
thinks the existence Of the great republican
party deserves prolongation now chiefly to
effect reforms IN two directions only, to wit:
those of civil service REFORM and reform in
the financial policy of the government.
In the matter of civil service his reform
would be decidedly radical. political opin-
ion," he says, "as a qualification for office,
must be ruled OUT and, probably that Gen.
Hayes, during the first term of his service,
may not be engaged in laying pipe to secure
his denomination over better men whom the
coonel's modesty forbids him to name, men
bers of congress must be absolutely deprived
of the use of the patronage whereby to secure
nominations and elections, even though the
election by the people Of large number of
federal officers should become necessary to
effect the reform"
But still more surprising and outre as Il
republican, is the colonies proposed reform"
on the financial question. Can he claim to be
a republican and not endorse the Cincinnati
platform and Mr.. Hayes's letter OF accep-
lance? Col. Plumb manifestly repudiates
both withou; formality or ceremony and pro-
ceeds TO insist that The life of the great rcpub.
| lican party isn't worth the skip of a louse"
and ought not TO be prolonged another day,
unless 1t proceeds the very week after 1t
again attains power to wipe out the entire
national bank circulation, dethrone gold and
silver as the basal circulating medium, and
restore the grcenback as the only legal tend
er, TO be issued in "such volume per capita of
population as the experience of other nations
would suggest and the wisdom of congress
should decide" SAID greenbacks "to be made
a legal tender for all debts, recoverable for
all government dues, including customs, and
be interconvertible with a fifty year coin
bond at Il low rate of interest"
Well-well! There's a programme for
you. But instead of beng the essence of re-
publicanism, don't this squint rather strongly
in the direction of Peter Cooper? Peter is
growing old-darling-growing DID, and
the party will soon need new leader and
then are there not six or seven independents
in the legislature, and don't they hold the
balance of power on the senatorial question !?
All, Colonel, you are a shy old dog!
Hon. I. j. Robertson, republican United
States Senator from South Carolina, whose
term expires with the present session of con.
prpss having been invited to be candidate