, 1876-11-17

ers over the late signal reNer>es 81
the Republican party in the United
States are few, and composed mainly
Of disappointed candidates and their
friends, and that diminishing class
that regards party success Of more
consequence than the preservation
Of purity and high aims in public
affairs. The feeling that prevailed
in this town, even among Republicans
of the best character, was one almost
of exultation that the sins Of the par
ty, which they had so long deplored,
had met with q retribution sufficient
to bring about a wholesome repent
ance and, it is to be hoped, a tho
rough reformation. The result of
the elections was only the natural
consequence of the course which the
party has been pursuing, and which
has been watched with regret,
amounting even to indignation, by
the better part of its own members,
those who once gave it character and
shaped its policy.
For the last three years there have
been earnest calls for reform and i'm
provement. Long possession of pow
er with exciting and absorbing
events had given occasion for the
creeping in Of abuses and irregular
tiles which were sure,i not corrected,
to destroy the confidence of the peo-
pie in an organization which had
commanded theirSfaith and allegi-
ance more completely than any polit-
ical body had ever done before.
Earnest and honest men tried hard
TO purge the party and restore it to
healthy condition, but its leaders
and managers we're infatuated, and
seemed to regard the party as i'm
pregnable. Nothing but the ordeal
20 which they have been subjected
could bring them to their senses.
Bad appointments to Office continued
to be made, the very men who had
brought reproach upon the party
were still put forward as candidates
for the peoples sufrages, public Off
ces were employed as enginery for
keeping up the party ascendancy,,
liberal and enlightened principles Of
public policy were ignored in the
struggle to gain petty ends, and the
murmers of discontentsamong the
people were disregarded or treated
with contempt. Independent news
papers throughout the country, some
Of them representing the sentiment
Of the people who were dissatisfied
with the tendency Of affairs, criti-
cised, protested and warned to little
purpose. Thus we see that the Re-
publicans have only themselves aud
their party leaders to thank for their
reverses.
The people of this country, as we
have heretofore asserted, cannot be
led, save by commanding their re-
spect and securing their approval by
wise and honest conduct. They
think for themselves, and party or
gans that assume to teach and guide
them make a mistake when they sup.
pose that false and plausible repre-
ssntations deceive them. Those
newspapers that have defended the
indefensible, that have tried to ex-
plain away and extenuate wrong do
ing, that have secuted at censure and
fault finding, and, with overweening
confidence have predicted unparal-
leled success as the result of the very
mistaken course that has been pur-
sued, have now an ample opportunity
for studying the logic of events and
dwelling on the retributive justice of
popular sovereignty. The orators of
the campaign who have taken a sim
liar course and, ignoring the real
wants of the time, have prated of