The Indiana State sentinel., 1876-08-30
REFORM.
An !IlE?EIlET? OPINION.
The OVERSHAD0WlNG ISSUE
OF THE HOUR.
George w. Julian on the
Grant Administration.
SCATHING COMMEN NrARY ON
REPUBLl CAN ROTTENNESS:
Warning Words From an Anti
Slavery Champion.
CLARION REPLY TO MOLOCH NOR
TON, BY ONE WHO KNOWS
THr FACTS

ld1 Il AUS.
THE PLAIN DUTY OF THE INDEPENDENT
VOTER Is TO BELIEVE THE WAR Is OVER
AND CAST HIS BALLOT FOR NEw DIsPEN-
sATIoN-TILDEN AND HENDRICKS THE
MEN FOR THE TIMES.
Mr.. CHAIRMEN AND FELLOW CITIZENS:
1t can scarcely be necessary for me 10 re-
mark that do not appear before you tonight
as a partisan, but an independent voter. 1
am member OF neither OF the great organi-
zations Eow strug ling Tor the mastery; and,
while am re dy to take my stand in the
pending national canvass, aud to aYow the
reasons for nv action, prefer To retain my
entire political Independence. The perfectly
faultless and strais LACED party man occupies
aradically different position. n e fee Is Obliged
TO defend his party both as 10 what IL las
DO done In TIN sne snIe past ana Hs Tnas MAJ IL may may
outside OF IL no good thing can exist,
and that inside OF II all needed reforms mus
orig nate. The platform Of his party is his
confession OF political faith, and whoever
adds TO IL or takes from 10 is to be counted a
hereto, who snoulu be summarll' and sound.
ly anatnematlzed. The dlscip inc of his party
Is like that of an army, or military camp.
II a member Is found gulItyo characterization
he m ust be shot as "A deserter, and branded as
an enemy OF seciety, II not traitor TO his
country. This fIjghtful tyranny over inoivid-
ual judgment and conscience, Is the root and
source of the Il o. startling vi ses and deprav-
tiles which now affiict our poll les and scourge
society. IL is, OF course, the deadly foe Of all
measures looking u the reformation of politi
vOcate the truth with halter about his neck?
If his party is deity 10 De wor shipped, or a
master to oe served, with what pioprlety or
decency can he unfuIl the flag of reform?
Every passing day confirms me in the
truth of what said our years
ago, that p 1liti al party Ould be regarded
agency, now and then made Necessary by
some new turn Ia the wheel OF our politics,
and useful only so long as the occasion Tor L.
poIary combins ton OF men Inspired
by common political aim; and
co%b,natia5 %neb that h0nd 1m b mp ished 1 the
ing done its work, and being untitled Tor
new tasks, IL becomes stumbling block In
by degenerating into a faction.
TIE OLD PARTIES AND THE POLITICAL
SITUATION.
The force of tn sse observations is ftly Illus
trated in the political situation to-day. Here
are two powerful national parties engaged In a
fierce struggle for the ascendency. They are
graphing with each other a. IL the salvation
OF the republic awaited The result OF the con-
marshaled them against each other, and for
years kept alive their animosities,
are all absolutely settled. Their
10 the same music. Their antsgonisms are
inspired far less by any radical diuereD ces OF
Memories snd ira i,ionaT9 ba " es Which ES
should bs allowed to sleep,but which continue
to stand In the way of our national well be-
Ing. Pending this emblttered struggle for
power, the cry for reform comes up from the
people, wholly irrespectiv of parry lines, and
endeavoripg as bs st It can, to voice itself in
form go forward? These Old pa ties we're or
ganized to deal wit h osher and very different
posed OF; and, what the cSuotry now needs is
acomplele reconstruction OF parties in re-
sponse TO the demand OF the people for puri-
fed politics, instead of orcing the new vine
OF reform into old bottles which have served
their purpose aud hzve been defiled by some
very QUESTIONABLE uses Parties SHOULD be the
progress, and not alag super1uous," as OBJ
struclions 10 the general welfare. II is true
preach % % the gospe of Heform ;o1t they they preach il
and intend TO practice IL subject TO party dis
cipline, and thus unsvOidabiy throw Them
solves in Its way. Is he Hepub lean party the
ut and chosen instrument OF Reform? In the
light of Its record of profit acy and plunder
for years past, II would be impossible 70 per-
suade honest Democrats TO trust NJ. Is the
Democratic party any more acceptable TO hon.
est Republican 50 They point 10 IT'S war record
ton both prior and subsequent TO the late
civil war. This Is our political dilemma, and
these are the consiuera ions which press upon
Intelligent, consc eDu0us men To-day, 6
they did four ye rs ago. Taey gave birth 10
the Libey Republican party, and the combi-
nation thus formed for the overthrow Of
Grantism, VII ch had us .rped the cInIrol of
the Republican Organization L lab Jred for
this comb o p ION With all my lnighi, because
ep,ancipation of the people from
owing s To the p0n1c nnn ros,s,n,ion =;
new movement was de eated at the polls
The Democrats ter having caughl aglim pse
Of the promised land OF Iodepen0enc- tainted
by The way, and Ell back into neir old party
intrenchments. The Liberals likewise became
disheartened. Isstesd OF re-organiz ng Iner
forces and calling for recruits In o. der 10 re-
newal OF the fight, they suffeS ed the eir army TO
upon the enem y detschments Of our forces,
10 general engagement II the whoIe after a
tnorough organizatlon for the PURPOSE In
stead Or commanding their own iorLresses by
pushing 'rward the work with tue courage
and strong will Of the early ab ,litioEists, they
adopted s,Ip ~, she pol cy OF novsrlng along the
sional descent here ana there upon one or Ihe
other Of them, in the hope Of thus
always Sas seemed @ TO OF me s'0rT That " thi. ha.
was great mistake. ser ously retardIng the
progress which different policy would have
THE POSITION OF THE INDEPENDENT yorEr
his DUTY.
do not deHy that much good h as been done
by the independent political action to which
] have referred We should acknowledge thi,
with thankfulness. The lesson of the Gin
@idabie febeison against Saity IS sev-r for
reform has ,orced its way into both
Ing hand Is seen both in, Iheir . stforms and
In their nominations. In the national strug-
gle OF this year, tLe.men who ablure party dis
cipline are strong enough TO determine the re-
suit No man nov occupies position of 50
much importance and responsibility as the In
dependent voter. Bot ne finds the question OF
present duty singuiaTly com plicated by cir
cumstances which the logic OF political events
has compelled him To consider. He
wonId gladly have Joined q new or
gsnizstion, wholly unshackled by the
politics OF the past, and bic Vigorou ly
toprIsecute the work OF reform buf no such