The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-09-29
A Friendly Word With Honest Republic
cans.


never to rise again. Our country stands
to-day united ,one, indivisible; the Palmetto
and the Pine wave lovingly beside each
other DER the brow of Bunker Hill while
Southern chivalry and Northern manhood
warmly clasp each Others hands on the
threshold of new century. "Whom God
hath joined let no man put asunder."
"The Republican party is dead.' Two
short years ago this was the emphatic de-
claration of an eminent American statesman
and jurist who belonged to that organiza-
ton when it numbered patriotic, disinter-
ested men in its ranks; men whose voices
have seldom been heard of late ON national
affairs, and then only to overwhelm with
whitening contempt the incapables and
thieves who together have controlled the
destinies of our Union during the past ten
years. The Republican party is dead to-
day ejave and de tactO, dead as the issues
that gave it being and which have long
since passed into history but in its place
there stands an organization calling itself
by the same name, whose chiefs and rank
and file are banded together by the mere
cohesive power of public plumber.
The platform of the Republican party
was originally confined to the exclusion of
slavery from the Territories, and the con-
sequent prevention of other slave States
being added to the Union. That object
accomplished, the party had virtually no
logical reason for continuing its organiza-
ton but the spOliG 0pimG of the South,
added to the sweets of federal office hold
ing, were irresistible arguments against dis
banding; and as an excuse for continuing
in fol I'll 1 MI u laI
to the old platform with the high-sounding
name of Reconstruction" We were
grayely informed that "the party which
had carried on the war to a successful con-
clusion should be allowed to Reconstruct
the South in its own way :" and pretty
mess they have made of it during the last
ten years! The assertion that they, the
Republicans, had preserved the Union is
about as impudent a piece of lying as
sumption as can be found in the records Of
political history. The officers and privates
of the national armies belonged to our
various political organizations without
distinction; and as the Democratic party
has for long years been the most numerous
and influential political body in the United
States, it must readily be conceded, that
the soldiers of the Republic were mainly
Democratic. This fact is indisputable with
regard to the generals and subordinate
officers and it will be found equally true
in regard to the privates who served under
them. What then becomes of the unblush-
ing efFrontery of Republican leaders who
dare to assume that they and theirs saved
the Union
Reconstruction today is a .fait acc0mpH,
notwithstanding the insidious opposition
of the party now in power. "Flaunt aloft
the bloody shirt, keep open the bleeding
wounds widen the yawning chasm, en-
the wheels of government and justice trail
the ,faSces in the dust and let the cleaning
bayonet flash over that symbol ofauthority;
do this, aye more; do anything, so that
we may retain the helm of State, or
'Othcllo's occupation is gone.'" This has
been the policy of Grants administration
from the inception of his Presidential
career; and the same policy will continue
to rule our national affairs if the line of
succession be transmitted from the Jack
Shepherd of to-day to the Jonathan Wild
of tomorrow. 1t is the same old school,
and Installing the same old lesson of diUide
pro imperare, which met lately at Cincin-
natl but these arch tricksters are blinded
by success, and little known the firm-set
determination of the sovereign American
people.
Reconstruction exists to-day in spite of
them. The various State Governments are
quietly conducting their local affairs as
they did twenty years ago, wherever Fed
eral bayonets do not overawe the voters !;
the representation of that section in Con-
gress is complete, active, and loyal; and
an absolute determination of all our cit
liens exists, thank God throughout the
Union, unless rendered impossible by
Grant and his myrmidons. 1t is therefore
clear as the sun at MONDAY, that the Re-
publican party has no pretext whatever
for continued existence on account of any
undecided issues of the war. Nevertheless
it refuses to disband, although according
to the Hon. VIM. M. Evarts, 9" its term OF
enlistment has expired" and with consum-
mate etfrontery, actually seeks permission
from the citizens it has outraged to retain
its hold of the reins of government during
the next four years. Such terrible even
tuality would 60 far towards abs olutely de-
stroying the liberties of this Union and its
repute with foreign nations; and it is time,
therefore. that honest Republicans take
stock of the position to which we are re-
duced examining carefully the records of
the candidates submitted to them for
office. a
Grant, with his cohorts of Babcocks,
Belknaps, Shepherds, Colfaxes, Chambers,
Robesons, CT id genus Onane, could never en-
list the sympathies of honest patriots at
the present crisis in our national affairs,
but the very same influence which elected