Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-09-22
The Work of the Republican Party.

PROBABLY there IS no man in the COun
try who is doing more efficient work for
the election of Hayes and Wheeler than
Col. Robert G.. Ingersoll, the Illinois or.
ator. His presence in the East has been
almostmagnetic. He has infused spiritinto
the campaign wherever he has gone. His
speeches are of the vivid and enthusias-
tic kind which arouses men to great per.
sonal interest, the lack of which alone
will enable the old-tim Bourbon Democ-
racy to regain the control they forfeited
sixteen years ago by treason, strategy
and spoils. His New York speech ought
to 60 the length and breadth of the land,
and arouse the patriotism of the American
people, which can find no. abiding-place
outside of the Republicanparty. 1t ought
to be repeated, or more of the same kind
spread abroad, in Indiana, to draw more
honest votes than can be offset by the i'm
portation of Kentucky Democrats and
the colonization of the tramps. 1t has
the true ring of glory. Here is single
sentiment from that New York speech
which ought to make every man vote the
Republican ticket who ever voted it in
his life, and attract thousands to an as
sociation with the conspicuous party of
liberty in all the history of the world.
Said Col. Ingersoll: |
The United States of America is a free
country; 1t is the only free country upon this
earth; it is the only Republic that was
ever established among men We have read,
we have heard, of the Republic of Greece, of
Egypt, of Venice; we have heard of the cities
of Europe. There never was Republic in
Venice, there never was Republic in Rome,
there never was Republic in Athens, there
never was free city in Europe, there never
was Government not cursed with slavery,
there never was Government not cursed
with almost every infamy until the Republi-
can party of the United States made this
free nation. / want no grander, no higher
title OF nobility than this: that belong to the
Republican party and did a little toward
making this Republican party fact.
This is plain matter of fact clothed
in the most glowing garb of eloquence.
1t is to the Republican party that the
United States of America owes its exist
ence as a National Republic, in which
every man enjoys perfect personal free
dom and equal political rights. Before
the ascendency of the Republican party,
and under the dominion of the old-ti
Democratic State-sovereignty doctrine,
we had nothing but confederation, or
a league, or treaty between separate po-
litical entities, to be disrupted at the
pleasure of any of the contracting parties.
That was the doctrine that Buchanan
acted upon when he gave the rebels all
their opportunities for a successful re-
volt. II was the doctrine acted upon by
Tilden when he refused to sign a call for
a New York mass-meeting (after the firing
on Sumter) to support the Constitution
and the laws. 1t was the doctrine that
suggested the peace resolution of the
Democratic party in 1864, when Tilden
was member of the Resolutions Com
mittee. 1t was the doctrine which sug-
gested the illegality of the war debt and
led up to the agitation for reputation
which the Democratic party tried for
years, and which it still entertains in a
large degree. 1t is the doctrine that now
controls the political conduct of the ex.
who expect to enable the
Democratic party to gain control of the
Government and who count upon con
trolling the party. II is the doctrine
that suggests the Introduction into Con-
gress of bills for the payment of the
rebel claims and losses by the. Confed.
crates during the prosecution of the war.
II is the doctrine which, still possessing
the souls of the Democratic leaders, needs
only the opportunity to precipitate again,
in some shape or other, all the ills the
country has already suffered from it.
Not Onlywas this country not nation,
but neither was it a Republic in the true
sense of the word until the Republican
party succeeded in applying its princi-
pies to the Government 1t was parody
On the name of Republic as long as mill
ions Of men and women were held as
and kept in a condition of en-
forced servitude and semi baTbarism. 1t |
was TO perpetuate this condition of
Ihings-a blight upon the Republicanism
Of the world and a disgrace to America
that the very same Democrats of the |
South asserted their theory that the |
United States of America is not nation, |
and sought to destroy il forever. That |
spirit is not yet crushed out. II awaits
but the opportunity TO reassert itself. 1t |
has reasserted itself, in fact, In every |
portion Of the South where the Confeder-
ltes have regained the political ascend
'ncy. 1t now seeks to spread itself over
'he country. The principle of equal
political rights for all men, which is the |
feature of modern Ameri-
'an republicanism as compared with re-
in other ages and countries,
las already been trodden under foot in
very part Of the South where the Con-
ederates have been. able TO resume con
rol with the aid of the bowie knife and
he revolver,
II is but little more than ten years
lince the rebels laid down their arms.