National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-06-23
PARTIES SHOULD REMAIN HONEST AND
OPEN ADHERSARIES.

1 'ffN mn EhSfHffp
We have seen that the people of o free
country are represented by parties organized
in the support Of principles maintained hy
the several divisions among them. and we
have endcavorcd to make II clear that par
ties act rs q check upon the excuses OF each
other and to rcstnin any tendency of the
Government toward Capitalization or the
eXcrtiOn Of undue authority But our
| meaning in yesterdays article was q little
cloudcd by typographical errors, and We re-
produce brief excerpt for the purpose of
correcting It and completing the ground
| work Tor what we have now to say. We
said 1T is certain our danger
| does not lie in the direction of
| the people, but in the usurpaliOuS OF the
Governments Hence there cannot be too
great vigilance in the people, and Us vigi-
lance Is never exercised where no enemy Is
| feared and all are supposed TO be lrirnds, no
| scniinclS will be maintained in politics
where there are no parties-all being united
in one and then IL the time the usurprr
will steal an inroad upon the liberties Of
the country, and before suspicion il aroused
1t may bc too late TO retrieve the lost posi-.
ton" Thus we contend TINT there il
no safety without the vigilance Of parties
on the watrh-,owcrs of liberty. to guard
l
| to restrict the power Of the Government
| within the limits OF the Constitution, and
VIZ shall now affirm what would appear 10
I've u scli-cvidcnt proposition IL we arr right
in our premises, hut for the fact TINT lrcent
agitationS on the subject OF reform have IT,
suited IN convincing many that the better
opinion is that parties should he consoli-
dated-we shall Insist that IL is the duty of
parties to maintain themselves in their ut
most efficiency TO the end that ifin the major
| ity and in power they may have ample means
| of enforcing the principles approved by the
people In their success at the polls, aud if
in the minority and on guard, they may
have sufficient force to make their influence
| felt in preventing assaults upon the barriers
Of the Constitution by any eXubenincc OF
power manifested by the Administration.
II will he conceded on all hands that
what the majority of the people vote to sils-
| tain il right, 80 far as the question of right
can he permitted to enter into the admins
| tation of the Government, and that when
| II party has been called to power by such u
vote upon issues clearly defined in the cleo
| ton, il il entitled to regaul its principles Us
| being at least rs good as those of any other
party, if IL may not claim iniallibility for
them. At all events It may assume that
they represent the views of the people, and
that they are therefore right in n political
sense, " not strictly in moral essence. And
thus fortified it Is not only its right, but its
privilege and duty to proloug the trust of
power iu its hands by all proper means, 40
long rs IL shall continue to deserve equally
well the people. ltcannot be disputed that
II sound in its views they should prevail in
the Government, nor will il he denied that
IL honestly believing itself the true exponent
Of the Republican principle, it should strive
to retain the power Of administering the
Government in its interest rs long rs posi-
BILE. And if this position is unquestionabl
then il is equally established that il is the
duty OF u party in power TO strengthen its
lines and deienses by every natural aux
Hilary, and violence on its part to both duty
and principle TO fritter away its resources
in attempted realization Of Utopian dreams
by bestowing Its gifts upon its enemies
in the vain hope of obliterating party
lines and removing discussions from the
deliberations Of the people, when, IL possible
to accomplish, the contamination would
prove II weakness to the cause of liberty by
leaving the approaches TO its citadel without
q sentry. II is therefore the plain dictate
Of reason and conscience that the Admins
tration shall use the patronage Of the Gov
crnmcnt in advancing the interests Of the
party speaking " into existence, ny putting
none but honest and capable adherents Of
that party on duty in any position of trust
or profit; and il is the shcerest sentimental.
ism to talk of consulting the interests of the
country by using the power committed to
its charge by a majority Of the people foi
their own benefit and for the promo,
ton oil the principles they entertain, ia
strengthen and sustain the opposition they
have defeated at the polls-and particularly
so when by clear understanding of the
subject il is seen that IN unsubsidizcd and
incorruptible minority is rs essential TO tn,
well being of the country as sound policy Is
to the counsels Of the majority. For thest
reasons we submit that the interests of tn,
country demand that whether in power Of
out, parties shall treat each other M homes
adversaries, and that il will be fatal to tn,
Republic when elections cease to lie rea
issues, and administrations cease TO repre-
sent majorities by reason of party traffic
either before or after the then useless con
test at the polls
I - y N n a IN