National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-03-19
the DUTY or PARTIES IN RESPECT
OF RERORM.

OF moral aud political elegy would appear
to properly celebrate the causes of the gen.
eral catastrophe to ambitious aspirauts, aud
SUN up the future uses to which they may
be applied in the lives of public men. No
better field for the display of this order Of
genius will probably ever disclose itself to
the American people, and If II docs not pro.
duce poet as powerful and plaintive as
the occasion is suggestive and sorrowful 1t
will be because the situation has had the
effect to disorder the senses and silence the
sentiment Of the people to greater extent
than similar events have done In the his.
tory of any nation since the Introduction OF
letters among men. There Is not only the
sepultnre of individual politicians but OF |
entire parties, to be sung and the harrow.
ing tales Of several and collective misfor-
tunes are, or may be, rendered the most
touching of any on record.
But, to leave bddinagc. were the people |
really capable Of efficient self government
the cause would appear unequal to- the ef-
feet produced. Were the people truly vr-
tuous, and worthy of their privileges, re-
form which promised only the general
good would be advocated by all, except the
corrupt ones which are inseparable to every
community, whose, personal interests ever
outweigh the common welfare In deciding
their conduct. There would be no assocla-
tons of citizens, who, from envy or disap-
pointment In not being themselves the
agencies of the r,fJrms needed, would
unconscionably oppose their adoption, and
..-.. Of D a al
van,agcs conceded to them. Until free
people appears whose masses are capable
of rising above party considerations when
the public good is concerned, there is no
guaranty for the security Of the institutions
they profess to love. 1t may be that ours
will prove such people. in the present In.
stance. and that, in the end, only
few isolated misanthropes from per.
| sonal discontinue will be found arrayed
against the benefcent measures announced
as the controlling policy Of the Administrs-
ton, aud that We are about to enter upon
an era Of peace and prosperity proceeding
from national unity and accord, unprece.
deu,ed in our own and unexampled In the
history of any other country. And If so,
the foundation Of American independence
will he relaid on safer strata than has ever
before supported the structure OF our Gov.
erpment. But to secure so exalted n des.
tiny the good men Of all parties must lay
aside the affiliations which bind them to
preiudice and unite in unbroken ranks
AGAINST the eviIs of vice and ignotance
which. of necessi,v prevail largely among
the lower classes of all neoples and ner.
ns,pa,,v war pnon every means looking IN
tha, elevation or morals which arra;gns
their conduct and punishes their ofienses
the good against the bad, irrespective Of
other considerations. And vet this is a
contamination which seems almost Utopian
in prospect. and probably will so result to a
considerable extent In practice. But while
It NAV be impossible to ant agonize the good
aud bad. as such. in politics and while II II
were done 1t might prove detrimental to
society and to the State, 1t is neverthe.
less true in a general sense, that, TO a
great extent, such must be the fact in rs
gard to the common interests of the people,
In respect of the enforce ment of the laws,
II must ALWAYS be the case; aud could not
be other with any security to life,
liberty and property. However, touching
any great measure of public policy II
representatives of parties would ensure to
themselves, and those who come after
them, the blessings of liberty and happi.
ness, they must have the manliness to sun.
port the principles which they know to be
Just by whomsoe yer su ggested, and with.
out reference to official relations or indl
vldual benefit.
So in regard to the two great reform,
now contemplated. one of which ia in
disnepsable to that unity in which alon,
there Ia strength. and the other ante
AZ necessary to the efficiency and
puri,v of the administration of the Gov
eminent. The Democratic party hayins
ever built upon the one and professet
friendliness to the other, is not now a
b. liberty to repudiate both. because the,
: have been proposed by their opponen,s
o and If successfully carried ont must civ,
r. do 40 wo,,Id h. % hani,h n,,r;o,,.u
r. 60, ,so;r -, ona tit ,hr.,,, 81,