Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-05-11
THE DEATH STRUGGLE OF THE RE
PUBLICAN PARTY.
PART DilTIi.

PUBLlChN fhRl /. o.
PART IDil:Tu.
A single further illustration OF the .
dominating idea and ruling passion "i
the republican party remains t" be
noticed. The electoral commission,
which was agreed To under the appr"-
henson ui civil war, contained a rcPnb-
llcan majority OF eight to seven MAJ
that majority, Itself the product OF thy
party and Representative" "i liz ideas
and policy, would suddenly call :, hat
in the march OF events through winch
forty millions OF people We're 1" l't' dc
| prived of the right to choose their chI"i
iunctionaries was not to be- believed !or
moment by any man who w""b |
sobcrlv ponder The question. That tine
democratic leaders ana masses were 80
ready TO coniilH IN tn" honor aud pNtrl- !
| otism Of 4 commission - constituted |
seemed to us then, IL il does to-d1.. a
matter of profound @nazemrnt The
crime OF the commission, 1t i true. VA
perfectly match.eSo and continental, n
It's proportions. ar'i il wa, followed 3.
the troycr and conversion oi the Tci.
priucipIcs on which The battle tor lI.dca
and Hendricks had been fought. but II
was not an eccentric fact. suddenly n.,i,
ing its apparitj"n iii uuf politics. III i,-
| iiunce oi the law of cause ana effect. II
was the child OF the tuu ancestry which
could not iail 10 give 1t birth 1t wa>
simply the leaf AMI flower OF long wears
/, OF political corruption and prosperous
Guilt II was the achievement % tram
) ed mercenaricS. Who had 20 mastered
) the whole gamut OF kuayeYy and fraud
that their marvellous skill naturally cu.-
: minated in the theft OF the presidency
This is the naked Truth in its last ana!N-
sis. The republican iGdges and point
clans on the commission simply actc!
r alter their kind. They We're, themselves.
parts OF n iong-u>ed politica. machinery
" which had allowed no obstacles u stand
in its paths. We believe thcE tr.t tari'
own helpiessnesS as koen!I - thSI 81"
: plored the ugly work il imposed. They
must have been aware OF the di>hOueS'H :
and corruption oi the returning hohr' q"
st Louisiana They knew. OF course, tina
+ rilden and Hendricks had carried th'
!, state by not far trom eight thGu>ah'
A. majority. They knew that there was l..
III prrtext Whatever on which that haoiil
n could be destroyed. except that oi init
X lnidation, and that the board totally di~
regarded those provisions of the stat
law. Il compliance with which a""
% could give it any jurisdiction "h1t"N'
,d over the question, or any authority "\
cept to count the votes cast. lhr
knew that their retusa. to look INT" III
merits of the controversy was nANf
IS upon technical grounds alone, ANA tau
C. without going behind the returns at a!
nc but only to the returns. 1t was pcri"cl
competent Tort them To execute The hno"
IA will of the nation. But they were II
e. publicans, and had long breathcd I'll
pc unwholesome atmosphere "t III" part,
"a They were thoroughly mhnci with i
spirit and tradition. They were workin
H. for their employers. and could not /
81. expected to rid themselves OF the trcllu
M of party obligation, when the party it>r
-, was on trial for lis lite. Like uth'
~ republicans, they regarded the TRUMP
I'LL of the democrats rs Il national calainlt
he and esteemed the continuance OF r
,e. publican rule as m impc!inT desr
nj eratum, and they sought their lustlnc
ton in the same reasoning winch II
&C. party leaders have so long employed
10 cover up their mis,leedS and justify II
as continued existence oil their orgaHIZ
10 ton.
-. Such are the lengths 10 which Il
III republican party has been driven by
1t long indulged greed OF power n
as, spoils, and the deviIisn iutatuation til
uf- its good behavior during the war cou
Justify its career of wlessness and GRIN
US since. But its iina. card has been p!a
nS ed. The cup OF its transgrcsSons Is i'll
out and its boarded inlqu!tieS have n ID
to brought il 10 judgment. The Preside
49,. of the United States is the incumbent
" an Office TO which he was never elccie
MS and was finally counted in upon t
to pledge of his most intimate and trust
pht friends that he would turn his back up
ma. the very issue on which he had be
49,, supported in the canvass. While vai'
leu striving to wipe out 1.-The damned sp'
J of in the record of his title, the villains
sh- the Louisiana returning board, by VIII,
ON, crimes he mounted into power, are
the clutches OF the law and the repI
'"- llcan statesmen who abetted the Il
,ht, plot by their presence and moral ST
. of mort are evidently troubled by Il ''tear
looking for Judgment to come
has morally offended the great lead
any who directed and inspired his canvsi
still whom he is now striving to hold at b
be- and has shamelully Knocked the dema
,ose of the better element OF his party for
reform OF administrative abuses.
~ view of the well-drilied cohorts Of c
in ruption which confront him. the Il,
to- ouCh reform of our civil service wnI
that be an exceedingly difficult problem if
do were a man of iron will, perfect coura
"o- and absolute devotion to his task. E'
love then it might not be possible withou
owe popular uprising akin to that VIII
ded drove the Tammanv thieves from I'll
;, oh strongholds. 1T certainly cannot
hoped tor through L weak, irrcsol
WIN executive, holding his Office by fra
lind anxious to conclliate the men who
see serve no quarter, and afraid to look
.v. situation bravclv in the face. This
been demonstrated already by ia
ne which deserve passing notice.
ood, Filley, a politician and intriguer of V
in bad repute, is re-appointed postma
not at ST. Louis Mr.. Stought"n has b
made minister to Russia, as rews
un undoubtedly, for his services in ca,
Inc ing Louisiana for the president IN
nso- ance of s'clerical errors ". ..
rom The two chiet criminals OF the L
isiana returning board have at all til
anu had free access to the white house
was trusted friends. and are yet holding {:
,sed, important positions in the New or!e
hom custom house, while imprisoned
criminals just as it Grant were
e president. Babcock continues to
Flor in the sunshine of executive appro
,eau- THE removal of MIR. Arthur from