Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-03-15
Where the Republican Party Stands,

Where the Republican Party Stands,
Mr.. GEORGE w. JULIAN prints in the
last number of the North american Re
Uie,C an article which he denominates
The Death Struggle of the Republican
Party" but which he might with as
great propriety have called 1.-The Last
Screech of Disappointed Democracy"
1t is nothing but restatement of all
the causes of olfenses which have been
given by the Republican party since the
war, and, by implication, an indorse-
ment of the Democratic party. We do
not propose at this time to consider
fully the first branch of his argument;
for it is evident that his main purpose
is to place the Republican party on the
defensive, and to insinuate his own
party into favor by a kind of legerde-
main. 1t is unquestionably true that
the Republican party has committed
some errors. 1t would be strange if
party that had held power so long, and
which was charged with the response
bilities of government during the try
ing period that followed the war, had
been free from fault. 1t is great mis-
take for any writer to treat party or
ganization as an individual, and to
make it responsible, in its own name
and for its own sake, for every fault it
may have committed. In other words,
it is unphilosophical to entertain preju-
dice against party merely as such. If
it has high aims now, and presents good
men for office, and if it has on the whole
been Il permanent benefit to the coun-
try, there is no reason why confidence
should be withdrawn from it on the
dictum of an ambitious and Jealous
rival. Still further: If it has proved
itself more worthy of confidence than
the party which is likely to take its
! place, it ought to have the continued
support of the people.
Now what have been the facts with
reference to the Democratic party? 1t
sought to destroy the Union Granting
that it has since repented bitterly of
that crime, what evidence is there that
it has brought forth works meet for re-
pentance? What disposition has it
shown to accomplish reform in any de-
partment of the Government? to protect
the Treasury against thieves? to vindi-
cate the honor of the Government at
home or abroad? We defy any man to
show that the Democratic party has
shown any sympathy with civil-service
reform. Its intentions with reference
to the whole Government can only be
judged by its treatment of that branch
of Government which it has already OBJ
tanned possession Of The Democratic
party has had majority in two success
sive Congresses in the National House
of Representatives. The spectacle of
office-hunting, trading and log-rolling
that has been presented there has been
shameful and demoralizing. The scram-
BILE for the Speakership was naturally the
| first occasion for the exercise of reform
principles. 1t was so hotly contested
that the majority in the House is now
divided into three factions, headed re-
spectively by the present Speaker and
two of the unsuccessful aspirants for
the place. The effect of this partisan
division is perceived in the organiza-
ton of the committees, by which the
ablest men on the Democratic side are
degraded to inferior positions, and the
important Chairmanships farmed out
as personal perquisites to friends of the
Speaker. The same greed for power
was exhibited in the distribution of the
other offices controlled by the House.
In two Congresses there have been
three Doorkeepers. Two of these have
been dismissed for cause, and the third
is now the object of an investigation.
The real cause of offense in each in
stance was that the Doorkeeper could
not withstand the immense pressure
that was brought to bear upon him to
| MI N fTia dc TNf
cratic members. The present Door
keeper testified under oath that he had
been compelled to increase the number
of his assistants beyond the legal limit,
and to reduce the salaries accordingly,
in order to meet this pressure. And
because he could not, with all his eX-
ertiOns, satisfy the demands of his Dem
ocratic masters, charges were trumped
up against him and he is now threat
ened with dismissal. The eagerness
for office that has been shown in the
House has been shown out of it. We
! find 5. s. Cox, who the other day de-
nounced the President as "a fraud
writing recommendation for Office for
the notorious George II. Butler, and adj
dressing it to the President of the Unit
ed States, II. b. Hayes; while the South
ern Senators Eustis, Butler, Hill, La
mar aud Morgan have been among the
most persistent Office-seekers, and have
virtually constituted a new Senatorial
| Group.
The Democratic party has been no
better as Watchdog of the Treasury
than it has been as purifier of the
civil service. 1t is the recognized
champion of four distinct subsidy
schemes, any one of which would re-
quire additional taxation. These schemes
are; () For the building of the Southern
Pacific Railway; (2) For the subsidiz-
ing of lines of steamships to Brazil and
China; (3) For the pensioning of eX-
Confederate soldiers under pretense of
relieving the Mexican volunteers; (4)
For building levees along the Mississip-
pi River These mammoth Jobs are
hidden under pretense of economy,
the only effect of which thus far has
been to cripple the efficiency of the
Pension Bureau and the army, and to
deprive the professors at West Point
of few little comforts. The Demo
cratic party also promotes by every
means in its power the calamitous war
fare that has been instituted by dema-
gogues and ignorant labOrers upon
the organized capital of the country.
The Republican party stands as IA
bulwark of defense against the accom-
plishment of these pernicious designs,
If IL had no other mission than to pro
tect the country against the Democratic
party, it would have sufficient reasons
for existing and being perpetuated; but
it has higher and better aims than this.