National Republican., 1878-04-10
UNITY-HARMoNY-sUCCEss.

1t Is noticeable fact that in the recent Re.
publican caucus that of those whose criticism
was the severost no one had cure for tho
situation which he denounced-Lo one a diff
feront solution Of the pcrilous difficulties un-
der which the Administration entered OH its
duties, and under which 1t still labors. Blindly
ignoring the perls of the past and present, and
indifferent, apparently, to the probable conse-
quences, they prated about the failure Of the
Radical reconstruction programme in thsSouth.
Is that either statesmanlike or patrioticr II
there Is any possible solution consistent with
tho welfare Of the nation and party, different
from that adopted by the Administration, why
not proclaim itr Why not give the Admins
tratiOn the benefit Of their plan and permit 1t
TO decide upon its merits? Senseless clamor
about losses anywhere will not euro the situa-
tion.-NdtiOnal Union.
The people are the party, and Presidents,
Senators, and Representatives are their SER
wants. The popular will makes and un-
makes all these, and they are the creatures
of an hour-while the party organization
and its cardinal principles live right on.
The criticism which we quote above from
an accredited Administration source, Is an
arraignment of the leading men Of the Re-
publican party who had met for consulta-
tion as to the impending political dangers
and their causes, and to devise ways and
means by which the nation can be saved
from Democratic sp0liation. That there
should have been conviction Oh the part
of any that these dangers have been aug
mented by Republican Administration, is
to be deeply regretted; but that such a
feeling has obtained in the great body of the
party throughout the country, cannot be
truthfllly denied. Those Republicans who
met in caucus for consultation could do no
less than review the field and survey the wide
spread disaster that had bereft their party
of strength ir the South which was their
rightful inheritance and which has been dis.
sipated. This was natural and it was duty
if these gentlemen had met with an ear
nest purpose of understanding the situation
and pure desire to avert the worst cOnse.
quenccs to the country that impend there.
upon. For this these gentlemen are openly
charged with "blindly ignoring the periis Of
Me past and present, and indifferent apparently
10 The probable consequences, They prdted about
the failure Of The Radical reconstruction pro-
grdmme in The South"
These terms and this arraignment must
sound strangely in Republican ears, so long
as they do not come from Democratic
source, from whence such disrespectful utter.
anccs usually come. What is g. the radical
reconstruction programme In the South
that these Republicans were prating about
1t was nothing more nor less than the Con,
stitution of the United States and it,
amendments, which guarantee to every
man, black or white, equal political ant
civil rights before the law. This, together
with that vital clause which guarantees t,
each State in the Union a republican form
of government, forms the radical recon
struction programme" which is referred
to with "a sneer Of contempt /
the Administration has done all in III
power to secure to the Southern States
pure and efficient republican form of GOV
ernment, it is in no degree responsible 70
impending consequences. If it has not don,
all it could then, 80 far as it has failed /,
nterpose its arm in defense of the individ
ual and political rights guaranteed to al
men by the Constitution, it has fallen shor
of the mark of its constitutional duty Th
is all there is of the question and if to dis
cuss it null its bearings and relations il
'senseless clamOr," then those gentlemen
who met to consider the national good ant
the best means of sustaining it have in
dulged in acts Of apprehension.
1t is not our purpose to defend or arraigr
these gentlemen. They met for patriot,
purpose, and they freely and frankly dis
cussed the situation, with = view, no doubt
to discover tho ills that impend over tn,
future, and, if possible to provide remedy
therefor. We doubt if any good is to com,
of review of the past year, except perhaps
that lessons of wisdom may be drawn
thcreirom. The Southern wing of tn,
Republican fabric has been laid in ruins
The calamity is upon us, and every true