National Republican., 1879-04-30

and an unllinching advocate of Republican
principles. This much 1t aims and labors
to be, and if that is "beastly' we may be
obnoxious 10 the charge brought and not
without. We call things relating to politi-
cal matters by their right names. We call
treason treason and rebellion rebellion, for
there are no other 50 appropriate and sig
niiicant terms to apply TO them; but we do
not apply either TO individuals, whether in
| public or private life who give token that
| they have ceased to deserve the term. We
hold that those who attempted TO break
the bonds of this Union in 1861 were
traitors, and that all who took up arms
| against the Government were rebels and
nothing else, and II is not an unfair conclu-
sion that those who are constantly violat-
ing, resisting and seeking to overthrow the
measures born of the war to crush rebellion,
and which have become laws, are not fully
| purged of the taint of treason and rebellion.
BY their works we know aud judge them,
and though our course may be called
"beastly" by every ex-rebol and ex-sympa-
| thizer with rebellion in the land, we must
|
n juster judgment.
If we become "a libelous pandercr TO the
basest passions of the meanest of the
Northern people," when we defend the
rights of citizenship; contend for the STU
premacy of the law over violence and blood
shed insist that every citizen, white or
black, shall enjoy and exercise the right of
suffrage without molestaton; that the bal
lot-box shall be free to every legal voter to
vote once, and that none others shall be al
| lowed to vote at all that free exercise oil
political opinion i'll every State in the
| Union shall be tolerated that life shall
be respected Everywhere and equal and ex-
act Justice shall be secured to every Ameri-
can citizen, be he white or black, native or
foreign born, Republican or Democrat, then
we must plead guilty to that charge; but
we are yet to be convinced that such con-
tcntion renders us justly obnoxious to the
severe Judgment pronounced upon us at the
late Coniederal capital, where true loyalty
is yet to dawn. We shall no doubt continue
to offend, and our Richmond cotemporary
us; but this will only encourage us to
greater faithfulness in the discharge of n
duty which under the circumstances has
become clear and imperative.
The developments of the spirit Of the
South that have been made since this extra
session Of Congress commenced warn us Of
the dangers which impend over the country
even with the legislative branch of the Gov.
ernment in the hands of its enemies, and
how fatal it will be to the general welfare
to have the invasion extend any further
in that direction. The path of duty
has been made more clear, if possible
within the last month than ever before since
the close of the war, by the defiance hurled
, ut the Executive branch of the Government
from the South. 1t has become the duty o
every loyal citizen to put himself squarely
/ in the position he assumed during opel
rebellion, and defend the Government
against the advances and assaults of thos
who failed then to effect its capture. TIL
l issue is made by the late Confederates ant
: is pushed upon the Executive with malig
t nant power and olfensiveness The peo
o pie of the North and West have no alter
S native but to meet this issue with courag
and determination-begin the war of de
fense now-and never yield or surrender
point until in 1880 the citadel ha
+ been secured against danger, TIL
:, cohorts of lawlessness aud vic
. lence who have advanced upon til
: National Capital with murderous inten
i and who are traducing and seeking to mur
y der our best men, must be forced back int
= the harmless obscurity from which the
p have emerged, or be surrounded by sue
: influences Us will tame and hold in chec
N the bloody spirit which is now rapidly con
: ing TO the front. If it is 'beastly" to a.
;, peal to the loyal spirit Of the country
; arouse and defend the national honor IN
!, integrity in this hour of apparent DANCE
, then we must be so counted, for this dui
- will not be remitted under any consider
,r ton. We ''pander" only to the loyal patr
D. otism Of the country, and that may inclut
,e the meanest Of the Northern people," al
10 we shall so continue to 'pander," in Il
rs gratifying knowledge of the fact that Il
,e "meanest of the Northern people" are f
10 more to be trusted and respected than e.
le rebels and traitors.
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