The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-12-06
A PLEA FOR THE REPUBLIC.
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ton of the constitutional republic.
Shail'the American principle remain ?
Shall the Democratic idea continue
Shall the simple, farmer republic last ?
All other questions are less than these
in the politics of the next twelvemonth.
The Democratic principle has large
majority of the people of this country
as its adherents. Local self-govern-
ment, home rule, exalting the indi-
viduai, keeping the Government rather
than men in subjection-thi is the
American principle. For this the fight
is to be made in the year ahead of us.
| The peril of one man power overhangs
the republic. In this great, free nation
there is demand for strong man." a
man stronger than the constitution
When that demand is Endorsed by an
emphatic majority of the voters of the
! United States the end of the republic
! is at hand. The growing power of cor
| porations, the growth Of the power of
4 great cities, the alaning tendency
! toward the Capitalization of power in
Washington, are dangers to the re-
| public. There must be union of
all its friends to save it from these
+ perils. Men who, three or four years
ago were shocked at the suggestion
that one man should be President of
this republic twelve years now sur
round the silent man as he marches
across the continent, and hail his can.
didacy for third term as a lovely
| thing. There is a longing for a Gov
'ernment, not within the constitu-
ton, but outside of and beyond it,
for man and a Government stronger"
than the constitution. This longing
is an enemyof the republic and foe
of free government on this continent.
1t is to this danger, or these dangers,
that the efforts Of the friends Of the
republic must be unitedly addressed.
The existence OF, the republic as it was
is the great end. And we will not be-
lieve that the American devotion to the
American principle has been extin-
guished. The same impulses that sent
so many thousands of men into the war
for the protection OF the Union under
the constitution will impel men to
cling to the constitutional republic in
time of peace.
The Democratic party has been the
traditional party of discipline. Since
the beginning of the century the Dem
ocratic devotion has been lofty and adj
mirable. That discipline has apparent
]y relaxed somewhat within few years.
For nearly twenty years the Republican
party has held the spoils; and spoils, to
great extent, make discipline. The
Democracy no longer have an unor-
gsnized or a disorganized foe to con-
tend against; but, on the contrary,
party with all the machinery of Govern
ment, with all the patronage; party
audacious, inscriptions and terribly
resolute. The taking Of the current
Presidency by the Republican party
was a-wound inflicted upon free gov
eminent, not SO much because one man
rather than another was placed in the
White House, but because the methods
by which party took power we're such
as to, diminish respect for republican or
democratic institutions. The purity of
the republic was, at least, brought
in question. lHer chastity was dis
puted. The virtue OF The republic,
which, in its early days, was as holy as
wifely fidelity OF maiden1yI honor, is
become topic tossed from scoffing lips
| to lips more disrespectful, and there are
men in high places who, like re-
splendent harlot, boast of the shame.
All this is demoralizing,, The love for
the simple republic is diminishing. The
respect for the constitutional powers is
growing less. The Democratic princi-
ple,. the American idea, is weakened in
the affections ofsAmericans. The hold
ers of political power have, in order to
obtain power, SO infamed sectional pas
| sion that there is almost a willingness
toabanc on the republic. The tendency
is certainly and painfully in that direc-
ton. The duty Of the Democracy in
this hour is to preserve the republic.
The drift is dangerous. Wings and
Republicans in the South have been
driven by Republican misrule, by car
pet-bag rule, by ignorant, negro mis-
| governm emit, into the Democratic party.
Republican misconduct in the South
has consolidated the South, and now the
South is blamed for being solid; and
not only the South, but the Democratic
| party North is blamed most outrage
ously because Republicans have made
the South solid" Out of all this
grows the peril to the republic,
to the fundamental ideas Of free
government in this country. Sectional
hatred, even after secession and slavery
are forever buried, may crush out the
sdevotiop to the republic. The South
ern States would divide politically, as
they were divided throughout our
/ history till 1860, with the removal of
the temporary causes of their solidity.
The Southern representation in Con-
gress is made up chiefly of Wings, not
of original Democrats. q When the
stockholders of the Republican party
will permit the sentiment OF union to
rise above the spirit of sectionalism
one-third of the Southern States will
be debatable ground between the Dem
ocratic and Republican parties. The
Republican fear seems to be tina.
the Northern States can only be carried
for the Republican party by perretu-
ating sectiona.ism. They must continue
to fight the late war. -
The duty of the Democracy from this
day till the next Presidency is deter
mined, and thereafter, will be to secure
united effort for the maintenance of the
republic. There have been divisions
in the Democratic ranks; they mus
end. Personal ambitions must sink
The East and West must join. There
must be concessions, harmony. The
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