American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-10-09
The Record Of Republfcanism.

pied by the Democracy during the war.
The Record Of Republication.
"Look at our record" say Republic
cans; ''upon that we are willing to stand
or fall" Well, let us look at this record.
1t will be twenty years on the 4th of
March next since the Republican party
came into power, and the first result Of
its supremacy was four years of civil
war. Whether Republican rule from
1861 to 1881 is worth the price paid for
it at the outset, we leave the people to
determine. The opinion prevails in
some quarters that the article is ex-
ceedingly dear if the country had re-
ceived it gratis. But it is significant
fact that Republicans pride themselves
more upon their war record than upon
anything else. They resemble the
famous doctor who always threw his
patients into fits, because "Ee was
heavy on fits" One of their most distin-
guished leaders, the late lamented
Chandler, declared that - the country
would never be worth a curse without
a little blood-letting." and there GER
tainly was blood-letting'' enough to
satisfy even the patriotic thirst of the
Michigan statesman. Republicans claim
that they g saved the Union" meaning
thereby that their party did the fighting
which secured National salvation. If
this were true they would be entitled
to no more credit than the man who,
having set his own house atire, sue
ceeds in extinguishing the flames
without the assistance of his neigh
bors. But it is not true. "by
a large majority" In 1860 Mr..
Lincoln received 1862 votes.
During the war which he superintend-
ed there were enlisted 2,67S, 967 volun-
teers. Republican lightning calculators
may rise and explain where the 1926
extra Union soldiers came from; and.
if we are not mistaken, there were
several Republicans who did not go
within smelling-dstance of rebel
powder. The war having been brought
to successful conclusion by Demo
cratic aid in purse and person, Repub-
licans took entire charge of the process
called "the restoration of the Union"
1t is another and equally significant
fact, that Republicans do not pride
themselves particularly upon the per-
between 1865 and 1877. They
are inclined to ignore, as far as possible,
the twelve years spent in an effort to
the South by machinery
of negroes, carpet-baggers
and federal bayonets; though nobody is
likely to forget that the machinery was
used until popular pressure compelled
q Republican Administration to adopt
the Democratic policy in Southern af-
fairs, and that then its abandonment
was denounced by more than nile
tenths of the party as an act at once
suicidal and unnecessary. But saving
and restoring the Union did not mo-
nopolize Republican energies from 1861
70 1877. With the war began that
system of organized corruption and
which plundered and dis
yraced the Nation, and which came bold
y to the front no longer ago than the
Convention, when "a Republican
ex-senator exclaimed: "What are we
lere for, if not for the officesP' In
Iced, the candidate who came so near
)eing the nominee of that Convention,
vas himself the representative and
champion of rings the like of which the
world had never seen before-one of
hem, according to the estimate of a
prominent member. robbng the Gov
,rnment of nearly $3, 600, 600 in single
evenue district in six years. And we
nay remark while Grant thus narrowly
escaped nomination for third term,
md is still the exhaustless theme of
Republican eulogy, Bristow, the hon
st Secretary of the Treasury, who en-
leavored to punish the whisky thieves
whom Grant protected, has been driven
nto political obscurity by 1.-THE party
# great moral ideas" When such a
ate has overtaken such a man, it is not
TRANCE, perhaps, that the same party
las never thought it necessary to apol-
,gize for any part of the ring iniquity;
nd that its Presidential candidate
o-day stands convicted before
republican Investigating Committee,
f participation in one of the
most shameless of these steals
which he supplemented by perjury. Asa
tting crown to the Republican column,
We have only to point to the conspiracy
f 1867, by which candidate whom
he people had rejected was thrust into
he Executive chair. In that Infamous
too, the present Republic
an standard-bearer figured conspic-
ously; first helping to fix the fraud as
visiting statesman" and confirming
nd concentrating it as an Electoral
Such, in brief. is the Republican
ecord, upon which that party processes
D pride itself, and which it urges as an
argument for its retention
l power. Possibly the American peo-
lie may accept and indorse the argu-
tent by electing as their President
ian whose name is indissolubly con-
ected with Credit Mobilier, De GOlyer
nd the Electoral swindle; and electing
5 their Vice President II man who was
licked out of the New York Custom
louise in order, rs Mr.. Hayes said, Ito
lsure an honest administration OF the
flee" But we do not believe the
people have yet reached that
epth of decentralization which such ac-
eptance and Endorsement would re-
uire. st. Louis Il. PUBLICAN.
There is more dirty work for the
epublican Supreme Court of Maine.
the County Canvassers fail to count
Corporal Davis the Supreme Court
to be called on to tinker the law SO
to crowd him in any how. The Re-
ublicans invented a double-edged Con-
itutional amendment which was to
.act on the election of this week if
iopted, and the programme now is
lat this back-acting arrangement is to
3 good law or bad law according as il
clips or hurts the Republican party.
he Supreme Court has heretofore dis
Iayed its willingness TO define the law
suit the emergency, and it will hard
fail its party in this DIES perate strait.
= ErchUn0e