Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-09-30
Is the Republican Party of To-day
the Republican Party of 1907

Is the Republican Party of To-day
the Republican Party of 1907
MIR. Bird. in the course of his remark
able Fourth.street speech, declared that
"a Republican to day is the same in prin-
"eiple as Republican was twenty years
''aeo. whether found in Maine or Florida.
''rhe principles of the Republican party
''are the same to-day that they were in
1850; not changed in any single re-
"speet." Later on in his speech MIR. Bird
referred to an alleged declaration by
Attorney General Gray, that sooner than
have centralized government he would
become an advocate of States rights. We
think there must have been some error
about this, as we presume Mr.. Gray is in
favor of States rights absolutely, and not
merely as an alternative to Capitalization.
But this, however, would but add to the
emphasis of Mr.. Birds dissent, which was
expressed in the following characteristic
language: ... ...=...-
| Is there a man who has $1,000 invested in
| this city ready to endorse that sentiment and
prepared to stand upon the issue that my
! learned friend the Attorney-General, has laid
/ down States rights means no government
! the right of the states to secede from the
! Union whenever they feel like il and l say to
| you, that, sooner than have that hellish heresy
| revived again. would make the arms of the
\ Government SO strong that it could wrap it
| self around the states and crush them into
] PROLONGED AODu9r
than weaken the arm of the Government |
| would say, give her mere nerve let loose the
/ bands that hold her and cut loose from the
| rights OF states altogether.
It is quite evident from the applause
with which this declaration was greeted,
that the many So, 900 men to whom Mr.
Bird appealed regarded this as good
Republican doctrine to-day, and we
should not be surprised if some who were
not worth over 81 900 overlooked the
slight MIR. Bird put upon them and Joined
Ill the applause. Iu fact, We think MIR.
Bra was altogether too modest
in his estimate of tine number
who agree with him on that
sentiment, and that the fact is that even
those Republicans vino can lay no claim
whatever to the wealth, on the possession
of which by its members the party plumes
itself, are just as ready as MIR. Bird to
enlarge the powers of the Federal gov
ernment and make its arm SO strong "that
sit could wrap itself around the states
hos f,,ka
how does this idea now held by the Re.
publican party compare with the idea il
held twenty years ago, when, according to
Mr.. Bird, its principles were the same
that they are to-day
CHANGING at the platform adopted by the
Chicago convention which nominated
Abraham Lincoln in 1860, in which bu,
few of the Southern States were repre-
scented, we lind it declared THAT to the
Union Of the States this nation owes it,
unprecedented increase in population,
its happiness, development, prosperity &c
They spelled, too, the Union and tn,
States With capitals aud the Nation with
''t"e = nu' 'nst was az nothing t
what followed in the succeeding resou
ton me ioufth) which read as follows
n'' '"e maintenance nal lh'lolate oil tn
u ZACH STAT, 10 or Lu ou e caio gt h, 'tgm o
do'"Si~ otsiHdiUHS according Ia lis orr
i hsi55nr T., t9 oS, n g5st M to tha
and endurance Of our political fabric depend
ana We denounce the l9~less invasion b,
Territory. no matter under what pret .1St n
among the graYest of crimes.
This was the Republican doctrine con