The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1880-06-17
RepubIicanisa in 1860 and 1850.

When twenty years ago the Re
publican party nominated its first
successful candidate it was Il party
Of principles, not Of mere persons
LINCOLN, SEWARD and other COM
petitors for the prize had their rcspec-
tive friends who worked vigorously
for them; but inside as we'll rs out
side the convention all Republicans
felt that the political ideas Of the
organization were Of infinitely more
importance than the claims Of any
individual however eminent, however
popular These ideas came first; the
men Il long way behind them.
Rather than sacrifice a jot or title
Of Republican principle, or leave the
smallest doubt i'll the public mind
concerning it, the Chicago convention
of 1860 would have thrown Lincoln
Seward and their companions over
board and drawn a candidate from
the depths of obscurity. Whatever
else may be said Of the Republican,
ism of that day, it cannot be charg
ed with a lack Of firmly-held and
clearly-defined opinions on subjects
Of national interest and Importance.
In the same city the same party
opened Its convention yesterday.
For many months past the Repub:
lican clans have been preparing for
the decisive struggle The air has
been full of the sounds of prelimi-
nary battle. There has been fighting
all along the family line. The rum
of "the machine, has been echoed
by the wells and groans Of the wrath
ful victims of that modern iugger-
naut. The crack of the leaders
lash has brought kicks and curses
from indignant followers. Between
the contcnding factions there he's been
"war to the knife, and knife to the
hilt," and wounds have been given
and received which no partisan medic
ament can ever heal. Yet, amid all
this clamor and strife, all this crimina-
ton; all this desperate demagoguerv
| on the one side and fierce antagonism
on the other-not single word has
been said about the principles Mt stake
Neither before the convention nor in it
! has there been the remotest allusion TO
! the Fundamental ideas which are sup
posed to be the cohesive element, the
very life, Of every party. The queS-
ton has been, and still is, an altogeth-
er personal one. Ideas and principles
have been thrust out Of sight and out
of mind to make room for the candi-
date. He is everything; all the rest
nothing. ''Grant" d"Anti-Grant"
have been the two gods Of the Repub-
lican mcunenical council; worshipped
in Central African fashion: with beat
ing Of tom-toms, swinging of clubs, and
prodigious howling. What creeds the
the rival deities represent, nobody
cares.
So the party which owes its origin and
earliest success to ideas and principles,
making everything subservient tothem,
has practically repudiated them alto
gethcr, installing in their places a man
who may do what he pleases SO long
as he keeps the party i'll power. ''To
this complexion has it come at last. 3"
In the Republicanism Of 1880 no trail
or trace of the Republicanism Of 1860
can be found. 1t has disappeared as
utterly as lump Of lead dropped in
mid-ocean. The man-power has swat
lowed it, and ON the altar Of that pow
er have been sacrificed honor, honesty,
consistency and deconcy-all that
makes Il party respectable, all that
lends it strength, all that gives it the
right 10 live.