National Republican., 1880-10-29
TIE REPUnLIoAN PARrY INvINoIBLE


THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ISvINCIBLE
When the confederates of the fire-eating
states had determined upon secession in
1861 they found it necessary somehow to
drag in the old conservative state of Vir-
ginia, and to that end for the first time in
history they entered upon earnest mission
ary work and sent their most persuasive
orators into the old dominion to preach and
prophesy to her people. Among those mis-.
sionaries who went from Georgia was quite
an able and polished speaker by the name
of HENRY l.. BENNIYG, who attended the
Virginia state convention as commissioner
of the state of Georgia, and being received
in that capacity, he, on the 18th of Feb
ruary, made speech which contained, for
wonder, a good deal of truth and some
prophecies, which have since hcen fulfilled
lie informed his hearers that tho republi-
can party is the north" That is SO. He
said, "It is permanent organization there"
That is so. He told them that where q
majority is permanent it is equivalent to
the whole; and that is so. He said the re-
publicans have the press, the pulpit, the
school-house, the governors, the legislatures,
Judges, county officers, magistrates, oonsta-
blcsT, mayors--in fact, all official life, and is
so strongly intrenched in the universal
feeling against slavery that it cannot be
overthrown. Twenty years of secession
aud democratic effort united TO overthrow
this great party has flled to accomplish it;
SO that is proved true. Then he proceeded
" But this is not all. The republican party
is in league with the tarilf, in league with
internal improvements, in league with the
land donation policy, in league with three
Pacific railroads Sir, you cannot over
throw such a party as that. As we'll might
you attempt to lift mountain out of lis
bed and pitch it into the sea-"
This description of the republican party
by an honest democrat twenty years ago
holds good to-day. The party is in league
with the press, the pulpit, the school-house
the tariff, internal improvements, home.
stead land laws, Pacific railroads. and adj.
vocates free thought, free speech, honest
voting, honest counting peace and good
/ OluCI, anu lOl tNNAtg } JS"lo mas NohhuSlcN
the government on the principles as laid
down by the democratic secessiouist. Tho
eminent Georgian saw very clearly how II
was in 1861, and how it would come out
provided the party adhered to its princ
pies, which it has done with persistent de
votion, not varying hairs breadth from
the original platform.
Mr.. BENNING admitted the republican
claim in full and admitted its power Il
continued control on the basis laid down.
But if this is the constitution of the re
publican party what is the democratic con
stilution2 The opposite, of course. BEN
MING was n good democrat, lie supported
the administration of BUCHANAN. He wa
in harmony with all tho traditions of tn,
party, and as perfect, sound aud true to th
party as FRANK PIERCE, JEFF DAVIS, san
TLpEE or THOMAS f. BAYARD. He dix
not like the principles Of the republican
and believed they were unconstitutional
and so strongly tended to overthrow demo
cratic principles that the only remedy wa
secession. The antagonsm was complet
between republican and democratic prnci
pies; and so it remains.
And It was true that party with bnsi