Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-02-11
WHERE WiLL WE LAND9

When the people OF country quit
the tranquil shores of domestic peace
and embark on the stormy sea Of civil
war, they start on voyage OF winch |
they know not the end The people
of the United States started ON snch a
voyage in 1861 They "sighted land"
in 1865, but owing TO want OF skill In
their pilots, or TO determination TO
wreck the ship OF state, they have not
yet effected landing.
When Lee surrendered to Grant and
was told by the latter that his men
might take home with them the horses
that were their own private property,
las they would be useful in spring plow.
ing aud when Johnston surrendered
10 Sherman on terms which contem.
plate complete and immediate resto.
ration OF the Union, ii looked Us if our
ship of state was about TO reach a
haven of safety alter a perilous voy'
age.
These bright antieipations were
speedily dispelled The soldiers aud
sailors OF the Union had done their
work and done it well, but after them
came the political wreckers, and then
there was safety for neither vessel nor
cargo. The Blaines who had put in
acceptable substitutes, the Wades who
had put in patriotic profanity and the
Camerons who had put in mules, came
forward and assumed command. I'm
der them we have been drifting up
and down, and tossing about on the
breakers, for fifteen long and weary
years, and il is high time Tor every
man TO ask himself the momentous
question, whee ,ciH ne land
One of the thorns that grow among
the roses Of Republican form Of gov
ernment ia the tendency Of successful
military chieftains to become polti-
clans. Grant through his own politi.
calambition, and Sherman through the
political aspirations of his brother,
were converted into malignant parti.
sans some time after the close of the
war; and their influence and their ao.
tions, instead of going in the direction
of their closing acts on the tented field,
which lifted them TO the lofliest heights
of patriotism, have had much to do
with keeping the country in hot water.
IL Grant and Sherman had kept
aloof from all parties and lent their
counsel and influence TO the pacilica.
iion of passions engendered by the war,
these United States would long ago
have reached an era Of good feeling
such as has not been experienced since
the passage of the Kansas Nebraska
bill. Slavery, the great disturbing
cause, put out of the way, the war Of
sections would have ceased and terms
"norh' and "south" would no longer
have bad political Specification.
But pacifeation Of the country was
not what Republican politicians aimed
at, but Just the reverse Political tur.
moil had brought them to the top, and
70 keep there they kept up the turmoil.
Processes were used which could
not have been used in calm and dis
passionate condition Of the public mind.
Things have been done which not only
would not bear the test of honesty, but
have been tagrantly dishonest and
party feeling has been kept famed up
to such height of intensity that qucs-
tions Of great public importance, so far
from beng considered with reference
to the general welfare, arc considered
onlyin their bearing ON party interests.
The peace of the country was put
m deadly peril and our system of gov
ernment subjected 10 Il dangerous
strain by the detestable fraud which
defeated the will of the people in 1876
and kept Samuel J. Tifen out of the
Presidential chair. II may have been
patriotism in some and it may have
been cowardiee or corruption in others,
but whatever the cause, il was only
the extraordinary iorbcarance OF the
Democracy that deprived Grant of the
pretext, which be would quickly have
availed himself Of, on the plea Of heces
sity, OF seizing the reins of government
at time when the law commanded
him to lay them down.
A danger so great as that which the
country passed through in the Winter
and Spring Of 1867 ought to serve as
warning for all time. But the sue
cessfnl conspirators against the verdict
of the people, as rendered in 1876, have
not turned from their evil ways. To
them peace and prosperity of this
country are nothing--their hold upon
power lseverything, They wouldpre-
fer war and famine to the relinquish-
ment Of political power, counting on
the profits of the war TO keep famine
away from their own doors.
The Republicans now propose to put
this country in deadly peril again.
They propose that the leading State in
this great Union shall deliberately
change her method Of appointing Pres
dental Electors, not in order that the
VIII OF majority Of her people may
better be carried out, but expressly that
i may be defeated, No attempt is
made to conceal the object aimed vt,
II is openly ayowed. The New York
Tribune suggested the crime the New
York Republicans have taken steps to
perpetrate it, and there is good reason
to fear that it will meet the approval
OF Republican politicians all over the
country.
Where p,H zoe land if the laws and
the customs of generations are changed
to meet partisan emergencies ? Are