The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-09-03
WORDS. OF WARNING.
Why the Destruction of the Demo-
cratic Party Is Essential to the Ma
tiOnaI Security.

Why the Destruction of the Demo-
cratic Party Is Essential TO the Ma
tiOnaI Security.
Hon. Jacob D. Cox recently delivered
an eloquent and logical speech before
mass-meeting of Republicans in Ham
ilton, Ohio. Gov. Cox summed up the
work Of the Republican party thus:
l.. The suppression of the great rebellion.
2. The establishment of the constitutional doc
trine that the nation is indestructible, and that
no State has the right to secede when dissatis-
fled with the national laws 8. The abolition
of slavery. 4. The giving the right to vote to
the freedmen and their protection in their civil
rights. 5. The recognition of the sacredness of
the national obligation in regard to the national
debt. 6. A total and final refusal to recog-
nize Southern war claims of whatever FORM
Z. The resumption of specie payments.
Proceeding to review of the Democ-
racy, the speaker said
Everybody knows that when the Republican
party was formed there was reconstruction of
the Democratic party also. The 6 Silver Gray
Wings joined the Democracy, and the Free
Soil Democrats formed an important part of
the new Republican organization To pretend
that there has since that time been any dis
except the Southern doctrine of States rights,
which meant preservation and extension of
slavery, even at the cost of attempted disunion
and rebellion, is to do little honor to the inteli
gence of the people. It once boosted of being
a hard-money party, but every child knows that
its national conventions have found their most
arduOus task i'll selecting candidates who might
not be too offensive to the specie resumption
lists in the party, while they should catch the
"Greenback p" infationists who appear to make
their strongest element in the West.
There is but one Ineligible clew to the his
tory of that party since the war, and that is to
regard it as the party of the "lost cause"
seeking by every means it could devise to multi
fly as far as possible the results of the great
struggle, to acquiesce in nothing which there
might be any chance of contesting, and to
stimulate reaction by every method which could
be invented. Whoever will take the pains to
examine the party votes in Congress, to sched-
ule the bills introduced and the meas res pro-
posed, and note the party action thereon, will
find chat what have said is not merely proba
bly true-1t is demonstration. Nor is this in
consistent with the fact that there have been
many men in the party who have not been
pleased with its general policy and conduct. A
minority within such an organization viii be
dragged along, protesting in vain prevented
by habit or by ambition from breaking away,
while the most aggressive element, which is us
uoiAy tAO 1uOob OAd6ltlC Will pTaCIlcalIy COnITOl
everything. nave myself been told by MEM
bers of Congress from Southern States that
they deprecated the introduction of reactionary
measures or resolutions but that once intro
duced they were forced to vote for them,
against their own Judgment because the ex-
IRENE element at home was so strong and ag-
gressive that they would lose all influence and
leadership If they did not go with the current.
Does anybody who reads the newspapers need
to be told that during the last session of Con-
greSs the whole policy of the more-pludent
Democrats was found in their determination to
avoid debate and avoid voting on political
questions? Such policy is itself the plainest
confession that the party in the Northern States
could not stand upon the record it would be
sure to make whenever forced to test.
The continuance of the organizat on of the
Democratic party has been the one great OBJ
STAG to all true progress and reform
Had it dissolved long ago there would have
been less diHtrust of Southern politicians, be-
cause the danger Of reaction and mischief,
which is the great cause of distrust, would have
been removed.
1t is also plain as need be that. in the same
case, the issues relating to the great practical
subject of legislation and administration would
have made new revision of party lines, wholly
outside OF questions growing out of the war;
The 'ireforms would have been taken I'D in
earnest. and some of them at least would have
Deen HliaHy accomplished. sincerely believe,
as have already said, that the great majority
OF the people from whom progressive move
ments may be expected are in the Republican
party. Tne history of quarter of century
proves this. Only remove the fears of reaction
which they feel, and which the career of the
Democratic party shows are SO well founded,
and these progressive men will make haste to
grapple with the next important questions of
the time
The best securitv for accommodating tb;s 10 IN
the final overthrow Of the party which has