The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-12-03
The Republican Bourbons.

such men cannot be made to see that their
own misdoings or evil council hal anything
to do with the catastrophe;they regard them.
selves as innocent victims of the failure Of a
general plan and the restoration as their vim
dcition, A man OF this sort is Mr.. Bout
we'll of Massachusetts, ex Governor, ex-
Senator and ex Secretary of the Treasury
Mr.. Boutwell, was treated very well in his
day. twas long way from the grocer's
shop in Grotou to tho head of the financial
department of the government. Gradual as
it was, his promotion was rapid enough to
make him hsrbor the delusion that the Re-
publican party, of which he believed him
self pillar and the national government of
which he was an important part, could not
get along without him. His eyes were
opened to this delusion one fine day about
A years ago, when his claims tor reelection
to the Uaited States Senate were rejected
BY the Massachusetts Legislature. Boutwell,
reapsed into obscurity a. men of more mod
crate temper came to the front and the coun-
try and his party were quite willing to have
him stay there, without caring a nic6le Tor
his opinions, for he had retired on vote of
want of confidence, and out of off ,e he was
nothing to nobody" With the adminis-
tration which succeeded Grants, and whose
peaceful methods snd honesty, without par
ticular ability, induced the people to give
the Republican party another trial, he had
no sympathy. In the four years of its life
he did nothing except prophesy evil and
nominate General Grant for third Presi-
Dental term. The victory just gained was
won in spite of the ugly record that he had
helped to give his party and in spite of the
fact that he and the old crowd were still in
the party and persisted in making them
selves conspicuous in the canvass. But
with victory, however won, the bummers
came to the front, and not only claim all the
credit, but presume to dictate the policy
OF the conquerors and terms to the con.
quered.
In such spirit Mr.. Boutwell, mounts a
stump placed at his command by the editor
of the North American ReDiew and address,
es the people of the United States on "Tbe
Future of the Republican party" IF the
policy that he prescribes is adopted is
future will be short-lved There are Bour-
bons and Bourbons. Mr.. Boutwell, is Re-
publican Bourbon. The Democratic Bour-
bons sighed for things as they we're 'befo'
the war The Republican Bourbon sghs
for things as they we're just after the war,
| L ln, al A., 81
ing incompetency and the loudest. .mouthed
loyaist had the surest hold on power and
the surest road to wealth. Mr.. Boutwell,
was one of the products of those times, and
he wishes the order "As you were!" to be
passed along the line, 40 that to him and
his kind may again be conhded the trusts
of which they proved unworthy. How is
this state Of affairs to be brought about2
Nothing is easier. We must have another
revolution The South must be poked at
and lashed until We have in its resistance a
pretext for another reconstruction of the
States that laid down the arms of rebellion
sixteen years ago. Under the well-worn
pretense of guaranteeing to every State a
republican form of government Republi-
can President and a Republican Congress
are to disregard ballots that have been cast
and make Southern representation in Con.
gress Republican in politics. Mr.. Bout.
wells plan involves the rejection by the
House of all members whose seats are taint-
the party will be made to believe all South
ern Democrats are; the rejection by the Sen
ate of Senators whose own election may
have been fair, but who were chosen by
Legislatures to which exception can be
taken; and, if necessary, although Mr..
Boutwell, does not say 80 in so many words,
to use the means recommended by
him in report to the Senate few years
ago to remand the several Southern States
to territorial condition. OF course the re-
actionist is very careful to put his proposi-
tions ina euphemistic way, so as not to
shock people who have a lingering respect
for the Constitution of the United States
and profound desire for the peace of the
Union; but this is a fair statement of the
drift of his article.
Such wild schemes for the subversion of
the Consultation and the reopening of the
wounds Of sectional bitterness cannot have
condemnation too swift or too severe. 1t
may be urged that they only exist in
Boutwell's brain and that Boutwell, is no.
body now. Perhaps; but the significant
fact is in giving them to the public he
al nil m f,r lorr al sc. ~.
Republican party-an element in which he
has been a master spirit. To this clement he
claims-and he mentions Grant and Conk
ling as its leaders, modestly Withholding his
own name--to this element he claims "the
success of the party is due in the largest de-
gree.' Speaking for this element he de-
clares, with an air of authority, that "a
policy of concessions, of compromise, of con-
| ciliation will no longer be tolerated in the
Republican party" 1t is with such creden-
tisls and such preface that he outlines his
programme. If he had copy of the Mentor
treaty, OF which we have heard so much,
reduced to writing snd in his pocket, he
could not lay down the policy of the COM
ing administration with greater assurance
We could not ask, however, for any better
way of dissipating such revolutionary ten,
dencies as he teaches than their promulys
tion under such auspices, and the finishing
stroke will be dealt by public opinion Just
so soon as they are made known by discuss.
ion. The country, North and South, is tired
Of sectionalism and longs for peace. The
1 Il.
turbed merely for the sake of bringing lot
of rePudiated placemen back TO official life,
will not lend itself to any such scheme, but
be the more careful to encourage the mani
festations ofgood will that come from the
South; and the South iorewarned of the con.
spracy against her good name, will be
the more solctous not to give cause for