The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-11-06
The Stalw art Programme.
st. Louis Republican.


The following from our Washington
special of the 81, would indicate that 1.-THE
sober second thought" of some respect
able Republicans has already put in an
appearance:
All Republicans are not content to-
night, Many of them fear that their VIC
tory has been too sweeping both for the
good of the party and the country. It
occurs to some of the more moderate men
of the party-those to whom this admin
istratlon has given prominence-that the
result of the election is to place power in
the hands of men whom people repudiated
six years ago. The Grant-Conkling ele-
ment of the party is made too prominent
for the satisfaction of Republicans who
have an interest in the decent administra
ton OF the government. There is q
shadow over the victory that has been
gained; and occasionally q Republican
rejoicing pauses to think of the complex
ion of the next cabinet. The better
elements" do not look forward to the
pending change with anything like pleas
ure. To the independent politicians who
voted for fairfield there is already appar-
ent hard fight within the party.
There is apprehension
as to what the future shall bring forth.
The basis for the claims that will be made
by the Grant mer is recognized as uncom-
fortably strong. There is no organization
to contend against them. and if there were
Garfield has always shown himself too
ready to be the tool of that element to
permit the existence of hope that he will
now break away from its influence"
Sober second thoughts are very useful
things when the action to which they re-
late has not yet TRANSFERRED When it has
they become an amusing, possibly edifying,
moral exerclse-nothiDg more. There are,
we doubt not, many thousands of respect
able Republicans outside of the District
OF Columbia who are iDdulging in the same
regrets and gloomy forebodings az their
Washington brethren; and all these re-
spectacle gentlemen may console them
selves with the reflection that they have
tour years in which TO repent in utter
MISREPRESENTATION years in which to rea D
the fruit of their own devices. How much
longer we need not now stop to calculate.
In Washington special of the Sd, to
the GLOBE democrat, we find the following
juicy meat for the respeotabIee:
The feeling among the Republicans is
that the next administration is to be
stalwart one; that all Democrats must 90:
that there is TO be no more temporizipc
with the South. 1t is said by the ultra
stalwarts that congressman from the
South, certified to be elected in districts |
having preponderating negro vote, arc
10 De either unseated or their election in |
validated, on the ground that the people |
have not had chance to record free |
expression of opinion. This, it is asserted, |
IS the only means which can be resorted to |
to give the colored voter chance to as
sert his political rights"
However startling this programme may
De to our respectable Republican friends |
viewed from the sober second thought
stand point-they should rem ember that
1t is entirely consistent with the plan OF
the late campaign. If they did not really
believe IN the alleged danger arising from
the solid South, they failed to manifest any
disbelief, and by voice and votes indorsed
that sectional issue which more than
anything else contributed to the triumph
of their party. We have steadily insisted
that this triumph must have its logical
supplement- IN some such attempt as is
indicated in the above extract The
Republican party has declared through all
It's organs and orators, without single
exception that the solid South is "a Ma
tionai Perli. and that it must be broken
up In order to insure national salvation.
Inns declaration having been confirmed at
the polls. how can it be consistently
lgnored2 The stalwarts with all their
sins. have not the sin of inconsistency toll
answer for, and they are hardly likely to
commit 1t now. when victory has been
gained on their own terms. They have
tougnt the southern policy Of MIR. Hayes