The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1880-03-11
The Duty OF Republicans.

The next Presidential election will be
one of the most important that has ever
occurred in the United States. 1t
would hardly be correct to say the most
important, for there have been cleo
tions heretofore in which the fate of the
Nation hung in the balance. The
Democratic party, which inaugurated
civil war rather than give up the con-
troll of the Government in 1861, has
been trying ever since to regain polit-
ical ascendency. In 1864, while the
war was still going on, the Democratic
National Convention at Chicago de-
clared it to be failure, and demanded
an immediate and unconditional sur
render to the rebels. The Democrats
made the Presidential campaign that
year on that platform, and if they had
succeeded it would have been virtually
the success of the rebels. They have
been battling for the lost cause ever
since, and never with greater hope of
success than to-day. We do not hesi-
tate to affirm that there has been no
time in the history of the country, not
even during the progress of the war,
when the success OF the Democracy
would involve greater evils and dam
gers to the country than it would in
the next Presidential election. The
spirit Of the party has not
changed in any essential respect
during the last twenty years. 1t
is party that learns nothing and for
gets nothing. 1t is the very incarnation
Of the idea of political inertia. its only
movement being backward or down.
ward. It has no principles except hos
tility to the Republican party, and no
ideas of political policy or administra-
ton except to undo and reverse what
ever the Republican party has done. To
place the Government under the con-
troll of such a party, officered and led
by men lately in arms against it, would
be almost equivalent to signingits death
warrant.
We have said the Democrats are
hopeful of success; it may be added
they are determined to achieve success,
by any and all means. We doubt if
they have ever before been actuated by
as desperate and determined q spirit.
They feel that they are within one step
of complete control of the Government,
and they will stop at nothing to accom-
plish that step. We believe there is no
political fraud or crime that they will
hesitate to perpetrate, if by so doing
they can achieve success in the next
Presidential election. Their action in
Maine shows to what lengths they are
prepared to go. They are now engaged
in strengthening their majority in Con-
gress by unseating Republican mem
bers with the undoubted purpose of
preparing themselves for any high
handed measure that may become nee
essary to enable them to capture the
Presidency.
Under these circumstances the duty
Of the Republican party is plain. 1t is
to concentrate every effort for the de-
feat of the Democracy by such decisive
majority as will render it impossible for
them to overcome it by fraud. This is
the only hope for the country. If the
majority is small or the margin narrow,
they will find some means of overcoming
it, and with majority in both branches
of Congress it must be confessed they
occupy vantage ground. The salvation
of the country lies in their utter and
complete overthrow. In this view Of
the case it would be unpatriotic and
almost criminal for Republicans to per-
NIT anything like dissension or dis
cord. to find place in their ranks. The
first duty of patriotic citizens is to
prevent the Government from falling
under the control of the disloyal and
corrupt Democracy, and to this end Re-
publicans must stand shoulder to shoul-
der in defense of the principles and pol
icy of the party which has saved the
Government in the past and is its only
hope in the future. Personal prefer
ences must be sacrificed to the common
welfare, and private feelings to the pub
lie good. The Republican party is not
large enough to divide, and the inter-
ests at stake in the next election are too