The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-07-24
A Record to be Proud Of.


witnessed. No other claim to pop
ular support can be greater. 1t has
overcome obstacles deemed insuper-
able. Difficulties and dangers which,
to many at home as well as to nearly
all abroad, seemed certain to over
whelm the Republic, have been met
and vanquished by the Republican
party. 1t has earned this vast ad-
vantage over every competitor; it
does not need to rely upon its prom
ises alone, but can point to its deeds
as its best Yindication. Twenty
wears it has marched on unfaltering.
Almost all the world believed that
disunion was inevitable. The Re-
publican party resisted and conquer
ed Even close to the end of the war
the Democratic party solemnly re-
solved, as observers elsewhere began
to fear. that the war was failure !;
but the Republican party persisted
until rebellion was crushed. The
problem Of reconstruction seemed in
soluble to many, and there were wise
men who predicted fifty years of
fanarchy and guerilla warfare; but
the Republican party found means
to force a conquered and sullen South
to take an active part in the govern
ment which it had tried to destroy.
Never before, since Governments
were instituted among men, had a
nation managed to restore the value
of an irredeemable paper currency.
But the Republican party undertook
that task also, and finished it. The
collapse of imitation caused tremen-
dous losses, and the struggle for re-
sumption caused immense sacrifices.
Never before had any party, in free
Government, dared to propose such
struggles and sacrifices without sub.
hitting to temporary defeat. Yet
the Republican party led the nation
onward to financial honor and pros
perity, and never lost the power to
carry out its measures.
This wonder. working party, for
which no task has yet proved too diff
ficult, has the right to point to the
present condition of the country as
proof of its fidelity, courage, and
wisdom. When dangers have thick
ened, the party has dared to do right
and to trust the people, and they
have never failed to meet trust with
trust. Where would the country be,
politically, financially, or industrial
ly, if disunion had prevailed ? 1t is
for the Democrats TO say. Where
would it have been if Democratic re-
sitance to reconstruction had been
permitted to grow into a guerilla
warfare? What would have been
the condition of business now if the
Democrats led by Mr.. Pendeton, had
been able to pay the bond in green
backs, AS they proposed in 1872 ?
What would now be the state of the
public credit, if the solemnly. prom
ised resumption had been defeated
by Democratic success in 1876 i?
Every capitalist and every working
man in the country knows what
grand prosperity has resulted from
the RESUMPTION of specie payments
eighteen months ago; is there sim
gle one who wishes that Democratic
hostilities to resumption had pre-
vailed at the last election? How
many of our mills and factories, how
many of our furnaces and mines.
would now be in operation, if the
blind hostility of Democrats to the
present form of tariff had succeeded
in causing a sudden, radical, and
sweeping changes, three years ago
What the country is to-day the Re-
publican party has made it. What
sane man is sorry that the Republic
can party has conquered for twenty
years, and so has had the power to
make tie country what it is?
Virtually, that is the question for
1880; is the country sorry that it has
attained the wonderful prosperity
which it enjoys? Mistakes are to be
found on every hand. as in all hu-
man Government, and errors in the
record of every year. But the coun-
try knows that in all the greater
matters it owes its present condition
to the courage, wisdom, and fidelity
of the Republican party, and it will
hesitate long before it decides to
change. Any other party can prom
Use. The Republicans have per.
Termed. Every pledge ever made
/ Y that party it has kept, even to the
doing of so.called impossibilities,
such as the suppression of rebellion,
the pacification of the country, and
the resumption of specie payments.
TT nromiSes now to 90 forward in lie