National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-11-09
The Pledges of the Republican Party

-, WIS llle party |
which urged to adoption the several
3 to the Constitution intended |
% sesure freedom, citizenship, and en-
From 1869 to 1877 it was the party |
which advocated as much force in sup
port of national laws as they met of re-
sistance.
From 1877 TO 1879 it was party shorn
of its strength by the Democratic Deli
lah-its riddle too well guessed by the
Democratic Philistines who had plowed
with its heifer.
From 1879 to 1881 it was party recov-
ering its strength under renewed pledges
to the people that Freedom should pre-
vail throughout the land
The disturbing events Of the past eight
months have borne no relation to the
high and noble purposes which animated
the people last autumn and determined
the presidential election. The people
were not then rallied under any cry
against whatpharisaical blackguards now
call "boss rule" Such q miserable catch
word would have been deadly insult to
Blaine, Sherman, Conger, Window, In
gals, and many other political leaders,
who were as much bosses in their re-
spective States as Carl Schurz ever was
in Wisconsin or Missouri, as much as
George w. Curtis would like to be. in New
York, and as much as ever Conkling,
Cameron, and Logan were by their enc
mics said to be in their respective States.
Nor were the people rallied to victory UNI
der any hateful cry of "Anti-Grant" On
the contrary, the people everywhere rose
up to testify their admiration and aiiec-
ton for him as he moved about among
them exhorting them to stand by the
Republican standard-bearers. Nor were
the people moved to good works by the
prospect that Conkling should be elimi-
mated from politics. On the contrary, he
addressed the people of Ohio in three
places designated by General Garfield
himself and there, as in Indiana, such
ovations were made to him as were never
before seen on this continent to any
political leader.
Nor were the people aroused by any
lispings of the diiettanti as to how public
offices could be monopolized by an order
of nobility consisting exclusively of col
lege graduates, and badge of inferiority
be thereby placed upon the children of
the people, all under the name of civil
service reform.
In short, nothing that has been much
talked about in this country since last
January had anything to do with the
presidential election one year ago. Saving
only brief discussion in the Senate last
spring as to whether General Malone had
a right to oppose Bourbonsm after as he
did before his election, there has been en-
tire silence as to any distinctive Republic
can ideas.
What, then, were the views which the
people intended should prevail when they
placed their ballots in the boxes in the
free States? They were not obscurely
stated. All the world knows that our
President was chosen upon the following
plain issues:
First-Political freedom and fair cleo
tions.
Second-A tariff policy which should
protect American labor against COMPETE
ton with European wages.
viii the party redeem its promises
made when striving for the popular APP
proval?
Congress, which meets in December, is
to be subjected to immense pressure upon
the rate of duty to be imposed on every
article imported from foreign countries.
A revision of the tariff seems inevitable,
in view of the unnecessarily large reve-
nues derived from the present rates OF
duty. No reduction of the internal reve.
nue. which is likely to be made can be
expected to sufficiently reduce the Ma
tons income. The fierce struggle be-
tween rival interests to determine OF
which imported articles duties shall be
diminished will create great confusion
and difficulty. The men who toll in the
factories in this country will watch with
jealous eye the tariff revisers, and will
be quick to detect bad faith or indifier.
ence toward them on the part of those
who made such loud professions last yeai
rs protectonists,
But the other pledge demands fulfill
ment, too, 1t is not only that every lega
voter shall vote rs he pleases and have
his vote counted as he cast it, but thai
freedom of thought, speech, and actor
shall be maintained whenever assailed
We have spoken of the free States. BY
this we mean the States in which votinI
counts. The States in which the party o
freedom is suppressed by juggling will
the ballot-boxes, which were seized TO
that purpose several years ago, may wei
be called the slave States. The Bourbon
Democracy in those States claim to owl
whoever has ever benin fellowship will
them. As the Catholic Church claims forit
own all whom it has baptized, as Englan'
long claimed the perpetual allegiance o
its subjects, saying, "Once a subject al
ways a subject" so the Bourbon DemoC
racy in the slave States claim lega
right to the continued and perpetual sup
port Of every man who has ever traine,
il their political company They den
the right of any man to leave their ranks
They persecute any who do leave then
, They deny the right of their opponent
, to affiliate with any man who has lei
/ them. They declare that the vote ofsuch
, man shall not be counted, even if cast i
the Senate of the United States. Mahon,
5 for example, is in their'eyes fugitiy
Q slave. Upon him bloodhounds may i
! set. Whoever shall harbor him shall b
held beyond the pale of ordinary politics