Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-11-16
what DOCS the Revolution Mean

what Does the ReFolution Means
The reasons given by Republican jour
nals for the recent overwhelming defeat
Of their party are amusing but not in
structive. Every excuse is made and
every reason-but the true one-given.
They all agree in considering the defeat
but temporary and predict a reiustating
of the ''grand old party" again in power
in 1884.
The fact is-"the grand old party" has
outlived all the usefulness it ever had.
The unfortunate discentions between
the northern and southern Democracy in
1SeO-not unlike that at present existing
between the stalwarts and the half-breeds
gave power to a sectional party and
brought on the conflict between the sec
tions which, on the diversified tariff in
terests, had been gathering force since
1928. The prejudices growing out Of the
war sustained the party in power since
that time. This prejudice blinded the
people to the acts Of the administration,
and with large part of the country dis
franchised, under the plea Of necessity,
an oppressive protective tariff, much
more monstrous and outrageous than that
which caused the death and burial Of the
Whig party, was engrafted into the stat.
utes and made part Of the system Of
personal government which has distin.
guished the Republican party since the
first day Of Grants rule. Not content
with even the Morrell war tariff, more
odious, oppressive and obnoxious features
were year by year added, fattening mo.
nopolies and special interests to the op-
preston of the people, the destruction Of
commerce and the expenseof agriculture
until Goulds and Vanderbuilts became
the ruling power of the country and the
repudiated dogmas of the Whig party
were. unnotlced, fastened upon the coun-
try.
But this, perhaps, was not the greatest
sin of the ''grand old" defunct. Person
al government seems to have been its GEN.
tral idea. From the first Inauguration OF
Grant to the time of Guiteau's fatal shot,
the hand of Conk1ing swayed the sceptre
and the administration has been con-
Quoted, not on the idea that govern
ments are instituted among men, deriv-
ing thelr just powers from the consent of
the governed,' but that government was
instituted for the benefit of privileged
classes and in which the mass of the peo-
pie had no interest and should have no
voice. Conkling became the representa-
tive of Hamilton and through Grant at
tempted to establish and govern the
country through an, aristocracy. Office,
instead of being forthe public service and
its duties discharged by public servant,
was made title of nobility and its pos
SCISSOR privileged person. This doctrine
was resurrected from the tomb of Feder-
alism-the Hartford convention-and
until the inauguration Of Garfield had,
for twelve years, almost undisputed sway
over the country. Garfield hadtoo much
stern and true Republicanism to yield
tamely to this order of things, and his
death, instigated or not by this Federal
schoolof politicians, removed the obsta-
Gle and under Arthur was again insti-
tuted personal government.
The people, no longer blinded and
deafened by the prejudices of section,
awakening to the actual dangers of the
Republic, have in their might overthrown
and repudiated these dangerous dogmas
and practices, and in the overthrow of
the Republican party have given final
blow to the heresies of Federalism and
tariff extortions and privileged monopo
lies. The defeat is not temporary--it il
final and effective
Many abuses have grown out of this
system of personal government. Enor
nous tariff duties have created large
annual surplus revenue in the treasury
The temptation to get this money and tt
use this surplus for individual aggrand
izement, the enrichment of individual
and the creation of monied aristocracy
have suggested every conceivable scheme
of plunder. Official defalcations havt
been of daily occurrence, star route swim
dies have blackened the country's fame
and river and harbor steals have giver
the last Congress fame equal to th'
forty thieves. All these things are but
part of and incident to the system of per
sonal government and have contributed
part to opening the eyes of the peopl'
to the system which made them possible
and while they stand rebuked, it is tn
system which is repudiated.
Our Republican journals need not lool
for resurrection. The vault into which
their party was hurled on the 7th ha
been Theoretically sealed and those nov
buried there have left hope behind.
Improve the Opportunities.
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