, 1882-10-28
A Political Change Of Heart.

A
year, and the time Of year, fer polit'ca
change of heart. The revival Is not alto
gether narrowed to the Republican sect
though in that organization We ind the
deepest convictions, and most earnest IN
quiry after this political salvation, tn.
most pronounced remuneration OF the hesf
and the devil good resolutions for The
future. And these are not negative re
solves, but the most positive decisions tc
mark out line 4 political action, wholly
at variance with iAat mapped for the rans
and file by selfish and unscrupulous lead
ers; in a word te become active, agrees,
i've and acquisi,ive in another direction.
The very aire surcharged with this IN
dependence in political action. This does
not contemplate, in all cases, either The
utter abandonment of old party ties and
affiliations, and the erection Of that ab'
normal, and in this country, impossible
thing, a new party, or the going over to
the help OF the opposition, exactly, but
within the party an independent choice oi
suffrage, cutting loose from the leaders
and all that binds to one course of political
action.
As the speaker. who addressed the peo-
S,Fr,rl.,-
this change Of heart really commenced in
1876, and it has been growing more
thorough ever SINCE. Up to this date, a
certain element in American politics has
passed through four stages, Grantism,
Conklingism, Guiteauism, and Arthnrlsm
We allude to the Spoils System. Really
il is the natural outcome of the out
rageons and iniquitous primary plan OF
the Grant administration, and from that
hour TO this, this ex soldier has been cen
spicuously prominent IN 1t all Follow
ing his teaching, the leaders Of the Re
publican party, Conkling, Arthur, and
their coadjutors, haze labored in season
and out Of srason, in office and ont OF
Office, assiduously and necessarily, Ia
fasten this upon the people, to build 1t up,
TO strengthen and perfect the infamous
scheme, based upon rings and cli1ues,
and determination TO control the govern
ment. The result is natural. The tens
of thousands of honorable, up right, right
thinking Republicans, who constitute the
rank and file, have rebelled, and refuse
to abet these efforts to rum the republic.
These gentlemen have made this ''Spoils
System" this fragrant indecency in poii-
tics, this fraudulent effort TO control, an
issue with the Republican leaders, and
the most apparent thing to-day is, that
the party will 90 into this, and the CAM
paisn of 1884, under heavy disabilities
And mark it, IN their scrabble for ''Spoils"
and office, they are likely to foget thai
something more is needed than votes at
the polls-that something, the decent re-
spect of the country viii go to pieces
as a political organization.
And in this connection We give this
from the Pioneer Press, as peculiarly pat:
Day adds to day new evidence of the
fact. now no longer to be questioned,
that the Republican party Is rapiily ap-
preaching urisIs IN its fortunes and Its
history. by reason of the Very clrcum
stance that it has been, and that the body
of It's members still aspire to make II the
party of high moral ideas, of progress, Of
reform, it is threatened with the danger Of
internal convultion aud disruption. Or
ganzed opposition from without 1t has
learned to meet, and almost to de,plse; SO
easily won have been its victories in that
direction. Internal decay IS the enemy 1t
has to fear. Its foes are those OF its own
household. In spite Of struggles fos pur-
ity, for disinterestedness, and for honest
government, such as the history OF no 9th
er party in this country, merely as pc
litical party, can record, the dry rot of
personal ami selfish ambition, using the
WORKOUT and casr-aside machinery OF Il
cruder and ruder era to effect its pur-
poses, has taken hold of Republicanism
and threatens to consume it. All that
patriotic spirit and unselfsh party devo-
ton which has the name ''Republlcan" 4
token Of honor and an augury Of conquest
has risen in rebellion. The irrepressIble
conflict between the old and the new has
begun. The signs of its progress are to be
seen on every hand. The watchwords Of
It's opposing camps are on every lip. What
the Republican party, as 1t IS now run IN
many Of the States and IN the nation at
large, most needs, is a sound beating
And this it VIII shortly receive in the boss
ridden States, at the hands Of those who
have been accustomed to vote its regular
ticket and are still proud to bear its name,
unless 1t shall cast out the unclean thing
froll It's midst One defeat subdues the
bosses, because they have no reliance but
place and power; and these being taken
away, their following vanishes- That de-
feat they have abundantly earned; and ii
it is not administered to them in these
days, when the memories of year ago
have not vet fallen into dust, when mul
.i,udes of men 90 about with lmpassive
faces and quiet words, but with hearts
hot with shame and indignation over
trusts betrayed and ancient glories trail,
ing in the dust, then the Republican
party of the past will fall to rise no more.
..onAn,ont nf the chartar OF thIs