The colored patriot., 1882-04-20


sponsibility. W. cannot escape il
ihere ave ''nD Leser'crs or bounty
Jumpers" in the army vi republican,
ism. 1t our Laws are defective; If
they are violated and trampled under
foot; if evils abound in the State: if
there are rings that control the ma
chinery of the party; if there are
bosses that control the party for per-
sonal ends we must blame ourselves.
1t is because we have not performed
our duty as citizens. There is q the
ory among many very good people
that there is something about politics
that is corruptihg and degrading !;
that q christian or business mau At
once becomes contaminated if he en-
tera the political arena And then
there is another class of people in
this country whose only mission on
earth is to deliver themselves of such
cant phrases as political m3lstroms,"
"the cess pool of politics" "politicS
is such dirtv mess" and so on
without limit.
Now, have no sympathy with that
sort of stuff. The truth is there never
was time in the history Of this
great republic when the thought and
action Of our political life was on q
higher plane than it is to-day. Our
principles and our public men are as
pure as they ever were in the worlds
history. | don't mean to be under
stood as saying that there are no po-
litical evils in the State, for there are
many, and if the young men of Kan
| sas will interest themselves in the
politics of the State. and as good cit
iZens step TO the front and assume
their full share Of responsibility that
rests upon every one alike in this
great free country, there will he such
an awakening of old fossils. such u
shaking up of political mummies
| and worn out hacks SO was never
known in this cOmmonWe wealth before.
If the Dung republicans of this State
| will step into the front rank of the
party where they te,oug and give
this State the benefit of the thouxhi,
| zeal and inspiration that is born Of
adherence to principle we shall have
better and more vigorous growth,
q broader craftsmanship, aud enjoy
the full fruition of the enforcement
of all and every law upon our stat
ute books. The future Of this great
State is in the hands OF its young
men. The men who possessed the
courage 10 carry the banners OF the
republic to the grandest triumph for
field of battle; the men who saved
the republic are the men in this
emergency TO take care OF it and see
| that its constitution and its laws are
enforced and oheyed. This, then, i'
your duty, young gentlemen.
We can't better our condition by
finding fault with 1t. We can't drive
a foe from our borders by scOlding
We can't enforce constitutions and
laws with defamation alone. We
can't haze p. great and prosperous
free government unless we take
hand at politics. These thugs are
the products of active, affirmative.
earnest agencies. They arc never
accomplished by standing off and
looking on. That quaint philoso-
pher, Josh Billings, tells how COW
ard milks kicking COW. You we'll
remember he says, "the fellow stands
off about twenty feet and boilers, 'soeh
blast you.'" So it is in politics; a
good many people want purity in
public life. They want demagOguery
put down. They want righteousness
to prevail everywhere. They want
crimes punished. They want whole
some laws enacted by The legislature.
They want the laws enforced, but So
lace themselves with having done
their whole duty when they stanl off
aud holler "s0eh blast you.
Actions are in the human scon-
omy, more potent as agencies for the
accomplishment OF results than mere
words.
Now, my frienls, the only way
ends can be accomplished aud poll
cies he advanced is through the me-
dium of political parties. In re-
| public where every man is king
with the ballot Tor his sceper. the
| country Call b1 governed only by the
| combined action OF 4 majority OF
these sOvereigns, AMI that combined
action is secured through the medium
of political parties.
We do not organize parties based
upon some great fundam entail princi
pie. y ou and | belong TO the great
republican party that has, as W be-
lieye, been the exponent during the
last quarter of century of principles
aud policies that have promoted and
established in This country a broader
personal liberty, free ballo;', free
speech aud free thought, ana adVlnc-
ed US to the position OF the first ma
ton on the GLOBE. Ii has stricken
the shackIes from 4,000.000 OF slaves
and lifted hem from tho condition
OF serfs to that of soverignS. |; has
made our flag 10 represent nation
\ of free men. Ii has opened up 'he
liml,less prairies OF the west aud
l planted thereon millions OF peacefui
/ homes. IL has reconstructed well
nigh ruined country aud bonhd u
together In bonds that. are indissoiu
/ bic. |; Is 10 day the embodiment oi
f. the spirit of progress that poS.e@se'
4 the age ia which We live. Il IL IN"
I friend OF all men. rich Sni poor