Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-11-03
JUST BEFORE THE BATTLE.

The republicans of Stevens county,
the men, high minded men, who
knowing their duty dare to perform it,
must consider that they are upon the
eve of great struggle, where princi-
piles greater than all the leaders we
have ever had, are at stake. You
should remember that your party,
which furnishes the brain machinery
with which the government Of the
state and nation is moved, rests upon
its representatives in power and in the
several officers, supported by those
whose principles these officers repre-
sent, and that when these ties are sew
cred by any designing hand, the party
receives the wound direct, and bleeds
more freely than he whose election is
sorely defeated. Republican princi-
pies were never framed for wild-headed
boys, nor envious grown men to trife
with, but are as sacred trusts in your
hands, which the lovers of our coun-
try have bequeathed to you for safe
keeping, and you as men, high mind
ed, such as constituted a state, have no
more right to trail them in the dust,
to crafty an unworthy purpose, than
you have to steal the livery of heaven
to serve the devil in. The party, of
which you claim to be part, demands
in the name of your noble sires, now
at rest in their silent graves, your hon
est hearty cooperation in the support
of its minutest principle, and each and
every one of those who are upon its
ticket for the purpose of representing
those principles before the people.
The solid ground work Of all this, COM
mences with the lowest and smallest
office in any given community, and
extends its relations to the highest,
that of President of these United
States. AS you are republican, even
so will you stand by your party and its
nominees; and as you are weak, even
so may all expect faltering at your
hands in time of need. The enemy is
at our door, armed to the teeth, with
deadly weapons to destroy us as a
party in power, and their first work,
with the Presidential campaign of 1884
in view, will be to now capture our
primary works, to be used by them in
carrying by storm those of more i'm
portance, going on as they contem-
plate in regular succession until de-
feat is ours, and the victory is theirs.
If we can contemplate scene like this
with no deep concern of mind, our
love of country will be but sounding
brass, and tinkling symbal, and it
will not to such, matter how they vote,
or what their purpose in republican
form of government may be, it will be
nothing more than casting pearls be-
fore the swine. We do not seek to
drive the elder in years to action, nor
to unduly hasten the younger, but
only to direct the attention of the
noble energy of the republican party
to the victory that should be won at
the polls next Tuesday. That will be
day for US all to look back upon
with the greatest of pride, or as one
thatwill force itself upon our unwilling
minds with sore regret. This is our
last appeal to our party friends for the
party's safety. Our duty has been
performed with consciousness that
we have done all in our power to con-
meet every link in the chain of our
party strength, to the end that glori-
victory might perch upon our banner,
and here we must leave it, just before
the battle, hoping for the best.