The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-06-17
A Revolution.

III the snti.BLAISE movement does not
amount TO A positive revolution. then no
man is capable Of Judging OF what consul.
,u,es a revolution. We do not assume that
ne specess As involved in the defeat OF The
Chicago ticket Is inevitable; but we do say
tha, every phase Of opposition developed
30 far points to such result. We nave
said before that the causes OF the revolt
wore more deep-seated than even we had
reason 10 believe at first. and every new
light that Is shed upon the situation tends
m ,ustify that utterance. It's more evident
every day that the BLAME organs have not
10 contend SIMPLY, as they pretend 10
think. with political asperities which
are the natural outgrowth OF disappoih'-
ment. and which can be smoo'hed over
when the people come to realize that inc
life of the Republican party Is Ut stake.
The fact u that the issue has been removed
from a strictly political domain into the
domain Of morals. Further, 10 would
seer, that the death Of the Republican
party. as that party Is at present constr
tinted. Is the very thing the honest voters
az the country demand. Ard II, in order
IN proye this, any evidence in addition 10
what we have already adduced is need
cd. # is, we think. furnished by TIE
tone Of the northern religious press. AS
a rule these papers are Republican, but
without exception almost they have 1oined
the anti-BLAINE movement and arc encour-
aging the disaffected Republicans and the
independents In their revolt. While we
hold that religious paper goes entirely
out of ITS legitimate sphere in becoming
the mouthpiece OF any political party
while we regard political editorial in re-
ligious paper as about on par ith polltI-
cal speech from the pulpit-the attitude OF
our religious contemporaries in the North
is none the less fraught with the deepest
significance. Party politics is no new
thing with them, and when we remember
that the majority OF them have been In
the habit OF sticking to the Republican
nominee, no matter what may have been
his record, and in so doing have sought TO
excuse themselves on the ground that the
party itself was all thar is highly moral, their
disaffection must be accounted an impcr-
tant factor In determining the result in No
yember. Whether il is right or wrong that
they should take part in the canvass the im-
portant facts remain that they voice the SEN
tment OF large and powerful elements, that
they WELD tremendous influence, and
that that influence is being exerted for re-
form. Whether they can be justified in
going beyond the bounds Of what we re-
gard their proper field OF discussion or not,
their position reflects healthy rejection
against fraud ard corruption among classes
whose views could not be as clear
" arrived at through any other me-
dunn. They not only reinforce the
declarations OF the secular press that dis
affection is widespread, but illustrate in
the strongest light its intensity. An organ
of one OF the largest religious denomlna-
tons in the North, after recognizing that
il has a especial sphere" and declaring
that its aim is to give TO all who read its
pages religious news and to discuss such
topics as are adapted to enlarge the range
OF Christian intelligence, and develop and
direct the Christian activities OF the
churches" has this to say:
"Moral questions as affecting political
movements also come within the legitimate
province OF religious Journalism. On this
ground we have not hesitated TO speak on
party issues which clearly Involved princi-
Piles OF morality, believing that there is an
obvious relation between politics and
piety. Holding firmly to this view, we re-
cognlze moral obligation to express an
emphatic dissent from many OF the senti-
ments embodied in the platform OF the Re-
publican Convention at Chicago and to the
means adopted to effect the nomination OF
the national candidates. But waving for
the present the discussion OF these Ques-
tions, the public record OF the Hon. James
u. Blaine is such as does not commend
him 10 our judgment as fit man to hold
the highest place in the gift OF our repub-
lic."
Another prominent religious journal re-
marks:
"Blane and Logan are mt comrades.
They were the two most Objectionable cam
0lQateS DeIOTe tDt touNtutioh, anu ~ ""0
natural tnat they should combine and con-
Quer. They represent the self-seeKing,
demagogical element, which uses party
for personal preieiment No one suspects
them OF an earnest desire for single re-
form. They are not known as advocates
of pure civil service, Of frugal expendl'
lures Of the public funds, or OF the puriil-
cation Of political methods. We
can advise no vote for men who represent
not the conscience OF our party, but the
profits or the preiudices OF its campbell
lowers"
We could quote extracts OF similar tenor
from number Of other religious papers
representing various religious denomina-
tions in the North, but cni bono. These,
taken with the general tone Of the northern
secular press as we have presented it from
time TO time, are, We think, more than SUI
ficient TO establish our point that the anti
BLAINE movement has reached the proper
lions of a formidable rev olution.
----------------
Calling Halt.