Daily Republican., 1884-04-16

Descher's Views Of the Two Par
tlos.
The Rev. Henry Ward Bsecher, who
Ia in Chicago, writes to the Tribune OF
that city the following letter on the
tariff and the relation Of the parties
thereto
"That the Republican party in its
long march from Egypt to the promised
land never committed fault l do not
say. It was a weary way and unex-
plored, and Republicans were but men.
It was the party Of liberty as against
slavery the party Of free speech ~
against intolerance. 1t boldly faced
the threat of secession and elected Lin
coin. 1t had the courage to accept
the risks of war rather than back
down In the face of Southern threats.
at WAS baptized in blood, and
proved worthy of It's high callings 1t
had wisdom and courage to recompense
the shattered columns OF this Union,
and give 10 it grandeur which has
won the respect of the world. 1t met
the bloated currency which the war
had induced, and brought back the cur.
rent within the appropriate bounds.
II never was charmed with the green
back system, but restored the diss0lute
theories to virtue. In short, the RepuD-
lican party has had the courage TO meet
every issue which has risen for % years
without shutting or evasion. 1t has
had clean policy, and 1t has had that
supreme virtue OF parties-c0urage,
courage, courage.
"Tbe Republican party. .inaugurated a
policy Of high tariff. The necessities
Of a period of gigantic war are the
only palliation oi such q policy: But
when protection of American industry
was grated upon the tariff, no excuse
could be found for the blunder. 1t is
an insult to American enterprise to as
sumo that it needs protection. Ameri-
can industry Is no decrepit thing, need
ing crutches and nurses. Protection
puts the government into the ridiculous
attitude Of undertaking to supervise all
the various and intricate affairs OF
manufacture and commerce.
"It is the last vestige ofthat old sys
tenn of paternal government which
seeks to arrange men 3 religious beliefs,
to determine their social relations, to
prescrl be their meat, drink and apparel,
to do for them what free people are q
thousand times better able to do Tor
themselves. The aim and drift Of pro-
lection Is foolish and impertinent, but
the machinery by which it seeks to
secure this end is even worse than the
cause which it serves. Corrupt custom
houses In their nature are academies OF
injustice and dishonesty, abhorred OF
God as they ought to be of men.
"But, ri ght in so much and wrong
In 30 little, shall we abandon the party
or remain in it to settle q reformation ?
Az long as freedom of discussion is al
lowed, its mem mbers should abide with.
In and strive tor its reformation. What
q ridiculous and monstrOus folly it
" ould be to leave the republican party
because it Is yet blinded with protec-
ton and 60 oover to the democratic party,
that has Coquetted with almost every
evil which the war has swept away,
and which has not yet shown that 1t
had learned single lesson from the
grand struggle of the last twenty-five
years! 1t has no faith in itself, no
unity In measures, no wise leaders. 1t
has learned to construct platforms, and
then to run away from the only wise
planks in them.
courageous outward and cowardly
In deeds, what am / asked to do? To
go over from the Republican party, that
has the courage of It's opinions, to one
that avows free trade principles, and
then plays comedy in Congress in carry
ing out their pretentious reforms; that
has no leaders that dare lose in a good
cause or suffer for their principles.
When some bold advocate of free trade
arises among them, like Watterson, he
is knitted by his own coinpatriots. When
the Democratic party shall have b
mission of liberty, as 1t had in Jeffer-
sons day, or even jackson s-Dut TO
mention those names is to throw ridi-
Guile upon the name of Democracy.
When Samson had slept in the aims of
Delilah he had the grace OF suicide
given him. But Democracy, that lost
It's virtue in the bosom of slavery, blind
and feeble, yet prefers to grind in the
prison house rather than seek an honor
able death.
"There is another contingency. LII
the engineers and managers of the he
publican party shall select candidate
for the Presidency stained by jobbery,
in alliance with the policies of the great
railway princes, hand and glove with
corrupt lobbies, and in full faith with
the corrupt and corrupting gangs who
swarm our Legislatures and live BY
sleek plunder, it will be the duty of
every patriotic Republican to secure
his defeat, not by the folly of joining
the party of historic imbecility, but by
laying the foundation Of new move
ment that shall respect the moral in
stincts Of our people-a party Of COM
mon sense based upon moral sense"