New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-03
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
NE CASE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

publican Party, a Defence OF its Policy, and tho
with R,ocraphca sketches Of the Republican Candl-
dates. Ry GEORGE s boutwell,: lomo' Up A'''
ILL., Hartford william j. Betts " Co
The history of political party, remarks Mt
Boutwell, furnishes the best means for treating Hs
quality and estimating its claims 10 pubhc con,
Ndence. Certainly no more instructive lesson could
be set before the intelligent voter than review oil
che conduct and tendencies of the two parties when
now contest the government of the United States
Never perhaps in the experience of any country
have party differences been more clearly markeu
than during the last thirty years in America OF 'he
practical consequences of party theories been holo
thoroughly tried by events. All the most important
principles profesSed by one side have oeeh VIM
Gated by actual test and emphattcally approved y
the people All the most important prlncipeS P'O
Sessed bv the other have led to disaster anu nv
been rcfuted by facts and rejected over al" "
ncain by the decision of the ballot ana ,'' 'o"
Tho Democratic party took possession Of the country
IN time of prosperity and peace, and reduced II III
q few years 70 The verge of bankruptcy ana uisSoi
t;op When il was rescued from their hands by inc
.Iection of Abraham Lincoln. the union was Prac-
ticallv broken the South was in insurrection' '"'
treasury was empty, the national creul' was tono'
fbe national forces were scattered OF oSaIiuc"' III
dustrv was paraly7cd, and Europe looked LOT our
.,o.a. rolitirol dissolution With a rapdity TO
which history affords no parallel, the kepupilcan
marty repaired all the disasters of Democratic ru'e'
restored the union. established a splendid system
of finance. paid of debts, built up revenue al"
credit removed the great chief cause OF all our ms
to,trncs multiplied our wealth and resources, and
made ms one of the most formidable and prosperous
nations of the world The party is still IN ITS lresh
vouth ITS very founders are still living TO ENJOY It's
tripmphs: and vet IL can boast of achievements
which might have filled century with honor.
MIR boutwell, has not only presented vigorous
md rapid sketch of the careers of the TWO parties
Int what is still more effective he has so skliulS
constructed his narrative as 20 show that the action
of eacb was the natural and logical outcome ol It's
principles The pro-slavery clauses oi the or'sll''
constitution were inserted asa compromise To SECURE
tbe establishment of n union which at the time was
impossible without them but they contained
double element of Injustice In which, os In all I'M
lust compromises, Jay the germs of conflict. lh'y
created an inequality of men aud, 10y the talSe hass
of rerrcsentation an inequality of States. Prob
ablv tho founders of the Republic looked Tor the
sppedv disappearance of slavery through the
action of natural causes. The evil reached proper
tions and vitality which they could not have an
tirinntod hut the civilization ~ slavery apd inc
civilization of freedom atc essentially antasohst''
aud Ia tho long run the civilization ct Freedom mns'
prevail The ptepondrfancc OF population We''h,
culture, Intelligence, rntciptiHo, anu P"l"i'ai
powef soon hogan e. lean more aud more toward
tho North, and Southern statesmen sought To -
store thcir waning fortunea hy artificial aids I"
slavery. enforcing every demand 10y threat OF dis
union and making subseryienoe 10 the interests "l
slavery the memorable price Of their political sup
poTt So long as parties were divided AT the N"llh'
while the South was held together by TINS one
bond of a common interest, the slaye-oWheIs were
able TO control the Presidency For this the Demo-
cratic marty sold itself Everything that slavery
asked the Democracy granted, and as the clVll2a-
ton of freedom went on gaining slavery asked more
aud more until it practically insisted upon Delhg
recognized as the normal condition of American
society while freedom was to be treated as a local
md sectional institution. So events marched on
toward the inevitable end. The exactlons OF the
slave power became holder as its situation became
more desperate; the surrender of the Democracy
becane more absolute as il accustomed itself 10
false political theories and the conscience ana SELF
respect of the North made the organization OF he"
marty of freedom a clear necessity. When the slave
conspiracy rpeued into secession the Democratic
pary by the logic Of its position. made itself the
instrument Of disunion. Mr.. Boutwell, shows very
plainly how perfectly President Buchanan, IN
carving out the political theories OF his party
PLAYED into the hands of the seccsslonist' lie de-
MED the right Of secession as Constitutional
NJ.
the United States bad any right under the Consttu-
ton 70 prevent secession 10y force The secession
lists took the responsibility Of breaking the Union,
and the President took the responsibility OF saying
that. although he was very sorry, he had no right
10 prevent them. 1t is quite certain that II tho
Democratic administration had lasted two year,
longer the Confeleracy would have been firmly and
permanently established. Thus the Union was di'
,nembcrcd by wing Of the Demociatic party aho
surrendered by the other; and all through the wal
there was a considerable Democratic element at the
North which adhered consistently to Mr.. Buchanan
propositions.
1t would be m1nifestly unjust to say that North
em Democrats as a class were always opposed tC
the war after host.lities had actually begun; but
Mr.. Boutwell, shows that, when the contest
was nearly over and the victory of the Union
armies practically assured, the Democracy would
have given up all that we fought for. The slave
power had been the ally OF the Democracy by
whose aid alone it sustained itself IN power; an'
hence IT was that the party always camored iol
"the Union as it was and would rather not re'tor'
il at all than restore II without slavery Mr. Bout
well makes a very impressive exhibition OF the az
titudc of the party at the time of the nominaton oil
Mcclellan in lS64.-a time when Gettysburg hat
been fought when Vicksburg had fallen. when the
Mississippi had been opened. when there was ne
longer danger of foreign intervention when the
Confederate credit gone and the collapse oi th
Rebellion evidently at hand. Al this iuncture the
Democratic party. having already refused its assem-
80 Mr. Llncons proposal that tho United state
should give pecuniary aid TO any state which nigh
adopt the gradual adjustment Of slavery, and hav-
ing opposed the raising of troops under the Act %
March 3. s63, formally demanded an immediate
"ccssation of hostities mot armisticc, but al
absolute abandonment Of the war, and a conven
ton or other cement for the restoration OF the
old Union. IT was of course understood though no
explicitly declared that if the convention failed-a
II must the separation should be absolute anC
L. Nm 1I.n IIninn ahnulA Ac reatnrnl n