San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1884-09-11

illustrated by facts. Mr. Caikins, the No
publican candidate for governor Of Indiana,
tells us that his party must continue TO gov
ern the country till better ons shall make
its appearance. OF course he and his asso-
ciates will claim the right TO decide when
better party has appeared, so that the worse
may get out Of the way; but rs bad parties
never confess their sins and mover yield up
power until they are compelled to do so,
his theory Of politics would keep the Re-
publican party in power forever.
The first and indispensable condition TO the
creation of better party Is the disruption
Of old ones through which their better ele-
ments may be set free and recombined. !
was member Of the old Whig party when
the Free soil bolt of 1s4S occurred, and !
well remember how the leaders Of that party
with their boilers. We were
told that the Whig party was certainly bet
ter than the Democratic, and that our deser-
ton from the old banner would only
strengthen the hands Of the enemy and de-
feat the end we had in view. But the bolt
proceeded, and the result was the formation
of the Republican party. 1t was bolt 1t
never could have existed II the philosophy
of Mr.. Calkins had been accepted, and the
two old parties would have continued the
race, neck and neck in o nominal strife
over dead issues and real struggle for the
spoils. NY Republican friends are simply
repeating the folly of the Wings OF 1S48,
while the independent Republicans in this
canvass are following in the footsteps OF the
boilers of that time. rejoice In the spec
tac,e of this new revolt against party des-
potism, and only regret that 1t did not come
sooner But II will accomplish its mission,
AZ did its predecessor of 1848. The old
WhiQ party perished, not merely because the
issues on which it was organized had been
settled, but because its conscience left 1t, and
drew after il an element without which the
organization was doomed to wither and rot.
These independents have adopted the true
method, They have simply followed the
example of Fox and Wesley in another field
of reform for these grand men did not
commit the folly Of trying to purify the
corrupt hierarchies Of their time by remain
ing within them, bnt waged their war from
without, and thus laid the foundation for
great historic movements by rallying to
their standards the true men Of all denomin-
atoms and creeds.
THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES.
Let me now refer briefly to the republi-
can candidates. In doing so, shall but
follow a step further in the line OF argument
already adopted for the character OF q
party is to be gauged by that OF its dehper-
ately chosen representatives. l freeiy ad-
NIT that Mr.. Blaine is the choice OF very
large majority of his party. His nomina-
tion was not the work of its leaders, but Its
rank and file. He was chosen by the party
whose record of violated promises and
shameless misgovernment should make
every honest man in 1t blush; and the same
judgment must pass upon both candidates
and party. Its masses knew him well
enough through his public record OF twen-
ty years in the House and Senate, and as
President Garfeld's Secretary OF State.
They knew him well in 1876, when he only
escaped presidential nomination by an
accident, and his stock jobbing record had
Just been made familiar to the American
people. They knew him as popular favorite
in his party in 1880, and they nominated
him this year with their eyes wide open,
and cannot plead ignorance of his charac-
ter. If, therefore, we can ascertain what
that character is, IL may afford another illus
tration of the claims of the party as the
champion of political reform.
MR., BLAINE AZ A STATESMAN.
From the year 1868 to 1871, served with
Mr. Blaine in the House Of Representatives.
l have occasionally met him since, and have
never received anything but courtesy and
kindness at his hands. In discussing his
fitness for the Presidency am therefore
without the shadow of o motive TO do him
the slightest personal or political injustice.
He is iauded by his friends az great states
man, and frequently compared to Gladstone.
The New York Tribune speaks of him Oh
sthe foremost man Of the time" and as
having "reached and passed the high-water
mark of American craftsmanship" But
when q bill of particulars " demanded, set
ting forth the several achievements which
..ifv this estimate, his champions
--adingly embarrassed.
would Juss... -ship has he
find themselves exceDu.. None Of
What famous act of Statesman. .-,is
ever espoused and accomplished ~.
his friends can specify it. HIS name recuus
no great principle aud no great measure of
policy, He is q famous party leader, but
only in the sense of inspiring his followers
and drilling and deploying them for effec-
tive party work. He has neither originated
any important bill nor shown himself the
advocate of any important
measure. He has taken the lead In none OF
the great questions that have agitated the
country during his long term Of public SER
vice in the House and Senate, and covering
the most memorable epoch in our history.
The finances, the public lands, the civil SER
vice, the war policy of the Government, the
slavery question, reconstruction, negro suf-
fringe, the several constitutional amendments,
and other vital questions were all debated
and some of them should have called forth
the marvellous resources Of this foremost
man Of the time !" but although he made
some respectable speeches. and almost in
Variably voted with his party friends, he
aid nothing and did nothing 10 establish
he extravagant claim now set mp 10 his be-
lalf. As an anti-slavery leader, though
low the greatest champion Of the negro,
Iis record is not remarkable, and is not
'ound according 10 Republican tests, In
oOking over his recently published volume /
find that he uhitsvAshes the Dred Scott /
leciSion. which played 20 large part in the 1
arly days Of bis party. He defends the /
Amous 7th Of March speech Of Daniel Web |
Ger. He eulogizss the Missouri compro- /
nise Of ls20. which all earnest anti-slaVery |
nsn have 20 unitedly deplored- He belii- |
-es the significance and moral purpose of
be anti lavsry movement in the Northern I
itAtes. Aad represents the South e. strugg-
ng for an equilibrium IN the senate through J
rhich Il might sscure the spoils q ofios.
,oming down 10 later times, his position
re not dsfsnsbis on Republioan grounds
n Tie qaesti0a q reoonstroction and negro
1frags In An Articls pablisbsd few
eArs snos IN the North Amer5can Review,
e says The Souther1 States co1d have
go readily rtsdmitted 70 AL thsir powers
ID privileges IN tbs Union b. soospfing
b Fourtesnth Ams1dn1s1t, EDd negrO s1f-
u.gs vO-h nd have bsen foroed uDo1
1en- nhis vHs Mr. Biainsis i3sa a h
1hliosnian- nGuply 1sHut thu.t his party
'aa viling ~ had orcr ne 1egross q fhs
49, ef.sr. A a. - r--.mrt..T -.