The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-06-12
Then and Now.
New York Sun.

The Republicans at Chicago seem
to derive a certain shadowy comfort
from the fact that their Convention
is held in the city where the second
Republican National Convention
had the wisdom and the good for
tune to nominate Abraham Lincoln.
Senator Sabin in his opening speech
tried to encourage the dropping
hopes of his party by reminding it
of that Convention and the "birth
place of Republican victory" 9th
er speakers have rung the changes
upon the same theme. Conscious,
in spite of their pretended conf
dence, of their really desperate chan
ces, the Republicans try to take
heart from sort of gamblers super
stition, and to imagine that there
will be a coincidence of luck as we'll
as of place between the Convention
of 1860 and the Convention of 1884.
1t is not strange that the Republi-
cans should try to cover the stains
upon the record of their party by
the splendid memory of the few
years in which it was true to the
public welfare. Is it not strange
that when the absence of genuine
principles gives full play to the pre-
tensions of their unprincipled lead
ers and to the struggle of factions,
the Republicans should look back to
the time with regret when Seward
and Chase and Cameron, defeated
in their own ambitions, were willing
to work with no diminished zeal for
the success of their party. To the
Republicans of 1856 and 1860 the
party meant, not the lust of office
and the hope of plumber, but the ad-
vancement of principles which they
firmly believed. The Republicans
of those days believe, as they de-
clared in 1860, ''that the normal con-
dition of all the territory of the
United States is that of freedom"
and, united III the conviction, they
gathered a memorable victory from
the diversions of the Democracy,
and shaped the destinies of the
country in the crisis of its life. The
Republicans of these days seem to
believe that the normal condition of
the Government of the United
States is that of corruption, and so
it has been for the last fifteen years.
The usefulness of the Republican
party really ended when the death
of Abraham Lincoln left the South
ern States without one wise and
kindly mediator between them and
the fury of Congress, anxious to per-
petuate Republican power, no mat
ter what violations of the Constitu-
tiOns might be necessary for the pur-
pose. .....
Then began in the South that pc
riOd of infamous misgovernment
and corruption, the remembrance of
which makes, and will long make,
the Southern people bitterly but
justly opposed to the Republicans.
Yet in ''the birthplace of Republi-
can victory" nearly one-half of the
Republican Convention was willing
to boost Powell Clayton, as fragrant
and foul an agent of Republican
misrule in the South as can be
found.
There was another distinguished
Republican upon the platform of the
Convention who must have Jared
somewhat with the memories of the
Convention of 1864. This was VIM.
w. Belknap, Secretary Of War I'M
der Grant.
Clayton represents a mere phase
of Republican corruption. Belknap
represents that universal corruption
of the public service which the
country owes to the Republican
party.
The references to the stainless
name of Abraham Lincoln were
sacrilege in the presence of these no.
torious malefactors and their ilk.
There is no resemblance between the
party of Lincoln and the party of
the Claytons and the Belknaps. And
it is the duty of Democracy to save
from desecration a great name
which rascals and hypocrites are
trying to exploit for ignoble ends.