The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-15
SERVICES OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

SERVICES oF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
The public services of the Republican par
ty, covering, as they do period Of nearly
quarter Of century, involve the most stu
pendous labors ever assumed and accomplished
by any political organization, Entering, UNI
disciplined, upon its duties on the 4th day OF
March, 1861 and upheld only by the con
seriousness of the justice of its cause and the
patriotism of its purposes, it took upon its
young shoulders the burden of an Atlas, the
work of Hercules. The triumphal issue OF
the war for the maintenance of the
Union and the establishment Of universal
freedom was but part in the great record
made by this organization. The war for the
suppression of the rebellion, in view of the aid
and comfort afforded the South by the Demo
cratic party North, was one of the most brill
liant military achievements of history. The
Republican party fought at disadvantage
from beginning to end; for with one hand it
had to grapple the throat of Democratic
treason in the North, while with the other it
made slow but sure progress against
a more honorable but no more desperate,
Indiana soldiers were kept out Of the field
and thus weakened our armies in the front,
because thousands of Indiana Democrats un=
der the leadership Of Bowles, Milligan,
Horsey Voorhees, and Hendricks, were plot
ting treason, giving aid and comfort to the
enemies of the country, and dreaming and
talking Of Northwest Confederacy.
Triumphant at last in the field the real
work of the party began, and the great task
of establishing the countrys commerce and
manufacturing industries had to be under
taken. In this as in the suppression
of the rebellion, the Republican party sue
ceeded despite the most strenuousop opposition of
the Democratic party, which fought against
every point that has since been conceded.
The Democratic party was uncompromisingl
hostile to the three constitutional amend
ments, now a part of the organic law of the
land. It was opposed to the honest payment
be discharged in deprecated currency 1t
was opposed to the idea of specie resumption,
as to-dayit is opposed to the policy of protect
ing our Industrial interests, The Republican
party attended to each and all of these great
undertakings, drew up the necessary bills and
pushed them to passage in spite Of Democratic
obstruction, To the Republican partys glo
rious record in war must be added these sig
nal triumphs in the halls of legislation The
the wisdom and undaunted energy of the Re
publican party.
In all the inevitable confusion of civil war
and of reconstruction, none of the threads in
the fabric of government were lost, but all
were held in proper place. While all the
great things were Transporting in field and in
forum, the Republican party was not un-
mindful of the countrys future, and out
of the shreds of ruptured government
were woven the financial principles which
made the American people rich and inde-
pendent before their time. The ravages of war
are no longer visible over thousand millions
of the debt made by the Democratic rebellion
have been paid, while the annual interest &C
count has been reduced by 800, 600, 900, and
all this after guaranteeing that the payment
of the debt should be made in exact accord
ance with the expressed and implied under
standing when the debt was created. Dollars
that were beaten down by Democrats North
and South until they were worth but thirty
five cents, in gold have been lifted to par
by the Republican party, and the
paper dollar that Mr. Voorhees,
denounced as being "a Lincoln skin, yaga-
bond with the brand Of Cain upon its brow,
is worth one hundred cents in every part Of
the Union and of the world But the issues
Of the war, of reconstruction, Of suffrage, of
civil rights, and of finance in general, are set
tied, being so firmly planted in public conf
dence that nothing can shake them. The
Republican party has cause for graduation in
the contemplation of what it has accomplished
But one undertaking of the Republican
party remains unfinished, and that only be-
cause the folly which has ever characterized
the Democratic party has caused it to once
more blindly oppose any and all
measures Endorsed by the Republican
party. Of all the great questions
Of public polity that of protection IS still made
an issue through the stupidity Of the Demo
cratic party, once more apparently bent on in
viting defeat. It was owing to this policy