Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-03-06
The Record of the Republican Part y

nldlhtu dDlllS.
The Record of the Republican Party.
Wednesday the Republican party step
ped 'out' but, we trust. not "dOwn.' 1t is
twenty-four years since the Democratic
party performed the same feat Let us
see what was the condition of the country
at the time when the Republicans came
into power, and what they have done for
it during the six terms of Republican ad-
minstration.
Twenty-four years ago the gigantic
curse of slavery oppressed the nation.
The birth of the Republican party dates
back to the time when the national con
science and purpose rose to the point of
declaring that slavery should not be per
mitted to extend its borders, in a
country the cornerstone of whose national
life had been declared to he the right of
the individual to life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness When Abraham
Lincoln was elected as the exponent of
this purpose, the country was in condi-
ton bordering upon anarchy. The leaders
of the Democratic party had decided
to ruin if they could no longer
rule. Threats of rebellion were
more than murmured, and the
plot to divide the country broke into
act, as soon us the result of the election
became known. Before Mr.. Lincoln was
inaugurated seven southern States had
seeded Il dozen Southern forts had been
seized by the State troops, and the South
ern Confederacy had organized with JEFF
ferson Davis as its provisional President.
The President-elect avoided assassination
on his way to Washington, only by secret
night ride through Baltimore: and six
weeks later the seat of government was
virtually besieged and cut off for few
dark days, from the loyal portion of the
country. The Nation was to all appear
ance close upon the brink of ruin
How the people rose; how the rebellion
was crushed and how the blot of slavery
was wiped from the national escutcheon
is known to all. Through four years of
bloody civil war, the right to spell Nation
with big \, was FUZZY established: and
the foreign governments that hoped to see
the American republic MeXicanized were
disappointed The close of the war left
the government staggering under debt
the wisest and most patriotic. The Repub-
lican party proved equal to the emergency.
Under its wise and firm control the
credit of the government was maintained ;
the Southern States We're reconstructed /:
taxation has been vastly reduced; the
civil service improved and the revenues
economically collected. At the close
of the war gold was ut II premium of 30 per
cent. Now government three per cent
bonds are above par and its four per cents
at - per cent premium All this has been
accomplished in manner which has call
ed forth the establishment and admin alton
OF the world.
Among the achievements of the Repuh-
ican party is the creation of our national
banking system When the party came
into power the only banks of issue were
State institutions. There was no national
currency. Bank notes were redeemable
ONLY at the State bank which issued them
At any distance from the bank they cir
culated, if at all, only at some rate of dis
count, small or great, How would
our business men like to return to the
days of wildcat currency, when bank
note detcctor was as much necessity as Il
shop to do business in? Now the coun-
try is bound together in II common fiscal
system. Nobody sCrutinlzes a bank note,
except to see what its denomination is,
and "A note issued in Maine is as safe to the
holder on the Pacific coast rs one issued
in California.
Look also at the Improvement in the
postal system of the country. The cost of
letter postage in 1850 was 33 per cent
greater than it is to-day, while the facilities
for the Transmission and delivery of mall
matter have beeen vastly improved. 1t is
to the Republican party that the country
owes the modern improvements of our
postal system; among them the con
veniences of postal money orders, the reg
istry of letters, and the letter carrier SyS-
TEN.
The most beneficial treaties which have
ever been negotiated by the United States,
have been negotiated during the last
twenty-four years. The growth of Amer
can manufactures has been marvellous
during this period of Republican admins
tration and of protection of American in
dustries 1.-THE same time, our foreign
trade has increased, until it has now
reached enormous proportlons-its rate of
| increase as it is stated, having been TWEEN
! ty times that of Great Britain, for the
same period Even in the face of existing
| commercial depressiOn-due in part to
| apprehensions and uncertainties as to
what may follow the change of admins
| tration-none can deny that the country is
to-day more prosperous and more respect
ed among nations, than the most hopeful
dreamer could have anticipated at the close
of the war.
The record of the Republican party,
then, is not only an honorable but bril-
liant record. The Government is deliver
ed back into the hands of the Democratic