The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-02
A LOOK BACKWARD.

the sixth republican administration is rapidly
drawing to close; and when the sun shall
have risen and set, and risen and set again.
the affairs Of this great Nation will have
passed into other hands. 1t is an hour when
Republicans instinctively turn back the leaves
of national life to read once more the wonder
full story of patriotic submission to duty and
hard earned triumphs for national integrity
and universal liberty. The worlds most
famous campaigns for conquest or martial
glory cannot compare with it. The written rec
ord shows that Abraham Lincoln, the first Re
publican President, was the savior as Wash
ington was the father Of his country. Pa
triotic, patient, and endowed with one of the
noblest natures that ever graced public man,
he suffered some Of the most excruciating
anxieties that ever fell to the lot of man. The
duty he was chosen to discharge would I'M
doubleday have broken him down had he been
less patriotic less charitable. But from the
perilous hour that found him in Washington,
ready to begin his arduous task, until his eyes
suddenly closed in the darkness of that
April night, he never seemed to falter,
though often disheartened by the same
perils to the Nation that sent dismay to loyal
hearts everywhere. From the hour he in
voked the prayers of the people that he might
"receive that divine assistance without which
| cannot succeed, but with which success is
certain" until the day in which he gave ut
terance to that infinitely pathetic and pro-
foundly patriotic sentiment, with malice to
ward none, but with charity for ALL" his life
was the embodiment of every patriotic virtue
For twenty years the civilized world has held
it up as the most illustrious example of sturdy
manhood united with the most exalted pa&ri-
otism. -
But Lincoln was not alone He was The
central sun, attendant upon which were 9TH
ers equally great in other ways. The Repub-
lican party gave to the world the name and
fame of Ulysses S. Grant, a soldier the equal
=
Simple in his sturdy way as was Lincoln in
his tenderness, he fought only that right
might triumph, and when he had achieved
what others had failed to do, he went backsto
the quiet ways of peace. The Republican
party again called him forth, to stand at the
head of the American people as once he had
stood as leader Of armies. How we'll he dis
charged the new trust put upon him is mat
ter Of history. Again the Republican party
chose for its leader a gallant and
efficient soldier, and most determined and
Shameless effort was made by the Democratic
nominee and his tools to rob him of his cleo
ton. For third time soldier and states
man was chosen in the person Of the immortal
and heroic Garfield, about whose bed of suf-
fering sympathizing world was in tears.
How we'll he would have served the people, we
chosen by the Republican party to administer
public affairs during the last past twenty four
years. 1T is no idle boast that their equals
can not be found since the days of Washing
ton.
Nor is the Republican party proud only Of
its leaders in peace and in war The armies
that rescued the Nation from Democratic
treason and rebellion were essentially Republ
lican. From the commander-in-chief to rank
and file they were men imbued with Repubr
lican ideas and wholly consecrated to the &C.
complishment of the aims of the Republican
party. Every skirmish, every battle fought
for liberty and Union was fought by Repnb
licans and against Democrats. Those who died
for the immortal principles upon which the
party was founded, died Republicans; Repub-
lican blood dissolved the chains of slavery and
recemented the shattered Union. Republican
valor wrenched the slave-whip from brutal
hands and lifted the trembling bondman to
his feet. Republican patriotism gave hun
dreds Of thousands of lives, that the Nation
might live and that the infamy of slavery
should die. And when the war was ended.
and Democratic malignity could do no more,
Republican charity said to those lately in re-
bellion: 'Come back and share with us com
mon heritage, purchased with the blood of
patriots and saved from untimely dissolution. ]"
Nor have Republican achievements been
confined to battle-felds Twenty-four wears
ago this week it entered upon its great mis-
sion under very embarrassing circumstances.
1t found nearly half the Union in armed re-
bellion, with the ships and munitions of war
either in the hands of rebels or scattered to
the uttermost parts of the earth. 1t found
the treasury bankrupted because of Demo