Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-03-26
The GRANDEUR OF IT.

dsIe 0nAtNb6Oh Of liz
Proof that Patriotism is More than Sec
eionaiism to tho People of the United
States.
The restoration of the Democratic
party to power is proof that patriotism
u more than sectionalism with the peo-
pie Of the United States. The fact that,
with the appreciation of the citizens of
our commonwealth, President Cleveland
has appointed three Southern states
men In his Cabinet, demonstrates q
condition of National amity which is
under the circumstances remarkable
Twenty years ago closed the greatest
civil war IN history. To-day the chief
talns and statesmen of each of the then
hostile sections divide the powers of a
common government with the consent,
by the votes and with the warm approval
of a united people.
The ease with which Americans get
over their quarrels is unprecedented in
the annals of other races. The English
civil wars left scars which showed for
centuries. To this day there are traces
OF the divisions they caused. The more
mercurial French make internal strug-
giles an occasion for rivers of fraternal
blood, and for a riot of retribution and
revenge. There is not a people of Eu-
rope or of Asia which has not been di-
vlded and torn for decades on decades,
by the animosities surviving domestic
brolls. Their civil wars, for extent,
for destruction, for the number of men
arrayed. for the blood and treasure
spent and for the valor and genius
shown, were as nothing to ours. And
their ability to forgive and be recon-
ciled was as nothing to ours. Here
not hostile was executed. Here no
confiscation occurred. Here no lasting
Acknowledgement prevailed. Here those
Who did or who now do preach that
victory should have been stated in ven
geance are looked on as mental mani
kins or as moral monsters.
No artificial or surface cause of con-
f1ict explains this. The cause was as
tremendous as the conflict. Men were
as sincere and brave on one side as on
the other. The question of the mean
ing OF the Constitution relative to the
dissolubility or the inaissolubiiity of the
Union was an ISSUE 1t was vital
question. 1t was one the fathers had
never contemplated or had refused to
contemplate. Around it great schools
of variant political belief had grown
up. 1t reached 4 point at whlch
people submitted TO the wager of battle
the difference neither reason nor inter-
est nor compromise could adjust
There was a tacit agreement to abide
the decision OF arms. That decision
was conclusive. 1t was accepted as
complete and final by the conquered.
1t was held to be sufficient by the con-
querors. The two have fraternized
ever since. Their disposition to do
has been unqucnchable. Their ability
to do so was impaired only by such
politicians as perverted party action
and government powers to purposes of
plumber.
That complete reconciliation and
brotherly understanding should depend
on and be signified by Democratic sue
cess is a proof of t he pre-eminently Ma
tional character of that indestructble
and admirable party. For long years
sciolists and liars charged. and many
sincere and deluded men believed, that
the Democrats of the South did not &C
cept the results of the war and that the
Democrats of the North had sympa-
thized with disunion and did sympa-
thize with the alleged Southern inten-
ton further to in ure the war settle
ments by only affecting to recognize
them. The falsehood of all this was
total. No conquered people ever more
truly gave up their resistance, or their
spirit of it, than those of the South. No
body of men acted more earnestly for
the Union, or did more to make the
arms of the North victorious, than the
Northern Democrats. The gospel of
distrust of the South, since the war. and
of defamation of the Northern Democ-
racy, at any time, has been the gospel
of lies and of the pit. False and foul as
that preachment was, it was naturally
effective, for long time. 1t gave the
party whose advent to Government con-
troll conceded with the war an excuse
for employing all the powers OF Gov
eminent and for appealing to all the
hates and fears of men, to keep power
after the peace. 1t furnished with sue
cess conSpirators who twice wrested
election from the people.
And what is the situation to-day?
The National party rules the Nation by
the Nations will. With no weapon but
reason. it has won against patronage,
defamation, distruSt, fanaticiSm and the
powers of its own government turned
upon it. That the Democracy survived
was wonderful. That it is victorious is
extraordinary. Through political act,
its success perfccts and vitalizes the re-
Cancellation which was in the hearts of
those who fought, the moment the con-
fiict was over. That success admits to
the conduct of the Government again
all those whom American humanity in
sisted should not be barred from the
clemency of Government, when arms
Were grounded. The expulsion of re-
venge from the policy of the Republic,
in response to the demand of all the
people, was an act of sublimity. A po-
1itical victory freighted with blessings
to the land, and gained by the union OF
the best citizens of both North and
South is, SO soon after a wasting strife
one of the moral marvels of this most
marvellous country. Indeed equal credit
of earlier date than now belongs TO this
people. In 1876 and 1880 actual though
unetfectuated victory was decreed to
the Democracy by the people. But
in 1884 the sentiment for reform
of methods and for fraternity
of feeling swept over all the ref
uges and defenses of corruption. The
nation now realizes that its party of
power, of conference, of patriotism and
OF reform is the one whose strength in
votes IS equal in every division of the
Union and around whose council board
SIT the statesmen of every quarter of
the republic. The gain to patriotism,
brotherhood, civilization and peace is
lncalculable. The true men who fought
the good fight of reason. of Cancellation