Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-06-16
a MATTER OF HISTORY

a MATTER OF HISTORY.
The San Francisco tia forecasts great
possibilities for the Republican party on the
plane of single-minded patriotism and alb
stention from sectionalism. The estimate
of our contemporary, while it has ele-
ments of truth, is erroneous in its assump-
ton that the Republican party ever was
sectional. 1t has been so in the mouth OF
the Democratic party only. Analysis OF
the declared principles of the party from
its birth into political activity in 1856 up
TO the present day reveals nothing more
strongly than that it has been patriotic
in the truest and best sense, and, so far
from being sectional, has been the party
for the whole country and for no one part
of it alone. One of its chiefest aims has
been to break down the scctionalism fus-
tered by the Democracy and manifest so
notably in the maintenance of a solid
South II disintegratioh of that solidity
is taking place now it is due to realization
on the part of the intelligent voting
strength OF the South that the party has
been constantly misrepresented by its po-
litical foe.
We challenge the proof of history to
the contrary if it be not so, that for thirty
years the text and preachingof the Demo
cratic party has been that the only friend
the South has is the Democracy, and that
the Republican party had but one pur-
pose-to consume the South. The truth is
that what the Aba denominates the sec
tionalism of the Republican party has
been simply its endeayor to establish po-
itical equality in all parts of the Union,
secure TO all people equal rights in all sec
tons and to depose an influence born of
human slavery and allied very closely to a
ruling aristocracy.
Wherein has the party been sectional !?
Wherein has it failed of patriotic pur-
pose or achievement? What section of
our common country has it fostered to the
antagonism of any other section? 1t is in
delibly written in the annals of the nation
that the one sectional party has been the
Democratic, since it alone was welded to
an institution" peculiar to one section, and
1t alone, by its platform, declarations and
acts manifested its want of faith in the
ability Of the country to save itself from
disruption The United States of Amer
lea, not the Republican party, waged a
war against rebellion. But quite the con
trary doctrine has been taught at the
South by the Democratic priesthood. The
Democratic party alone is branded upon
the page of history as declaring in the
very heat of the labor that the patriotic
purpose to preserve the union of States
and quell rebellion was failure, and
could not and ought not to succeed.
Very true, Democracy has aequiesced in
the results Of the unhappy conflict 1t
could not have done otherwise and have
survived. For a policy adopted of neces-
sity and with the alternative Of annihl-
lation, one cannot claim other credit than
that Of wise discretion.
1t will never do for the Alto, or any
other Democratic influence, in the face of
the achievement of the nation under Re
publican administration, to enter the field
OF debate and attempt to establish that the
party under which the indissolubility of
the union of sovereign States was forever
sealed, was the result of the labor of a
sectional party. For the rest, the Alias
forecast that the party will seek return
to power upon purely patriotic plane,
may lie taken as sound, since no other pur-
pose has inspired the organization. In
estimating the vitality of a great party we
MIST look at the central principles from
which has been the output of its activity,
and give no concern to the wayside issues
or errors Of party men, or even of party
administration.
1t remains now, as it always will, that
the Republican party was born to crush
sectionalism beneath its heel, as it did 1t
came into being from the loins of patriotic
purpose, that knew neither South nor
North. 1t was the misfortune of the era
that it was antagonized in this effort by a
party battling for a sectional and purely
selfish and un-American institution. and
contending for sectional dogma.
Says the Aita: The Republican party
alone has power to end the war, to Danish
sectionalism." If SO, it will be done bv
pursuance of precisely the same broad aud
patriotic idea that has animated it from
its birth "for the Union, and the whole
Union, not for any part of it." This is
the true reading the Democratic party
alone has the power to end the war and
Danish sectionalism." 1t can do so by with
drawing such of its banners under which
the Southern support is rallied as against
an organization Democracy has taught the
people of the South to regard as their i'm
placable foe, solely intended to Cypress
and overthrow them.
Ii Republicans prophesied i'll of the
Democracy in power, it testified only to
refinement of patriotism and the jealous
fear If political foeman that took sides