The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-12-14
Our Late Defeat.

Dcen lnuulReu In rs I'd the CAUSE Vi
causes which led up to and occasioned
Republican disaster in the late election.
Many wise opinions have been rendered
but no satisfactory explanation has
been assigned.
This was to have been expected and,
except for the purpose of looking into
the past that the future may avoid its
mistakes, such retrospection is worse
than useless.
The defeat of our cause is an unpleas-
ant fact, yet, ifmade the most of, will be
the means by which the success of the
principles of the Republican party will
ultimately be achieved Constant sue
cess in anything generally results in
self-satisfaction and that pride which
goeth before fall. AS with poor NOR
tails, SO it is with parties, and indeed
nations. Their griefs, mistakes and
defeats are the narrow way leading to
new life and grander achievements.
In this hour of defeat, with the
responsibility shifted to other shoulders,
time is afforded us to take account of
stock, see what progress has really been
made, what leaks there are to be
stopped, and how to steer for future
victory.
The Republican party has held the
tiller of the ship of state for many years
bound on voyage which is not nearly
accomplished, and if barnacles have
weighted her down and if accident has
befallen her, it is only what has happen
ed to many good ship. Our ship,
aided 10y good seamanship, will surely
right herself and, lacking back to the
old course, refitted and manned by
skilled officers and well disciplined
men, complete the broken voyage and
reach the Eldorado of our hopes. To
accomplish this, however, the men of
her party must love her more and study
their ambitions less. There must be
fewer Republicans "for revenue only"
their own advancement to the common
veal
He is no patriot who values his party's
interests SO long only as Office is in sight
or emolument is his goal, but rather he
who emphasizes his, party's cause in
season and out of season, in defeat as
well as in victory, aud who thinks not
first of himself but 0f his country.
Many causes in combination led us to
catastrophe. Prominent among them
were desertion, ignorance, unrest, in
gratitude, hopes unaccomplished,
offices unwon, ambitions unsatistied,
jealousies engendered and correct
principles carried to extremes and too
arbitrarily, impatiently and uncom.
promisingly insisted upon.
AS the burning issues which proceed
ed and followed the war have gradually
become of the past, SO party fealty has
steadily relaxed until men who few
years since would have secuted the sug.
gestion, have become lukewarm and
half hearted in their party's service.
The events out of which the party
grew were such as to admit of no half
measures or half-hearted loyalty. They
involved differences about which
patriots could not disagree and con
corning which there could be no half
way party men.
Slowly, in place of such issues
practical business problems have arisen,
not less important but less easily un.
derstood and about which men may
more readily disagree questions les:
capable of unifying thought and
cementing party. And, besides, Il new
people have grown up to whom the
events of 1861 and the succeeding year:
are as romance and not reality, and
to many of whom, born under other
skies and speaking other tongues, the
history and traditions of the party are
as blank page.
The duty of the hour is to gather oul
scattered armies, reform our ranks
correct our mistakes, educate oul
men by precept and the lessons of ex
perience and swear them to renewed
allegiance to our cause, that, when the
hour of battle again arrives, as it soon
will, we may stand shoulder to shoulder
with solid phalanx to regain our lost
vantage ground and demonstrate that
our defeat has but fitted us for victory
Since the Republican party was
organized, Van Buren, county, by over.
whelming majorities, has always sup.
ported her platforms and candidates.
Whatever may have been the case
elsewhere, Van Buren, has constantly
been in the vanguard, piling up major
tiles that have done not little to pre-.
vent party defeat and to save to her
cause men, her candidates, whose voice
and services in the councils of the
nation would otherwise have been lost
This is a proud record, and best of all
it has been an unselfish though not an
unrewarded one. The reward has not
fraouantIv taken the shane of official