Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-06-25
A Bit Of Political History.

history of our common country. How
interesting its perusal will prove in af-
ter years no man now living can GER
tainly tell. The evolution that has
taken place in the Republican party,
from the first national convention at
Philadelphia on June 17th, 1856, to
the St. Louis convention of June 10th,
1896, closes an era in the political his
tory of this country.
The Republican party had its birth
in those generous impulses that emo
BILE human nature, and make all man.
kind akin. 1t was protest against
human slavery, an institution which
the people of the Soth had inherited,
and to which they had become accus-
toned. While many of the more
thoughtful men of the slave-holding
states recognized the evils that flowed
from it, the fact that their wealth was
bound up in their men-servants and
maid-servants out-weighed more hui
name considerations. The law of social
inertia interviewed to preserve existing
conditions.
At the North this institution was not
well understood. In that section Its
unfavorable features were alone con-
sidered. 1t was thought inhuman
that any man should have the power
to sell husband from wife, or parent
from child. no matter how humble that
husband or parent might be, and no
consideration was given to the fact
that humane people of the South dis
countenanced and endeavored to pre-
vent sales of this nature where it was
possible to do so. The slave-holding
aristocracy had gained control of both
the principal parties then existing.
The moneyed interests at the North,
then subservient to the planter, as
they are now subserv1ent to the for
eigner, frowned upon all agitation of
the slavery question. 1t would dis
disturb values. impair confidence, and
drive from them the trade of their
Southern customers. The pressure
against the new party insured the dis
interestedness of its members.
In 1856 it began its career as an eff
fective political organization. With
Fremont and Dayton as its standard
bearers. it polled over one million three
hundred thousand votes, carrying one
hundred and fourteen electoral votes
out of a possible two hundred and
ninety six. In 1860, the rising tide
against slavery refused to be checked,
and Lincoln was landed in the White
House. Up to this time there was but
single issue before the American
people: the question of Slavery over
Swallowed everything else, and the
election of 1850 hinged upon a single
phase of this question-should any OF
slave States?
When the issue went against the
South it plunged at once into secession.
The thunder of the first gun against
the walls of Fort Sumpter destroyed
party organizations at the North, as a
cyclone would destroy house of cards.
The preservation of the Union was the
one thought then in the mind of every
citizen. All other issues were over
whelmed by it.
An insignificant minority endeavor-
ed, with Indifferent success, to prevent
encroachment upon the Federal Con-
stitution; but to preserve the Union at
any cost was the dominant idea. Al
though slavery was abolished as the
war progressed, it was an incident to
its prosecution. The Republican party
was the war party. Under its guild
ance the war was safely concluded and
the Union saved.
Under the shadow of the war gigan-
tic monopolies grew up as the fungus
grows in the shadow of the oak. Vast
schemes of plumber were formed. The
passions engendered by that fratricidal
struggle were famed into flame during
the reconstruction period. Before the
smoke and blood of conflict had clear
ed from our eyes the financial legisla-
tion of the war period had been fasten.
&c upon us by the Republican party.
Bonds that had been purchased with
paper were made payable in coin; sill
yer was demonetized: whereby the
value of every bond was quadrupled.
The great leaders of the Republican
party became the secret agents of Wall
and Lombard Streets. The trust be-
gan to spread itself abroad the land.
The consumer found himself restrict
ed to a particular market. in which
the price was artifcially fixed by the
trust. and his product was taken from
him by the same agency at its own
figure.
In 1876 the people arose against the
Republican party. The demand for
the demonstration of silver was thun-