Year: 1874

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aressional Committee to the people OF
the United States, just Published, is
an admirable document in conception.
treatment, and style. The committee
embraces the opportunity furnished
by the opening Of the congressional
campaign, to place before the country
a contest between the records, the
principles and achievements of the
Democratic and Republican parties.
This is not done in spirit of apology,
but of confidence. The committee
comes before the public TO avow the
record of the Republican party, not to
apologize for it. They challenge the
peoples approval, not their pardon.
Attention is first directed to the con-
dition cf the country, thirteen years
ago, when the Republican party came
into power. For more than thirty
years previously the government had
been almost Ininterruptedly under
Democratic control, aud of that long
ascendancy, the committe say, there is
hardly memory left at which the ma
tion should not blush. Viewed from
the present standpoint, it seemed to
be inspired solely by the bad ambition
to make our foreign policy as ignoble
as our home policy was shameless.
The bullying, trucking, cowardly pol,
icy OF that period is briefly sketched
in a manner to make one wonder as he
reads that the country could even have
rested quietly under such weak and
enervating rule. The story of our
foreign policy during those years Of
Democratic supremacy is sad enough,
but that of our home rule, say the COM
mittee, is sadder still, if anything sad
der could be. The address then re-
views the domestic policy of Tie Dem
ocratic party, and shows it 70 have
been devoid of dignity, honestb or hon
or. There is at present no%Gnished
achievement or completed work of
usefulness in all the country, which
owes it beginning or its completion to
that party. Though ever protesting
to be the friend ofliberty and progress,
it has been the consistent enemy of
both, and its whole career has been
marked by an utter recreancy to true
Democratic principles. The period of
its supremacy was a period OF empty
promises, broken pledges and unbegun
or unfinished performances. When
the Democracy went out Of power In
1861, says the address, /" "stsseely a
building belonging to the government
was finished. Perhaps, however, the
party would have avoided that cause
Of reproach if they had earlier formed
the design of transferring those build
ings to the use of another government.
Armies were then maintained. Their
ranks were thin, but they were sump-
tously oficered- -of6cered far too large
ly by those who had been educated in
every soldierly grace save that Of allie
glance. A navy was suffered to ex-
ist. But as it was found little too
loyal to desert its flag, and little too
gallant to surrender it, when the hour
Of national peril arrived that navy was
scattered in remote seas.


After the long period. of political
enervation and misrule, during Which
Democratic Congresses and Presidents
seemed to vie with each other in their
efforts to weaken and degenerate the
national character, it was not surpris-
ing that when the standard of rebel
lion was raised in 1861 one half of the
Democratic party should have joined
the revolt, while the other half ex-
claimed that it could not be resisted.


With the advent of the Republican
party began new epoch in our politi-
cal history. Organized for an express
purpose, it was instructed to but one
duty. ''As, says the address, you
had never known the national govern
ment to do anything, you evidently
did not expect it to do much. You
simply commanded it to save your ter
ritories from the defilement Of slavery
that was all. That command has been
fulfilled. There is no slavery in any
of your territories. That will scarcely
be denied, even by the opposition
journals There is just rs little slav.
cry in any of the States. Something
more than you then thought possible
has been accomplished" But this il
only small portion of what the Re
publican larty has accomplished. 1t:
achievements during the last thirteeI
years form the most brilliant portion
of our national career and furnish ;
wonderful chapter in the history o
human progress. There is no brancf
of national dcvelopement i'll which i
has not labored, and it has undertak


en- nothing which it has not accom-
T plished. The schedule which ths
committee gives of its achievements
embraces not only the preservation o.
! the government and its advancement


at home and abroad, but the accom-
plishment of series Of great reforms
| in our internal economy, any one o
which would entitle the party to thu
lasting gratitude of the people. Read
ers of the Journal do not need to b.
told what the Republican party ha
done. In the language Of the address
| Its achievements were too cOnsplcuou


not to have been seen, and are too re


cent to be forgotten"


The contrast between the presen


attitude Of the two parties is not les


sharply drawn than that between thei


past careers. 1t is confessed that tn


Democratic party once prOfessed dis


tinct principles, though they were til


worst principles extant; but, bad a


they we're, they were better than tn


utter abjuration of all principle


which has characterized its recen


history, and which marks its presen


status. We quote from the address
When, in 1860, Democrats said


Continue us in power, and we vii


fleck the territories with slavery !;


when in 1864 they said, Restore u


to power and we will barter with reb


els, giving freedom for peace" whe


in 1868 they said again, Restore u


to power and We will abrogate tire


great amendment to the Constitution


secure government to white men, an


return slavery to colored men"


could only be replied that such inv


tations were very unattractive. Br
| when, in 1872, they cried, Restol


lis to office once more and We will d