Year: 1866

The other great political organiza.
tion is CUR Union Republican Party.
IL sprung into existence in its present
form, in 1861, when the rebel batteries
opened upon Sumter, and consists of
the Republican party reinforced by all
others who believed that the Union OF
these United States is indissolubIe and
were willing to fight for the national
existence. II drew 10 it all those Dem
ocrats whose eyes were opened TO the
Iabyss into which secessionsm would
plunge them, and by their aid it became
the dominant party throughout the
country, wherever loyalty was DOM.
nant over treason. AS the consttu-
tionat right of secession was the only
really significant doctrine of the Dem.
ocratic party, 50 the perpetual and in.
defeasabls unity of the Federal Gov.
ernment has bcen the central article
of our creed. By this sign the Union
party has conquered. 1t has the glori.
GUS prestige of having gained the victo.
ry over the most iormidably organized
rebellion which ever assailed the life
Of nation. In meeting all the enorm-
GUS financial difficulties which necessa.
rily arose from the blow given to pub
lie credit by SO great an internal dis
turbance of the Government; in organ.
izing great armies and conducting mil.
itary operations upon scale of the
greatest magnitude; in contending with
the most insidous and dangerous op-
position within thepoyal States; and in
80 wisely conducting our relations with
foreign governments that covert hos.
tiity never riper cd into open war, the
Union party has made good its claims
to the truest craftsmanship and noblest
courage. Every quality which can give
enthusiasm TO it's members it has abun.
dainty exhibited, and viewed simply
as a means for the accomplishment of
public good, this powerful organization


has value SO great that it would be


worse than folly to throw it away. Its
history is the history of the country
during its most important and critical
epoch, and is as glorious and as sure
OF remembrance as that of the original


ioundersof the Republic.


The power of this organization has


been as great as ever can be necessary


to a political party in order to direct


the policy and the destiny of the coun


try, for it has controlled all the depart.


ments of the Government, and had SO


large majority in both branches of


Congress that the return of full dclega


tons from the Southern States would


still leave it a working majority, even


ifsuch delegations should unanimously


90 into opposition. In the State gov.


ernments of the Northern States its


success has been no less striking, and


therefore, whilst we should rejoice to


see all our opponents with one voice,


and in good faith repudiate all those
principles which led to tho rebellion


and encouraged it in obstinate warfare,


whilst we believe it to be essential TO


the future safety of the country that


there should DO universal and frank


acknowledgement that the question of


the right OF secession and Of nnlifica-


tion has been forever determined in the


negative by the war we have no need,


for the practical purposes of party sue


cess in administering the affairs of the


Government, of greater strength than


we have had up to this time.


The glorious result of the war should
not tend to diminish, but should in.


crease the compactness and power of


such party. No man who has fought


for it during the months and years of


darkness and doubt, can desire to leave
it because it has been triumphant Its


danger cannot come from its old ad.


vcrsary and from the old questions in
debate, but from dissensions in its own
rank, and issues raised between its own
members. The real question in this


canvas, then, is, SHALL THE UNION
PARTY DESTROY ITSELF Shall it vol.
UNFAIRLY and gratuitously give to the
enemies of its policy during the last
four years, that success which no force
or stratagem has been able to wrench
, away from us? Believing, as do, that
there is no reason for such wiffu
: waste of power, and Of the means of ac
, compishing great good for the coun'
, try, / propose to ask all true Union
J men to consider carefully this ques
. ton.


In every political organization there
9 must be something upon which there
, is a general agreement, and there al
s ways will be many things about which
Q there are differences OF opinion. The
o practical action of every party may be
r said to consist of compromises in regarC
. TO the details and specific measures by
s which the general purpose and objec
f which is held in common is sought Il
, be attained. Agreement as to the OBJ
Y ject is the centripetal force which hold
! the organization together; difference a
. to details or in regard 10 collatera


questions is the centrifugal power which
s tends to destroy it. The majority il
! party may claim to control its policy
b as 10 it's measures, up to q certain
: point; but il it has any wish for sue
/ cess it must not insist upon policy
t which repcls any considerable part o
) its members more strongly than tn
r common purpose attracts them. o
q course am now speaking only o
:. measures which do not violate any fur
It damcntal idea Of right and duty, for n,
8 one can be more free to admit tha
It there may be questions upon which
IS there can be no compromise, and in re
e gard to which an honest man must ac
It out his principles though he act alone