Year: 1875

have favored such a movement, with
which of the two parties they can best cast
their influence to secure good govern
mcnt. This is the question which the
" Liberals" Of 1872, and the " Independ-
entsn Of later years are now called upon
to consider. Four-ffths, if not "a larger
proportion Of these Liberals and lnde
pendents were of Republican antecedents
whose whole sympathies were on the side
of the nation, as purified and regcnelated
1.-THE close oSthe great struggle FOR nation
ality. That they have sought TO reform
the abuses which have crept into the Re
publican party in its long lease Of almost
unlimited power, does not alter the fact
that they were Republicans in principle
through all the varied phases of its war
and reconstruction policy ; although we
then, as now, believed the only correct
way to secure reformation, was TO fight
for it within the lines of the party. To
such men the Democratic party offers
nothing on which TO build hope. Wher
ever it obtains power, it shows itself to be
the same in principle and practice as Of
old. 1t makes concessions only where it
sees itself hopeless of success and when
that success Is once assured, the same ell
ement which engineered its policy thro'
out the hour of the country's peril, comes
again to the surface, and once more as
sumes the guidance OF its affairs. The
assistance OF the Liberals and Independ-
ents is welcomed to aid them in carrying
the elections, but that accomplished, the
Bourbon element at once assumes control.
Where De mocracy is in full power,
anything savoring Of " Liberalism is
pushed to the WALL and none only those
having a clean record in the past, ac-
knowledged as the representatives Of the
party.


The Greeley campaign of 1872, was in
augurated by men Of the Republican par
ty whose views led them TO differ with the
body Of the party upon questions growing
out OF the new relations assumed by the
Southern States. Itreceived but partial
endorsement at Democratic hands, and
was crushed through the lukewarmness
Of those who gave it a halfway support.
But of those who took prom incnt part
in that movement there were some men
Of character and ability, whose positions
a. acknowledged leaders Of the Republic
an party would be lost by such step and
whose sole hope Of political recognition in
the future must be at the hands of the new
party, il it became recognized as nation
al and leading one. Such men were Gree
ley, Sumner, Schurz, Fenton, and others
Of high, though perhaps not equal prom
inence. The crushing defeat Of Lib0ral-
ism was followed by return to the Dem
ocratic ranks of those Democrats who had
given it a temporary support. The Lib
erals in the Senate and Lower House were
left without party in the nation to appeal
to. On most questions relating to South
ern atla Is they acted with the Demo
cratic minority. If that party had been
sincere in its temporary adhesion to the
Liberal party, it would have recognized
such men as worthy Of leadership. But
mark the result. In the great political
revolution that came over the country
last year, the part borne by the Liberals
in bringing about such result, was forgot
ten as soon as the polls We're closed Mis-
souri,, New York and Connecticut were
thrown to the Democrats. From each OF
these States u Senator was to be elected
to succeed Liberal. But Schurz, Ferry
AID Fenton were thrust aside and in their
stead, champion representatives Of rebel
Democracy were sent. Nor was this
mode OF procedure confined to the three
States we have named. Eighty four Con
Tolerate officers will represent the South
in the next Congress, but with the excep-
ton of Banks, OF Massachusetts, (who was
selected simply because no other man
could have beat the Republican nominee)
we cannot call to mind II single instance
in which the Liberal element in the Dem
ocratic ranks has received recognition.


The moral Of this is obvious. 1t teach
es men Of Republican antecedents what is
to be expected in the event Of Demo
cratic national triumph a year hence. 1t
should teach them there is but one party
with which they can safely unite. That
the contest upon which California is soon
to enter will be governed by national is
sues is claimed by the Republicans, and
admitted by the Democrats and that the
attempt to make it appear that it can be
made local contest only, is piece OF
stupid demagoguery Oh the part of those
making the assertion. There can be but
two parties while political affairs remain
N their present state, and any third party
movcmentwil only prove an efficient aid
to Democracy. Those who have acted
with the Liberals and Independents from
convictions Of sincerity, must now realize
that further present efforts Of that nature
must be useless. Demagogues of the
Swift and Yandall persuasion Of course
will try to make it appear dfferently.-
Bat the masses, the men who aim to secure
good government for its own sake, will
understand that the only way to secure il
will be to draw the party lines CLOSE, mar
row down the contest at once to what il is
sure TO come, and then II the majority is
The side OF law and order, their aim
viii be accomplished.


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