Year: 1875

| dent but to the patriotic oDngation
which rests upon him as the head
of great political party. He can do
more to influence its action and direct it
wisely than any other hundred men belong
ing to it; and it would be serious calamity,
not only to the republican party, but to the
country, if the power of President Grant
should be misapplied. The chief bond
of unity in the republican party at
the present time is o personal bond,
the opposition to slavery and antagon-
original bond, having lost its force by
the complete success of the party in accom-
plishing all the purposes for which it was
formed The republican party has outlived
not only its original issues but its original
leaders, who s'rest from their labors, and their
works do follow them" Lincoln, Seward,
Chase Sumner, Greeley, Giddings, Fessen-
den and Hale, who stood in the front rank OF
the old republican leaders, were taken away
soon after the success of their principles
was assured and the great party which they
organized and led to victory has
passed into new era. 1t needs
even wiser guidance than theirs,
because it is no longer bound together
and impelled forward by the strong public
sentiment which seized upon so many hearts
during the anti-slavery struggle and the war.
Whether the party is to fall to pieces or to
enter on a new career of usefulness depends
on the wisdom and patriotism Of President
Grant


1t seemed. until within the last month or
two, as if the republican party was destined
to go to pieces in any event but the recent
elections have given it new chances Of life
1t depends on the prudence of General Grant
whether these chances shall prove to be of
any real value. 1t rests entirely with him to
decide whether the republican party shall
hereafter be success for itself and blessing
to the country or whether it shall be utterly
wrecked in the Presidential election of next
year.


The Importance which we attach to his
personal action rests on solid grounds. 1t
is within his power to control the next re-
publican nomination for the Presidency. He
can take it himself or he can bestow it upon
II.
respectable republican in whose ability, ex-
perience and patriotism both himself and
the country have confidence 1t cannot be
doubted that the best public sentiment Of
the country would prefer republican Presi-
dent Of the type of Mr.. Adams or Mr.. Fish
to any democrat who aspires to that high |
station. The democratic party processes, to
be sure, acquiescence in all the great politi-
cal results of the war but it is a con-
strained acquiescence, reluctant yield
ing to is what called the logic of
events. A majority of our people would
prefer, other things being equal, to see the
new order of things which has resulted from
the emancipation and political enfranchise-
ment Of the blacks remain under the
friendly guardianship of those who forced
this change against democratic opposition
until the equality Of the blacks shall have
taken firm root in public sentiment and
established usage. This widely diffused
feeling would be an element of strength for
the republican party if the country could
rely on its wisdom and integrity in other
respects. 1t is in the power Of President
Grant either to utilize this great advantage
in the interest of the party that elected him,
or to throw it quite away by pursuing per-
sonal ends unworthy of the distinguished
place which he will always hold in our
history.


We have said and believe that it is in the
power of President Grant to secure the
nomination of the republican party next
year for the Presidency for any member
of the party who enjoys public conf
dence. But if he should force his own
nomination he could not be elected,
whereas any other candidate possessing the
joint confidence Of himself and the party
might easily carry off the prize. His own
nomination would be fatal, because it would
inevitably split the republican party and
lead to democratic split, bringing "con-
fusion worse confounded" into the politics
Of the country. If General Grant should be
the republican nominee there would be
bolt and an opposition republican
candidate The initiation wing of the
democracy, taking courage from the
republican schism, would put forward
candidates of their own, and, with two re-
publican and two democratic candidates, we
should have another ''scrub race" for the
Presidency, like those of 1924 and 1860 when
there were four candidates in the field A
political scrub race is always unfortunate and
demoralizing In 1924 when Adams, Jack
son, Crawford and Clay had each Jealous
body of supporters the election was thrown
into the House Of Representatives, and the
politics Of the country were poisoned for the
ensuing four years by Wholesale SLAM
ders and charges Of bargaining and cor
ruption. In 1860, when Lincoln, Douglas,
Breckenridge and Bell were the four candi-
dates, the mischief Of these subdivisions
u Il nf