Year: 1871

From the demoralized condition of the re-
publicans in the House of Representatives,
and especially in reference to Southern affairs
before the delivery of the Presidents late mes
sage on the subject, and from the prompt fall
ing into line of the conflicting factions in the
action ofthe House upon this message, we are
led to the inquiry, what can the republican
party do without General Grantp And we
are drawn to the conclusion that without him
it can do nothing. From the 4th of March to
the 23d the House was drifting about like
ship without rudder in gale of wind. The
majority of the body would agree upon
nothing, except a resolution to adjourn and 90
home, until some half dozen such resolutions
had accumulated on the table of the Senate.
The President, in an official communication,
submits the necessity of some specific legisla-
ton looking to the suppression of the lawless
marauders and their scenes of bloodshed and
terror, which render ''life and property inse-
cure, and the collection of the revenue and
the transportation of the mails dangerous
in some of the States," and straightway
the House assumes the character of an or
6"niNOu Ac6ioAaciVo Oouy anu PIoCccuS w
business.


In other words, the republican majority of
the House, driven to the wall, acknowledged
General Grant as the proper, responsible and
authoritative head of the government and of
the party. They begin to see that they must
stick to General Grant to save themselves
that whatever objections they may have to his
policy, or to his claims as candidate for the
succession, upon this thing that thing, or the
other thing, it is Hobsons choice with them,
and that they must sink or swim with the
administration. Mr.. Sumner has fallen out
with General Grant, and has pronounced him
substantially faithless in his great Office and
incompetent to fill it. Mr. Fenton has become
disguised with the President in consequence
of the appointment of the anti-Fenton, Mr..
Murphy, as Collector of this port and because
OF some other appointments distasteful to Mr.
Fenton. By the same token Messrs. Gratz
Brown and Carl Schurz of Missouri make
bolt from the party traces, and turn over the
State into the possession of the democrats.
To cap the Climax the old abolition republi-
cans Of New Hampshire, Mortified at the re-
moval Of Mr.. Sumner from his position as
head Of the Senate Committee on Foreign
Relations, assist in turning over the Granite
State to the jubilant democracy.


What next? Clearly, if things 90 on in this
fashion, even six months longer, the republi-
can party, from its intestine squabbles, will 60
the way of the democracy from the feuds
between Douglas, Buchanan and the old
Southern oligarchy. "a house divided against
itself cannot stand" and upon whom can the
republican house be united except General
Grant? Upon Sumner, or Brown, or Trum-
bull, or Fenton, or Farnsworth ? No. Each
of these men has little hobby, which may
serve to disorganize the party in State or
Congressional district, and altogether they
may serve to clear the way for the democrats,
but that is all. Aud it is so much easier to
tear down than to build up that few dis
affected party leaders may undo the work in
year which has occupied thousands of men for
many years. But this republican party has SO
far been party of great and popular ideas,
beginning with the idea of arresting the exten-
sion of slavery and eliminating in the idea of
civil and political equality embodied in the
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments, regardless
Of race or color. Now, with this whole pro-
gramme carried out, the party, for want of
great idea, they say, is falling to pieces, as
parties and empires do when they have full
filed each its appointed mission.


General Grant, however, in this message to
Congress on Southern outrages, has evidently
adopted the idea that the battle on the four
teenth and fifteenth amendments is not yet
fought through. He has been working at it
through Senator Morton for some time, and 80
intimate are the relation upon this subject be-
tween the Senator and the President that the
views Of the one may be taken as those Of the
other. The President then holds with the Sem
ator that the democratic party has not recog-
nized, and does not and does not intend to
recognize, the validity Of the fourteenth and
fifteenth amendments-tha no legislative gath
ering, no convention, or caucus, or meeting,
or journal, or leader, or orator of
the party (except General Blair, when
pinned directly to it), has admitted
the validity of these amendments-tha
tue OemocIatS universally TeJect Ut ignore
them in speaking of the constitution; and that
while the Southern democracy are openly or
ganized and declared against these amend
ments, and are working by terrorism to nullify
them, the Northern democracy are secretly
aiding and abetting their Southern allies. The
purpose of this movement is declared to be
notification, and that with the election of
democratic President and Congress negro
civil and political equality will be practically
abolished.


In the debate on the forthcoming bill on these
Southern disorders we expect the democracy
in Congress will be brought to this test ques-
ton. If so, they will be wise to recognize the