Page:Speeches, correspondence and political papers of Carl Schurz, Volume 5.djvu/103

Rh same Quay who does not dare to deny that charge. And this man, with this past history branded upon his brow, demanded of the Republican convention of his State the nomination of one of his creatures, for the purpose of making the election of that creature serve as his vindication and of strengthening his power. And he obtained that nomination, obtained a resolution glorifying him, obtained the abject obedience of his party to his will.

True, there are at least some Republicans in Pennsylvania who will not bear upon their foreheads the burning shame of such thraldom, and who bravely struggle to purge their State of the dark disgrace. All honor and success to them!

Yet, in spite of all this, Quay is not only still the leader of his party in his State, but he stands to-day at the head of the national Republican organization; and there has not been a man yet among his colleagues nor among the powerful leaders of the party who had the spirit to drive him from the high place polluted by his presence. And this was once the party of great ideas! This was the party of Lincoln and Sumner! Oh, what a fall is here!

But let us look our condition calmly and squarely in the face. So long as there is in our politics a great money power, enjoying very valuable favors from the government, and that money power finds it in its interest to help a political party in maintaining its ascendancy, then, to receive further profitable favors, so long will our political warfare be conducted on the Ingalls principles, and so long will the Quays be the natural leaders of campaigns. So long will their “matchless services,” in which the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule have no place, be in urgent requisition and win “lasting gratitude.” And if one Quay falls, another will soon rise up in his stead.

Fellow-citizens, Americans, mark my words. No people governing themselves by universal suffrage can have a