Excerpt from The Political Issues of the Time: A Speech by Hon. George W. McCrary, Secretary of War, Delivered at Keokuk, Iowa, September 10th, 1878

I have no sympathy with the disposition manifested in certain quarters to sneer at the claim that the Republicanparty is entitled to confidence and support because of the grand record it has made for itself and for the country in the past. I freely admit that we cannot stand upon that alone. I freely admit that we can neither win success nor deserve it unless we are right upon the issues of the present, but I insist that, with a party as with a man, character is an all-important thing. I know that we as a party must not only point backward with pride, but also forward with promise and hepe; but still it remains true that before you can safely trust a party with the exercise of power you should be well assured of its patriotism, its devotion to the Consti tutien and the Union, - in a word, that it is inspired and controlled by men whose aspirations have been in the past and will be in the future in the direction of liberty, jus tice, equal rights, and the very best interests of all the peo ple. How are you to judge of this? Undoubtedly, by ref erence to what the party has done in the past. I speak not now of particular individuals, but I utter a truism when I say, speaking of political organizations, that a party with a record of patriotism and faithfulness in the past, is to be trusted now in preference to a party with a record of disloy alty and unfaithfulness. The party that stood by the country in the hour of peril, when the Union and all that it repre sents were in issue; the party that stood for freedom and against slavery, for the government and against rebellion, for the war for the Union and against surrender - that stood for the right and maintained it, and carried the country to final victory under the banner of liberty and union, is enti tled to the profound gratitude and confidence of the Ameri can people. And all this is true, notwithstanding the fact of which we are so often reminded by our Democratic friends, that the war is over, the Union saved, and slavery dead. It is all true, notwithstanding the fact, if it be a fact, as I think it is, that no considerable number of persons, North or South, would revive slavery, renew rebellion, or dissolve the Union, if they could. It is true Simply for the reason that men and parties are entitled to confidence and praisefor good public service, for great and patriotic actions, and for faithfulness in hours of public peril.

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