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Unaccustomed to govern, and after a tierce elec
tive campaign, it received the government from
its opponents in fragments. The navy was dis
persed, and the army disorganized, credit ruined,
and commerce diminished. One half of the Re
public was in possession of the rebellion, which
was training and organizing armies to march on
the capital, into which the new President had to
steal in disguise as a fugitive. Their political
opponents as a party, whose conduct of affairs had
2
>roduccd this state of things, became the allies of
the common enemy, while the governments of the
civilized world sympathized actively with the re
volted States. To say that a party under these
accumulated difficulties did not fail utterly and
perish, is to give them higher praise than can be
awarded to any other party of modern times.
The Republicans of France met and conquered
similar difficulties, but perished in their inability
to govern themselves. The Republicans of Amer
ica overcame all the obstacles that gathered for their
destruction, and not only preserved their liberties,
but they secured the freedom of three millions of
slaves, and have placed the rights and liberties
of both on an improved basis and a better found
ation. As a party, they have evinced courage,