The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1858-11-12

DEFEAT, NOT DESTRUCTION.


DEFEAT, NOT DESTRUCTION.
The defeat Of the Democratic Party in Penn
sylvanla, although not entirely unexpected, is
yet more thorough than even the most sanguine
OF The opposition could have anticipated. Ii
avalis but little to speculate concerning the
causes which led 10 this disastrous result. The
depression OF the times, as we before stated
mas no doubt the most powerful of the various
influences that ConSpred 10 cause our defeat
Alter the vessel Is totally wrecked 1t is poor
consolation to gaze III mriancnoly abstraction
upon the rocks whereon il was dashed to piee-
es; but We may put them down in cur poiiti-
cal charts 10 be avoided hereafter. Defeat al
ways conveys lsSson, which il properly Intel-
Preted, may be turned TO great advantage in the
future. The Democratic Party is not entirely
unaccusomed t. defeat. Ii has endured more
than one, fully as disastrous as this appears to
be, and recovered with renewed vgor. The
campaigns succeeding these oyerthrows have
always been the most brilliant and glorious, be-
cause they taught The party the necessity OF
thorough organization, the nomination OF good
candidates, and the suppression CT minor and
dlstractlng issues. The defeat of The Democracy
and the triumph OF the Opposition in 1884,
when Gov. Pollock swept the State by majori-
~ OF nrarly iorty thousand, promised much
wofse tor the iuture CT the Democratic Party
than The result OF this election. The Missouri
Compromise act had been repeal d., and the
Democratic Party adopted the principle OF pop
uIar government for the Territories. This poi-
cy vas misunderstood and unpopular. Thou
sands of Democrats deserted the party and join
ed the klow NolhIn5s, then IN the zenith of
their mysterious power. These two influences
depleted the ranks OF the Democracy so thor
oughly, that the Opposition predicted that the
day OF Democratic supremacy had forever pass
ed, and that the party had fought lis last
battle. VINO could have anticipated, in that
hour OF gloom aud defeat, that IN one year the
Democratic Party would put the Opposition TO
rout And Yet SO 1t was. A twelve month
Of the Opposition rule constrained those Demo-
Gratis WHO mad wandered Oft, to return TO thei.
fist love; and one year from the gloomy cleo
ton day OF 1891, which witnessed the most
thorough Democratic defeat on record, Wit
messed another glorious victory added TO the
long list OF lis conquPsts. The election OF
PLUMER, Canal Commissioner, IN 1898, set
Pennsylvania all right again, and paved the
lust' ots's ,te-t election ot a President 10 1896,
Fall, will Ioreleii the choice OF anoth h--"ty next
cratic President in 1860.
In the days OF the old Wing party, when the
opposition Was thoroughly united 10 party name
and party principles, they never could retain
power more than one year. A victory at one
election was sure to be followed by 4 defeat at
the next. But this grasp OF power has been
rendered still mere feeble and uncertain by the
parties and factions into which the Opposition
mas been divided. They may both unite IN
claiming victory over the National Admins
trdtl0n, Jut wheu they come TO settle what pos
tive code of principles has been successful in
this election, internal diSsenS;onS will be the
result. Is TINS election verdict IN favor Of the
principles OF popular soverelgnty2 Ask Will
mot and those Republicans who have fought
this principle to the death, II sucn is :heir un-
derstanding. l, ii victory of the WIlmot pro-
viso principle! Ask he americans who favor
popular sovereignty. Both sides will tell you
IN general terms tnat the result of the election
Is q rebuke to the Administration, but they can
not agree as 10 what principles have trlumphed.
We are not dismayed at this defeat, and feel
satisfied, that as far as the future is concerned,
il is a barren victory to the opposition. The
recuperative energy OF the Democratic party is
great, aud in one year, from this time, it will be
as powerful as ever. The people have no real
sympathy with the Republican or American
parties, and Will return TO the Democracy as
soon as the temporary causes OF alienation have
passed away. The opposition have found on
former occasions that our defeat is not annihila-
tion, and they will learn the lesson again.
Harrisburg Union.