The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1864-03-17
The Decline of the Democratic Party

-oayt tor the past lew years the StuO-
born struggle of weak minority for pow
er has lain SO far below the level of great
events that they could scarcely be in
ferred from its record The story of the
pitiful amhirion of party chiefly man
aged 1y clique of politicians in New
i ork is not large enough to include even
the military progress of the nation, and
gives but the poorest idea Of its moral
growth. Those who might read such
story twelve years hence might gather
from it the knowledge that rebellion ex-
listed, but little information of its extent
or purpose. They might learn all the
mistakes of the Administration but moth
ing of its success. They might naturally
infer that America was nation cursed
by the Almighty and given over the en-
emy of mankind; that the majority of
the people were fools, who had chosen
knaves for rulers. And they could not
fail to believe, accepting such record as
authentic, that the great danger to the
Republic had been the tyranny of its le-
gitimate Government Ofthc crime of
the rebellion, the curse Of slavery, they
would read little, and close the volume
with the general impression that in 1864
lived wicked tyrant by the name OF
OLD ABE, martyr called VALLANDIG-
HAM, and DAVIS, brave but misguided
statesman, who had unwisely resented by
rebellion the inhuman conduct of a man
hater named GARRISON. This is not ex-
aggeration. The history of the country
includes that of the Democratic party,
but by no means could the grandeur OF
the sufierings and sacrifices of the whole
nation be included in the foolish story OF
poor minority. 1t is true, nevertheless,
that the glory of this war will forever be
darkened by the apostacy of a portion of
the people of the North, and that, as the
one ARNOLD of the Revolution will new
er be forgotten, the twenty ARNOLDs of
to day will forever be remembered.
In 1860 the Democratic party was bea-
ten at the polls; in 1861 it was crushed
by the act of its own leaders, in becom-
ing rebels; for the rebellion was begun
and is now managed chiefly by prominent
Democrats. In 1862 the party took such
capital advantage Of rebel victories and
! loyal misfortunes, attributed, sometimes
| Justly, to the mistakes of the Admins
tration. that it seemed to renew its
strength, and carried several important
elections. In 1863 the hollowness of
these victories was exposed; the party
was defeated utterly, finding un-prece-
dented rout in Ohio, and making but a
feeble stand in New Jersey, the only
State which elected an Opposition ticket.
Through all these years its real leaders
stood upon peace platform, not only de-
nouncing the Administration but declar-
ing the war to be unnecessary, unholy;
and unchristian. With considerable
skill, however, care was taken that other
leaders should take position in favor Of
the war, conditionally on the refusal Of
the South to accept Democratic terms of
peace To test the spirit of the masses
of the party, different platforms were
made in different States. Thus, in Ohio
aud Maine, VALLANDIGHAM and BRAD
BURY ran ia 1863 as men absolutely op-
posed to war, while in Pennsylvania
WOODWARD, in defiance of his expressed
opinions, was pushed forward by con-
vcntion protesting to consider the war,
with certain provisos, just. At the same
time the convention which nominated
WOODWARD endorsed EALLANDIGHAM
and nothing could more clearly show the
iDsincerity Of its professed support of the
war than this fact. 1t scarcely requires
, argument to show that, in lS6l-'63, the
Democratic party was, to all practical In
tents, opposed to the war for the restora-
ton of the Union, and willing, if negoti-
alton failed, to finally acknowledge the
independence of the South, and that as
this truth became too plain to be denied,
the party began steadily to decline. For
that it has declined who can doubt?-
Since 1860 it has been in a minority, but
ever since 1862 its numbers have dimin-
ished. The steady Union gain in 1868
proved this fact. In 1864 it is re con-
firmed by the New Hampshire election,
which surprised the most sanguine loyal
list, and showed conclusively that more
than two thousand Democrats had be
come convinced that the true way to save
the Union is not to oppose the Govern
ment. The town elections in New Jer-
sey are another evidence that all the cla-
mors, arguments, and appeals of its lead
ers through the past year have not been
sufficient to prevent the decline of the
Opposition. Pennsylvania we judge by
her journalism and her public meetings,
and we have little doubt that, in Novem-
Der, the Union gain will be more decisive
than that of New Hampshire. In all the
States, it is evident that the Democratic
party has been weakened by the military
vindication of the plans of the Admins
tration, and the profounder appreciation
Of the purpose of the war which expert
ence has taught; and we believe that the
greatest political danger to the country is
the attempt, encouraged by the Oppposi-
ton, to divide the Union party into what
are called radical and conservative wings.
| For the decline of the Democratic par