The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1864-12-03
For the Free Trader.
EOr the Free Trader
The Future of the Democratic
DHr1y

question, what their future conduct and policy
should be.
1t is not my business to be their adviser,
and unasked advice is generally thrcwn away
but as / have an interest, as a citizen who
loves his country, in the conduct and welfare
of the Democratic party, perhaps, in that
character | may be allowed to speak, without
subJectIng myself to the charge of arrogance
or presumption.
You know, and some other persons know
whether my advice III former time if it had
been acted on, would have saved the Demo
cratic party or not: and whether, if it had
saved that, 1t would have saved with it the
Union or not.
No matter n good citizen is not ;ischarg-
ed from his obligation to DO every thing that
lies in his power tor the welfare of his coun-
try. although he may have been once or twice.
Or many more times unsuccessful, provided
he can see, and be able 10 believe that others
can see, that it was not his fault that success
was not attained: because success NAV, who
knows? come the next time.
The Democratic party seem much minded,
At the present moment, to Weld TO despOnd
ency, TO disperse and 90 home about their
business. Is that right? Perhaps so per
haps not. Suppose We eexamine that question
little.
H. indeed. it Is true that the present admin
istration are and viii be able to cope success
fully with all the complications with which
they and viii be surrounded for the next
four years, even without including the task of
saving the Union a. one of them. and ad-
mittIng. also. that they shall have. Is thcy
are entitled 10 have. all the all. a. gO-d and
worthy citizens that Won can give them In
your Individual capacities. then if Won are
satisfied they can do i. and vii! do do il. that
I -
right in dispensing. and leaving the affair on
their hands.
But what # Won are not 50 s.cisfcd-and
you know yOu are Ept.-th;,t hardly n man Of
YOU in all The hundreds OF thousands who
compose your party is..wha1 tLeais your
duty?
And #. more than that, you know equally
- well. thai there are some thousands. perhaps
some hundreds Of thousands o. Republicans
who have not auv confidence in th. uhiii,v o..
their administration To save their cJuutrv-
what Is left of it-aui would BE- Glad to see
that ability manifested elsewhere and ii such
shape that they can put confidence in il.
what, pray YOU. in that case, coupled with
the other, is then still more impers.t.vely your
dutv2
The suggestions Of fact upon which these
queries are based. are pretty nearly incga-
t'''4''A' tAii.' ''' tA' am si>N'4t''4 ~
come pretty near suggesting i'll general terms
their own answers.
lou have been told 4 good many times,
that q party i always a power iii 4 state
but u say that, Is to utter 4 mere plattUdc.
unless yOn enter into the question and have
good sense enough 10 fad out uhy and how
it Is so.
If Won wish it. I will try to help YOU ex-
anime that question. and in its full solution
believe yoU would tiud a perfect answer to tie
query that IS BOW Tcrpicxiug you, namely:
what ought we to do?
i parry that has a defuitve and well set
tied policy, and an able leader To concentrate
their judgments and make them act as a
unit. Is ii power III the state. although it Is
in minority. because it has the power Of
making the opposite party act with circum-
spcction lest il should he OycrthrJwn and of
overrhrowing il, if it docs not act with cir
cgmspection.
But without those three conditions, it Is not
power in the state.
So true Is that, that If. instead of being
minority. i has :. well ;.sccrtaiucd majority,
party that has such majority Is scarcely
power III the state, unless upon the three con
ditions srated,-cunVact organization. a de
finitIve policy. and able leadership.
That was exactly the position Of the De
mocratic party III l-GI; it had the compact
organization. it had 4 policy. that was imper-
feet, perpicXed and confused. and it had 10
leadership; therefore it quickly passed into a
minority and has remained 50 ever since.
1t can hardly be said To be q power: what
is better to be said Is, that It has the means
OF making itself 50.
The force OF this l.ustraJion Is more --rihing
from the fact that, during all this loUc ,leriod.
three wears and half. the mis-. ouducr of the
adversary party, that IS, the administration and
StssupPOrters wasso -igautically and fla agr.ntly
prepystcrous and wrong. as to have incurred
the detinitiye condemnation of every eulght-
encd man throughout the world, those en-
bodied in the party Of the administration, as
well as those outside cf it.
Never in the world before. therefore. was so
good and sure an opportunity presented for
party to overthrow It's adversary. and come in
TO his place but the Democratic party knew
not how to avail themselves of it aud why
did they not?
By force of two out of three reasons have
assigned, that they had not defnitive and
well advised policy; they had not any leader
ship whatever
II they had had such policy, and such
leadership, could they not have maintained
their majority Of lSGI up to the present mo-
ment? Can you find me a single enlightened
and dISpaSsionate mind that doubts it?
We are approaching pretty near the point
where We can see why the Democratic party
failed let us advance a step further and per
haps We shall obtain more light.
In advancing, find another landmark for
a statesman TO 20 by; it is this:
y party Is a power in the state fully and
decidedly so, when-and only when-it has a
well ascertained majority of the suffrages that
constitute the political power of the state,
compact organization. defnitive and well
advised policy and able leadership. 4 party
thus constituted, VIII right speedily govern
the nation whoever may be at its head by the
formula OF the laws
The Democratic parry, at the present mo-
ment, possesses only one Of these four ingre-
dients, compact organization one of the other
three, the majority, it did possess. but lost it
for want Of the other two, :; well advised poll
cy and able leadership.
These two, therefore. it must acquire it
must re-possess itself Of the other-the ma
ioritv.
hat are its means?
i; In regard to re-acquiring the majority
The misconduct Of the administration and
It's supporters, who have surrounded them
selves with complications that they cannot
master,--could not indeed, if thev henceforth
acted wel-in consequence Of their former
misconduct. Is there anv hone that thew will
ever act well in the future?
2 In regard to a well advised policy:
The means necessary are, enlightened
minds. Are the Democratic party reduced