The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1864-12-09
The Late Election.


The Political Situation"
On public grounds, looking to the good
of the country. which is Identified with ii
cordial restoration of the Union, We look
upon the defeat of the Democratic party
with the profouudesr grief. We have de-
voutly believed (although our judgment
may, perhaps, have been hribed by our
hopes, that the election of Gen. NC ell.
~ would lead to speedy and a.picable
understanding between the two hostile sec.
tions; AMI chat, in spirit of mutual con.
ciliation, the Union would have been re-
stored, substantially on its old basis, with
ont further b|oodshed, and without the
burden of maintaining great and costly
army Of occupation in the South. This
hope has met with cruel and desolating
disappointment.
We will not aft, ct to conceal the pro.
found chagrin and sorrow with which we
contemplate the result. But on merely
party grounGs, we have no tears to shed
over Mr.. Lincolu's triumph. Whatever
party might have administered the Gov.
ernment during the next Presidential term
would be hurled out of power at its cXpi.
ration amid storm of public execration
During this four years we have sowu the
wind during the next four we shall reap
the whislwlud. The weak point is our f.
nances; it is inevitable that, in the com.
ing Presidential term, they will be over
taken by collapse. Men naddened by
poverty, hunger and grinding taxes, do
not reason with much justice; they are
disposed to wreak their vengeance on the
party in actual possession Of the Govern.
ment. But, with the Abolition party in
power, justice and popular vengeance will
go hand in hand. They who sowed the
seed will reap the bitter harvest. The
Democratic party could not have prevent
cd its ripening, but only have diminished
the terrible abundance of the crop But
AS things have turLed out, the people,
when the hour IF sore distress comes, in
stead of cursibg the Democratic party,
will turn to it for ruling. TAcy wW re-
member ats rarning, acknowledge as sa.
gact'y and foresight, and cl,ng to 1t for
delOerdnce. Its prospects were never so
good az they are to-day for long career
of power aud usefulness. Within the next
four years popular madness will have spent
its force aud the public Judgment be So
bered aud rec,iGed in the school of calam-
~.
The Democratic party, close on tie heels
Of defeat, is not chlled upon to d, tine its
future policy. That, if enlightened, must
needs bc shaped by events yet to emerge,
and not within the ken IF present prophe-
cy. The question of foreign interven.
uon, and other questions which not even
the Administration (nuch less the oppc-
sition) can control, may So change the as.
pect Of affairs before another election, as
t" render any programme absurd that
might be devised at present. 1t is the
duty uf the Democratic party to keep IA
viGllaht eye upon events, and, wien the
tine shall have come again Tor actinn, to
accept their logic Its t,celom from re.
sponslbilty imposes on it no duty but to
watch for The public safety. For our.
selves, we have no desire to see it fitted
with dogma'lc strait jacket to impede
its growth and development. Let the next
two years be IA period OF free mental uc;iv-
ily, iettered by 10 narrow and rrp,c.sve
formulas. Whoever strikes out any new
truth, or even starts plausible error with
vigor enough to provoke and quicken in
tellisent Investigation is public benefac-
tor.
In the new epoch upon which we are
entering, the country needs light, aud it
Is only by the unclaimed activity of
thought under the stimulus of new events,
and the collision of mind with mind in
able discussion, that new light can be
struck out. There is nothing so democrat.
ic as truth, aud truth is born of the free
activity of individual minds. When the
time is again rife for political action which
requires concert, we will meet and COM
pare views and having ascertained the
essential points on which, after so much
growth OF opinion, we agree, we will de-
fine those points aud hold ourselves plcdg-
ed to The country to administer the Gov.
eminent in accordance Herewith, but not
biGding ourselves, even then, never to
grow wiser by experience. We will,
meanwhile, maintain our organization
abate none Of our past vigilance and We
will promote harmony in the party not by
vain attempts to enslave individual opin-
ion, but by tolerant and manly emulation
in the honest pursuit of political truth
The corner stone Of democratic ideas is to
surrender no more of individual freedom
than the public exigencies may, at any
given time, require. The Democratic par
ty having dlstinctively ANNOUNCED its
principles, and having poled, though with
out immediate practical result, cousidera-
bly, over a million of votes affirming those
principles, can we'll afford to wait ior that
vlndlcation Of their position which events
will assuredly furnish. Tue determination
by the NorM that I'VE WILL
MAINTAIN OUR oRGANIZA-
TON will meet the ready and hearty re-
spouse Of every Democrat. fortified by ga
reason for the faith that is i'll u.s.