The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1865-09-02


the 8 drift Of parties, now taking place hi
this country. The signs of the times clearly
indicate the Prevalence of discord in the Re-
publican ranks 1t would seem that Judge
Chase is to lead one section of the party,
whilst President johnson is looked to as the
leader Of the other The Democratic leaders
are marshalIing their hosts for the coming
conflict So far, they present an unbroken
front, and animated by the hope of heavy re-
Inducements, they evidently look forward to
an early victory over their opponents:
THE REORGANIZATION OF PARTIEs.-The
work of the sword having been accomplished,
the more enduring work of the statesman is to
be resumed. Two issues were raised and
have been, determined by the sword--the right
of secession and the continuance of the insti-
tuition of slavery. They have both been de
cided by the stern arbitrator; one has been re-
iected, and the other extinguished forever.
| The labors of the statesman, so long suspend
ed. are now to be directed to the new and mo-
mentous questions which have sprung out of
| the altered relations OF society, and to d more
exact definition of certain constitutional DOW
ers and rights which have received unexpected
practical Interpretation in the progress of the
| war Preparatory to the actual work of the
statesman, according to the course of things
in this country, is the organization of political
parties. In these great laboratories opinions
4 are first formed and moulded into shane.
Here they pass through the process of popular
discussion, until finally, they assume that dis
tinctiveness which is required for the practical
legislation of the country. In all free govern
ments the influence of parties is immense, but
in the United States it is almost exclusive in
controlling the policy of the country. In the
election OF a President every four years, and
the distribution of favor and office at bis
hands, SO many interests are aroused that the
structure of parties is constantly fluctliating,
and the political questions which are brotght
under discussion often take their shape from
| the accidents which surround the inctlmbents
Oh aspirarhs to that high office
L The present situation Of the country is pc
culiar in thisrespect. BY the course of events
the issues which arrayed the American people
i'll two great parties have ceased to be practical
questions. Men have lost sight of them, and
those who directed the movement Of parties
have also passed out OF view. Even the pre-
sent incumbent of the executive chair, educa
ted and identified with the democratic party
brought by the events of the war into associ-
alton with Mr. Lincoln, and elected with him
/ upon the issues of the war, now stands sepa-
/ rated from party associations. In this state of
! things those who are actuated only by a SIM
cere desire for the welfare of the country are
looking with great solieitude to the shape which
events may take, for upon them will depend
whether the country Is to be restored to imme-
date repose, or to be left for years to angry
strife. The democratic party is beginning to
resume its organization, and is taking ground
with an earnestness and distinctness in differ
ent States and with such identity of opinion,
wherever it has spoken, as to leave little doubt
that in all the States its platform will be the
same. In Maine it has spoken, followed by
Ohio and Pennsylvania, uttering the same lam
guage. On the 9Th of September the conven-
ton of the party in the Empire State Of New
| York will be held, Should that lay down the
4 same platform, then it may be assumed that
the party throughout the country will be or
| ganized under the like circumstances, holding
with unanihity the doctrine that the States OF
the South are entitled to an Immediate repre-
sentation on the floors Of Congress without
conditions of any kind; that the question Of
suffrage belongs exclusively to the States. and
under no pretence can Congress interfere with
that right that paternal feeling between the
sections should be zcaorsly cultivated that
the supremacy of the civil over the military
authority should at all times be maintained
and that the freedom Of speech, OF the press.
and of elections, the privilege Of the writ OF
habeas corpus, and the right of trial by Jury.
are to be indicated and defended in every ex-
tremity, and that the ti1al by military COM
mission of persons not'i iii the naval or military
service, is an infraction Of the Constitution.
and destructive of public liberty and private
rights. ''@ 9'' is.NH
1t is apparent from this synopsis that the
democratic party has earnestly at heart the
restoration of peace of the country, and that
it strikes at the root of all further sectoia
agitation, by renting to the States for their
own settlement the vexed question of negro
suffrage, and every other matter in which
that unfortunate race, now free from bondage
is concerned. Upon this subject, which stands
in the forefront Of practical Importance, the
democratic party is in harmony with President
johnson. How the late republican party shall
meet this question remains to be seen An
important movement has been initiated in
Massachusetts looking to an organization of
the party upon the clear issue of requiring the
Southern States to concede the right Of stuff
rage to the negro as the conditions of their adj
mission to representation to Congress On the
other hand, the candidate of the republicans
in Ohio has taken unequiyocal grounds against
demanding suffrage for the negro. The body
of the party has not spoken; it is probably
that it is unwilling to 90 before the country
upon an issue issue 80 directly reppgnaht to the
Constitution, and which must necessarily, i'll