The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-09-21
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY ON ITS
LAST LEGS.

Woe. woe be to the political party that cross
es the war-path of its country. There Is su'n
tbi,, IN this world an patr:otism--true, earn
est patliotisn-and the political olsAii'1''''Sil
that does not embody its spirl1 nlus' so0i''l "
later go down and be recKoheu among the
4h;ngs that were. The political leaders and
,,,,lIor, of the so callel democratic party
,.,o,1 those facts as well as we do, and yet it
o,,v,oars from recent movements that the at
tsnnt is to be made to blot out the record Of
the past four years and reorganize and revive
the party upon the strength Gifts old fame and
name. ss.4-,r --,.., n
tits bold movement, OF rather cunning
one, butt seems to US these politicians mink
too lightly of the intelligence OF the people
The events of the last four years have maze
an impression upon the public mind anu heart
which will not soon be forgotten. Inc people
the @plain people"-haye kept their eyes up
on these events as they transpired. The his
+orv of the rebellion is fresh in their memo
ries. They have noted well the actors in these
war-scenes and studied closely the character Of
all political parties.
The people know who have been traitors, both
North and South. No sophistry however art
fully put forth, no resolutions from political
conventions, however skilfully drawn up; no
platforms, however ingeniously erected, can
blind the people and induce them to forget or
ignore the past. The record stands, and will
stand to be read of all men.
The leaders ofthe democratic party replay
ing cunning game and hoping thereby to
hoodwink the masses and give new life and en-
ergy to old political prejudices and party afini-
ties; but the events of the past four years and
their inevitable logic cannot be set aside by
any such elaptrap. The demagogues and poll
itieians who hope to ride into power on such
hobby-horses will find their labor entirely fruit
less. The wirepuIlers of our own State re-
ceived their cue from New York politicians,
and labored intensely to draw up set Of reso-
lutions for their State Convention that might
delude the people and cover old party foot
prints. These resolutions were adroitly drawn
up and presented in very meek and humble
spirit. In the same spirit they were adopted
by the Convention the members of which had
all been instructed how to act in such an emer-
gency. cos ii sofs,g IA ,,e.,4
They were well drilled and every thing pass
ed off quietly and even harmoniously. The
leaders began to think there might be some
{ hope for them in Maine, and the Argus parad-
ed these resolutions before its readers every
day until election, in juxta-position with those \
passed at the Union Convention. And what
has been tue result? The recent election an
swers that question in tones of thunder that
must be terrible soundY in democratic
ears. .atf Il
The people know that the great victory has
been won in spite Of the democratic party
And now thatvictory has been nobly won,
these politicians anddemagogues wish to come
infor share of the glory, and are perfectly
willing to congratulate the country and the
world on such glorious termination Of the
struggle between Liberty and Slavery Yes,
they are entirely willing to endorse any thing
and every thing. They now virtually say,
We have fought good fight and let us go to
work and repair damages" EVIL gracious
heavensl The battle was fought and the VIC
tory won, not only without the aid of these
leaders who are now anxiously seeking for
place and power, but against their influence
outas Shepley, Butler, Stanton, Dix, Dickinson
and host of other loyal and patriotic demo-
Gratis did and shown the South we were united
in this war to preserve the Union, the rebels
would have "caved in" long ago and oceans of
blood and treasure would have been saved.
We go farther, and hazard the opinion that
Sumter would not have been fired on, and the
hotspurs and ire-eaters of the South had not
believed they would receive aid and count
enance from the democratic party at the
North. They have received such aid and did
not reckon entirely without their host as the
records abundantly show. We can pardon the
rank and file of the democracy of the coun-
try, but no such amnesty ought to be granted
to the leaders. And our recent election con-
vinces US that these leading demagogues are
losing power every day.
The action of the Chicago Convention that
nominated Mcclellan; the prophesies of lead
ing democrats; the turning the cold shoulder
on Lincoln and his administration the contin-
ual fault-fnding of many of the democratic
journals; the exultation felt, and sometimes
expressed at rebel victories; the sympathy Of
ten manifested towards the south; the great
respect shown TO Gen. Lee; the very kind feel
ings exhibited towards the rebel President:
all these, and such as these, have cast dark
shadow over democracy and rendered the name
OF democrat SO odious that no party in this
country can ever rise on such ruins. Another
name must be hunted up and adopted, anoth-
er ensign raised before any party can be organ
lied which can gain the ascendency over the
party that has stood by the Government dur
ing the last four years and upheld the "glori-
Gus ensign of the Republic" 4
The loyal people are fully determined "to
hold the democratic party fast to the respon-
sibIity Of its past record" The leaders are
trying to get away from it, but that thing can't
De done. That record is too fresh in the mem
DRY OF the people to be obliterated. Thelead
ers OF the party must go down under it. These
demagosues have had their day. Now the peop-
lie know their rights, and dare to defend
them
we IKE the following resolution passed at a
Union State Convention at St. Paul. Minneso-
ia. 1t embodies the right spirit and the t,1,e
democratic doctrine:
ResoEDed, That the spsrit.of our Institutions
requires that the measure of a mans political
Tiqbts should beneither his relation his b;rtb.
place, has race, has color, nor dsy merely ptu-
steal characteristic, and that it 1oould b E sub
CersSve Of both the form and spirit Of our in
stttutions 10 permit i7a dny population degrdd-
ed and subject caste, taxed to support and
compelled to obey Government in sUhicb they
eqoe no ooice, and achose schole machinery