New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-07-28
IS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY "TO
RE OR NOT TO BE go


liquidation at once or attempt to stagger
on, is an important question to thousands
whose hopes of ultimate bread and butter are
bound up in its accession to control OF
Federal and State offices at no very distant day.
The discussion, therefore, is timely aud proper,
and we will endeavor TO shed all practicable
light on its subject.
The Democratic party was ruined in the past
by allowing itself to become the mere conyen-
fence of the slaveholding oligarchy, which
finally turned and rent it. 1t was elected IRON
place in 1850, not because its open adver'
saries had become the more powerful,
but because its professed supporters
conspired to effect its overthrow. Partisan
Democracy had served the Slave Power 100
long and too faithfully; so the Slave rover
turned upon, broke up and ousted said De-
mocracy This truth stands out plainly, broadly
ON the page of History; yet Democracy now
ignores and seeks to suppress 1t. lhe Save
Power divided the Democracy with full intent 10
defeat it and bring in the Republicans. 1t was
at Charleston, not Chicago, that Mr.. Llncolns
election was secured; it was against Demo-
cratic, not a Republican ascendency, that the
Shareholders first revolted. Mr.. Charles Mason,
who has lust issued from Washington an nd
dress of the National Committee TO the De-
mocracv of the United States" steers carefully
clear Of these momentous truths.
There has been some angry debate as TO the
LOYALTY of the Democracy in the Civil War just
closed. The National Address aforesaid puts
the following face upon il :
1.-THE War once begun. were NIL obliged 70 yield,
more less to Overruing necessity You OF We
were compelled 10 y your country or JON " aa o tIe
sftempied revolution Among US ut the Norih. some
were nnalierably opposed to all but measures LOOKING
Immediately TO pence Others after the war bha eoui'
menced joined with those VINO were urging u iVr
rim its supposed cause could be wholly eradcated Wine
the great mass of number acquesced IN that War az
an unavoidable calamity TO be prosecuted Tor the soie
purpose of restoring the Union, ana oeneylng NM
soon this object was attained, the war ought 10
cease
We trust this statement will be remembered.
The party virtually carried the loyal States
in 1862, but was badly beaten on full vote IN
1854, when it only carried three small States
not one Of which had been regarded as firmly
Democratic in other times-not one of which
supported Polk against Clay twenty years be-
fore. In the whole country, the majority
against it was fully 100000
A., The Democratic party, if now recognized
with view to future triumphs, is doomed to
confront these sinister popular convictions
/. That it did not stand Loyalty
By the country in the great trial to which We
were subjected by the Shareholders Rebellion;
whereas intense patriotism, otherwise Unon'
ism, has hitherto been one Of its proudly cher
ished characteristics.
9. That many who had long and devotedly
followed its standard were obliged tOvote against
it in order to rescue and save he country.
8. That Southern Disunionism, with British
Toryism, and all manner Of Old-World des-
potism and wickedness i'll high places, wished
and intrigued for its triunph; while every one
outside of this country who calls himself
Democrat hoped and prayed for its defeat.
a. That, though it ran a General for Presi-
dent, it was beaten in the Army vote at least
four 10 one
5. That its accession to power in 1866 or 8
would be everywhere hailed as condemning the
War for the Union and casting doubt over the
punctual payment Of at least the interest on
our National Debt.
For these and kindred reasons, it has been
thought that the party name and organization
might better be discarded, giving place to
others less obnoxious to popular prejudice and
more nearly confoImed to the ideas and neces-
sites OF the hour.
We Judge. however, that opposite counsels
will prevail, and for reasons which We briefly
indicate as follows:
/. Tho vast multitudes Of denizens Of cities
and villages who live by disreputable and per-
nicious callings are Democrats By instinct, al
WAYS voting the Irregular ticket" clean,
while their strength would not so readily be
concentrated on any new organization
OF the Fifty Thousand voters in this City, for
instance, who live by outright larceny, by
gambling, or by one form or another Of pander-
ing to deprayed appeti.es, at least nine-tenths
are sure every time for the entire Democratic
ticket; while among the voters who cannot
read, whether urban or rural, the prepon-
derance and the proportion ara about
the same. Here is fixed and large capital,
always available 50 long as the party shall style
itself Democratic, and with difficulty rallied
with Ike unanimity around lny "banner with
strange device" We do not see, therefore,
how the Democratic name can be dispensed
with.