Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-11-16
what Shape Next!


The New York democratic platform and
ticket were fabricated with the design to
strip the party of its real character. The
ostensihlo father of the platform ostenta-
tiously disowned the Democratic party in the
other States. He declared that they had
cut loose from the Vallsndigham Bourbon
! Democracy of Ohio, the Camden and Am
hoy Democracy of New jersey, and the
Jerry Black Buchanan Democracy of Penn
sylvani1. They also nominated ticket
composed chiefly of men who were Rapubli.
cans before the war or Union war men dur.
ing the war. putting Mt the head of the tick
ct u Republican,, General OF high repnta
| ton. who carried with himthe eclat of the re
maIkable march through Georgia and South
Carolina, AMI VIC additional influence of the
expressed wishes Of General Sherman fOr
his election, tn draw the votes of the soldiers
and pcople. They also changed their bitter
! abuse Of the President to the NEST servile
adu|ation, claiming to be the peculiar sup.
porters of his reconstruction policy.
But after all this they were beaten worse
| than the Val!anligham Bouibo Democracy
/ Of Ohio; worse than the Camden and Am.
! hoy Democracy of New Jersey, worse than
Jerry Black Buchanan Democracy OF Penn.
| sylvania; beaten worse than when they ran
Mcclellan upon the Vallandigham plat.
/ form Of peace and surrender to secession.
Bad as its own features are, the Democratic
party runs better with all their ugness dis.
played than when it tries to disguise them.
| The people have rejected it in every shape.
Like the devi! in the pinnacle scene in scrip
turc. it has been Offering entire dominion to
Andy johnson il he would only throw him.
self into the arms of the Democratic party,
while it has not the control OF single State
10 give. While it was Offering to transfer
States TO him it found itself vagrant, kick
ed out OF State after State, until it has no
! place of hahitation, and no visible means of
| proloncing its miserable existence.
This attempt to restore to power under
, false coors party convicted of unfaithful-
ness 70 the country in its peril, was attended
with personal humiliation and dishenor
that for the sake OF manhood it is unpleas.
ing to contemplate. The change in the lead
ing Democratic politicians and journals II ON
hateful abuse of Mr.. johnson, which ex-
hausted the resources of vituperation, and
which showercd the most degrading epithets
upon not only his political conduct, but his
person, birth, education and station, of his
personal accomplishments, genius, states.
manship, patriotism and'poitical infalibil-
ity, is an exhibition of personal abasement
that cannot find parallel The most ex-
aggerated silniles of dishonorable humilia.
tion can no more than describe this conduct
of men who are the leaders ofa political
party, and who assume the standing of men
offortune and of high professional and social
position. Ho
What shape will this beaten and disgraced
party take next? To what new base will it
change? 1t has apparently exhausted the
resources Of open hostility and of hypocrit-
ical loyalty, and is utterly beaten in ALL
The people will have none OF it in any shape
II has no chance ofrecovering the control
Of any Northern State and it recognizes
that II has nothingto hope for in the South
except by keeping up the spirit of rebellion,
a thing which the logic of events win soon
overthrow there. Will it recognize tho
universal verdict and try to escape the in
fanny OF its life in dissolution? Or, shame
less in It's il fame, will it prolong its organi-
zation ofall that is vile in politics, to contin-
ue It's present use as contrast to the party
OF patriotism and honor; the part that is
identified with the preservation of the ma
tional existence?