American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-12-26
Advice to the Democracy.


are moved to do something in its behalf
As in many other cases of generous i'm
pulse, the first thing that comes to hand.
in the way of relief, is advice. The Her
aid, as the ever-ready adviser of parties
and persons, endeavors to cheer the De-
mocracy under its discouragements,w while
it proffers guidance by its counsels. How
greatly both officers are needed may be
inferred flom the Uerdids verdict, after
its post noytem examination Of the re
mains-"the disjointed, defeated, disor>
ganized Democractic party Nothing
can be clearer in such a case, or more
becoming nnless it be burying the par>
ty out of sight-than what the Herald
proposes. "The first tn ing nee Led to set
it upon its legs again is reconstruction"
says the adviser, that is, reconstruction Of
the party.
And here is the prescription for the
purpose
"The exigoncy, however, requires moth
ing less than a reconstruction of the par
ty on a new foundation-a foundation Of
the practical ideas and practical issues
thrown uppermost by the great political
earthquake which has swallowed up the
things of the past, And what is the
leading issues before the country 1t is
the pending Constitutional Amendment,
That is the settle ment Cor the South, de-
creed By the popular voice of the mighty
North"
That is, the Democratic party can be
thoroughly reconstructed had become
powerful. nay dominant by getting ups
on the Republican platform. Very good !
The accession might be acceptable, The
platform.is strong enough to hold all the
truly loyal men of the country.
But the effort has been made twice al.
ready to accomplish this feat, aud has
both times failed, because accompanied
by another effort, to push the Republican
party off from their own platform. The
first was in the East, under the auspices
of the New York World, when it tried
to get the -emocratic party upon the
shoulders of Andrew Johnson, then in
approved prestige with the Republicans.
That failed badly, only getting mighty
slippery hold on the President, which is
already given up by the reciprocal forces
of shak of and let go. The second
was Western experiment based on the
supposed virtue of complete, heels .oyer>
head somersault. This also failed for two
substantial reasons, first, that the "bout>
face" would bring the party iato view of
a field of operations that they did not
very well understand, and that bore a
rather repulsive look of political justice
to the cJlored race aud second, that
their recent experiences, in the Fall elel>
tions had not impressed them iavorably
towards further attempts at flank move
ments, or any operations at all WttttR the
Republican lines.
But the grand feature Of the Herald
plan distinguishes it from both these, =
Not only is the Chicago platform, that
sunk the Democratic party itself to be
sunk, and new one to be constructed
out Of Republican materials, but the Gen.
McClellaqpsf the Chicago platform is to
be raised from the depths to which he
sunk with it, and to be placed in com
mand of the new structure This is orig
inal-either span new element in party
politics, or a horribly cruel way Of po>
king fun at the Democrats the latter,
we suspect The Manhattan club must
sift the case for themselves. Pittsburgh
Commerciat