The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-17
The War of Ideas-The Dissolution OF
the Democratic Party.

war OI iuedS, 50 10 SPEAK, luhG IL BOlng on IN
the bosom of the Democratic party. The
Chicago Times, the leading Democratic organ
in the West has stirred up tremendous
commotion by coming out squarely for i'm
partial suffrage. The Boston Post saws ditto
The Albany argus, scenting "the inevitable"
and remembering the enormous Democratic
vote in New York city cast by those who can
neither read nor write, cries out against any
test of intelligence, and goes the whole
figure for manhood suffrage" The Age of
this city, having cogtated on the subject for
several days, comes out at last this morning
i double-leaded leader, and calls upon the
t-ithtul to stand by the old principles of
tbo party. 1t evidently thinks that the bug
b, Of "nigger equality" has not yet lost all
IL power, but can be made serviceable for an
election or two more before it is finally cast
1e. 1t too sees the "inevitable," but thinks
it ot quite so close at hand as it's Chicago
ueighbor, looking through the sixty thousand
Republican majority in Illinois, does.
Now what does all this hubbub and racket
in the Democratic household mean? Why, it
simply means that the old party is breaking
up-going down-shaking in the agonies OF
dissolution. It's discounted leaders are rum
ming hiCher and thither, some crying one
thing and some another, all terrified, and
none knowing what to do. They all see that
the old hulk is sinking. The Chicago Times
would stop the leaks and turn the ships head
away from the breakers; but the Age, drunk
with passion and prejudice, believes in crowd
I'M IN off md sC
possible.
The Democratic party has outlived its day.
It has ceased to represent democratic ideas
1t has fallen from the position of leading
active, aggressive, positive organization, to
that Of conservative, hold-back, reactionary
party. Its leaders have nothing in common
with the liberal, enlightened, and progressive
spirit of the times. They fail to comprehend
the era in which they live. They have lost
almost entirely their hold upon the young
men Of the country. They have alenated
from their organization the liberal and pro-
gressive elements of the country. They have
become essentially barrow, u,e-American, and
aristOcratic in their policy and views. The
party is going to pieces; it is already in the
agonies of dissolution. These discussions of
the suffrage question which are springing up
in its ranks are but the symptoms of dissatis-
faotion, discord, and disgust which prevail
among its masses. There is no common bond
of great principles and of enlightened public
policy to hold them together The more
liberal and intelligent minds of the party are
daily becoming more dissatisfied with its
position. They see that, upon, all the great
vital questions OF true democracy, it has be-
come apostate. They behold the banner Of
equal rights, under which the Democratic
party used to march to victory, now borne at
the head of another organization. They see
liberal ideas everywhere more thoroughly
permeating the masses. They see those ideas
triumphing in foreign lands. They see that
the Democratic party in this country is no
longer really democratic. 1t has a name to
live, but the vial principle that once gave
power and glory to the organization is gone.
The "irrepressible conflict" has at last
reached the Democratic organization. The
"war Of ideas" is raging in its very midst. 1t
has no great leading mind capable of marking
out new course, reversing its present dis
astrous policy, and snatchlng victory once
more from the very Jaws of defeat. Douglas
is dead; Breckenridge is in exile; Buchanan
is imbecile JEFF. Davis is in prison. The old
leaders are gone. The stricken host is re-
duced to such beggarly leading as is given
by the Vallandighams, the Seymours, the
Clymers, the Woods, the Morrisseys, the
Jack Rogerses, and that class OF third and
fourth rate politicians. For the Democracy
the era Of statesmen has passed with the era
Of ideas. AS a party, it has come into the
condition which the Roman historian de-
scrbed as that of his country, where it can
neither endure its vices nor their remedies.
Meanwhile, the great Republican organi-
zation grows more grand and more powerful.
It's mission is to realize true democratic
ideas in our institutions and laws. 1t be-
lieves in the people-noS in classes, sections,
divisions, families, races, but In the people.
1t believes in equal rights, fair race,
and a free field to every man. This
is essential democracy. This is what
Jefferson, the founder of American Demo-
cracy, meant when he declared all men to be
created equal. Equality of rights, no rprivi-
legged classes, no special legislation to keep
one man above another, no grinding laws to
keep any man forever down; but equal laws
for all 4; exact justice; and then let every man
make the most of the powers given him by
his Creator this is the great American idea