Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-11-23
Shall the Democratic Party live or die.
From the Chicago Times, Noy. III

The present IS a crisis in the Democratic par
ty which has no precedent in its history, so il
is crisis in the progress of the country which
is also without precedent. Never before has the
Democratic party encountered events SO serious
Is affecting its future vitality az now. Not that
II beholds itself diminished in the magnitude oil
its numbers-for it is numerically stronger than
it has ever been before-but that having been
beaten on a great national issue. as TO which II
believed itself 10 be wholly right aud the oppo
sition wrong, and still so believes, 1t must new
ertheess abandon that issue-for the decision OF
it is fnal-and either sit down In helpless and
decaying inactivity. or stTiks boldly our upon a
new line, selected with peculiar reference, not TO
things as we would have them, but to things as
they actually are, and in pursuing which line II
shall cease TO be holl-back or - conservative
party, aaI become what it was in its palmy
days, a progressive and aggressive party.
These are the alternatives.
1t will not sit down in helpless and decaying
inactivity.
WHIST, then. shall the new line be In the
first place, must IRE not cut loose from the
.fdHiAisirGti0n Of -AadTciC Johnson, and ledre
that hv5rid concern 10 float on thc sea Of public
contempt ia 10 lrhich a some time since enter
cd. and from iChich no p0uef can rescue Il,
Is not the late defeat attributable more largely
10 this Administration than 10 all other causes
combined What Is there in it. composition TO
command popular confidence Who, belonging
10 it. is entitled By reason Of his antecedents OF
Of his Craftsmanship, to the confidence or the
respect Of the Democratic party Certainly Is
not Andrew johnson, nor Vim. II. Seward, nor
Edwin VI. Stanton. True, the Administration
had a right policy. and the Democratic party,
IN overlooking the chief men comprising II. and
- 4 IL. L 81. 9 Il. I'll.
displayed patriotism whose purity was never
excelled but the policy having failed-and
having failed, too, through the feebleness and
folly and ofenses against public prOpriety Of the
Administr4tion-srty should not The DemOcrG-
tic purity abandon the dcad body, Longer al
terence 10 wbicl is death also 10 iiselfs
What next. Can the Democratic party sue
coed until the negro question shall be gotten out
OF the way, Il cannot. What next, Is not
Heyr0 suffrage iHerifl5is, aud IS not The quick
est iray % get the aeyro question out Of the ircy
20 at once c0Hcsds the suffrage, making issue
only on the degree 10 irtich u shall be con-
cedei We know that many democrats have
not reached this advanced view Of the case, and
that such still feel greatly inclined 10 revolt az
the proposition Of negro suffrage in any degree
but let u tell them that It IS always wise TO ac-
cept the inevitable when the inevitable comes.
Negro suffrage, We say. is inevitable, and
whether it shall be qualified or universal de-
ponds upon the promptness or otherwise with
which the Democratic party shall move IN refer
euce 20 II. The South will speedily yield qua
hhci regro suffrage upon the motion Of the De
m1cIA p party because, if for no other reason,
she viii soon see, # che does not already see,
that If she does not yield IL, she will ultimately
be compelled to accept universal negro suffrage.
Qualified negro suffrage yielded by the south
anu BY this We mean impartial suffrage, or
suffrage dependent upon the Intelligence Of the
man, irrespective o. color, as Is HOtr he rule
10 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS negro question viii have
been disposed q, AMI the occupation Of the
northern radical party Will be gone forever.
Not one inch Of grouni will it have TO stand
upon and tine country can once more turn 90
those material questions OF public policy. the
right disul stion o. which j. 20 essential 10 the
public prosperity. IL vii be upon these ques
tons thar the Democratic party will triumph,
and 10 Will be by this triumph that Ccustitu
i5ual Government ard our Federal system VII.
te preserved
II the South be wise, il viii not wait, on this
suffrage question, even Tor the motion Of the
Democratic party. Ifit be wise, il viii Lose no
tine in putting ~ motion the necessary ma
chiuery uy VhicA it wil at the samc time cave
Itself from humiliation, preserve lie own self
pl-t, ri tie country Of the most ye1aJious lues-
ton that ever Iistrac Cd any country, Kill the
worst political party that ever existed on the
globe, aud pa, the Uui.u il the way OF speedy
restoration. This machinery consists, licOurse,
10 conventions ~ revise the State constitutions