The Portland daily press., 1866-09-04
Democratic Endorsement of the Philadel-
phia Platform.


the old Rebel party with which we have to
do, and the issue is greatly simplifed by that
fact. We know what the Bangor Democrat
was during the war-an uncomfortable offense
in the nostrils of our loyal people We know
what Vallandigham was during the war--a
rebel, sent beyond our lines to talk treason In
more appropriate ATTITUDES. Inc Bangor
Democrat is now the leading organ In tne
eastern part of the State, of the party whlch
Processes to have accepted the Radical doc
trincs of the Philadelphia convention. Mar
cel,us Emery. the editor of the Democrat,
called to order the mass meeting OF "Conser-
yatiyes. assembled in Bangor the other day
to hear the New Gospel of Peace from Fer
nando Wood, and disappointed by the appear
ance of Turncoat Doolittle instead. Mr.. EN-
cry keS ps at the head of his editorial columns
a standing motto selected from the speeches of
vallandigham. 1ia - ,l...,.,.gr ~
Can we expect a party led by Marcellus
Emery, inspired by Wood and Vallandigham
and represented by the reconstructed Demo-
GRAFT, to come up with good grace to the sup
port of principles which owe their recogni-
ton solely to the efforts and success Of the
Republican party? We think not. The lead
ers of the Democratic party, even the hard
headed marplots Of this State, under whose
management the party has sunk into ahope-
less minority, begin to see that the rebel debt
must be repudiated and the national debt ac-
.knowledged and assured. 1t is of no use for
them 10 say they always thought so. Sunset
Cox, their acknowledged 1eader in the 3Sth
Congress, said in his place in the House of
Representatives, "Mr Chairman, no man is
now SO wise and gifted that he can save this
nation from bankruptcy" The Argus is very
bold in its assertions since the fire, and we
take the precaution to say that Mr.. Cox used
these words on the I'd of June 1854, and we
copy directly from the Globe. 9o
Well, the bankruptcy and reputation to
which Mr.. Cox and his party then looked for
ward, have not come. They have been COM
PEELED to acknowledge the validity of the pub
lie debt; they see it already decreasing. They
have been compelled TO acquiesce in the abb
clifton of slavery. They have been compelled
to acknowledge that States not only may be
but have been coerced. No party ever submit-
ted to greater humiliation than the Democrat
ic party, when humbly confessing that it had
been wrong all through the war, it came over
to the Philadelphia platform. "Put 'em
through" said Dean Richmond TO Chairman
Doolittle, when the last resolution was read,
"Put 'em through, it is got to be didv' Well,
it was did, every delegate feeling that it
was, though 7ell nigh desperate, their only
chance. oH
Next came the duty of instructing the
smaller fry at home, the editors and school
house orators. These took the cue readily
enough. They were not to commit them
selves absolutely to the Philadelphia princi-
pies, but to endorse them in vague way long
enough to secure the admission of the South
ern delegations to Congress-after which, they
would consider. If they had really adopted
the spirit of the Philadelphia platform, they
would have given us the constitutional guar
anty we ask. They confess that our require
NETS are just, but refuse the security we de-
mand. Very well, gentlemen, we know then
what you mean, and we know you do not
mean what you appear to be saying but take
very good care not to say.
sent to the platform of the Philadelphia con-
vention, purporting to come from Democrat,
has been the letter published in the Press
from a Democrat of 1925" Upon this alone,
the Argus says, we found our statement that
Democrats do not accept that platform. This
dodge is ingenious, but it won't do. 1t is not
open dissent of which we speak OF have spok-
en-. Dissent is smothered for the present, can
get no utterance except by accident. But there
is no hearty assent. We have asked the Ar
gus repeatedly if it accepted the Philadelphia
doctrines as well as the Philadelphia policy,
and can get no direct answer. The Argus
dares not commit itself to doctrines so often
sive to most of its readers.
One of the Philadelphia resolutions reads
thus:
Representation in the Congress of the Unit
ed States and in the Electoral College, is a
right recognized by the Constitution as abiding
in every State, and is q duty imposed upon its
people, fundamental in its nature and essential
to the existence of our representative interests.
Probably no man living except the Hum
BILE Individual who drew this resolution, pre-
tends to understand the verbiage with which
this sentence concludes. 1t is clear, however,
that the writer believes there is some sort Of
obligation resting upon the States to maintain
representatives at Washington. Lawyer
Pillsbury, of Pennington, is man who should
know what the Democrats of Maine believe.
In his speech at the meeting in Bangor, call
ed expressly to ratify the proceedings at Phil
adelphia, Mr.. Pillsbury, unwittingly, no doubt,
repudiated in express words the doctrine we
have just cited. Mr.. Pillsbury, as reported
in the Bangor Democrat, said:
Among the objections raised on the part of
the Radical leaders in the Congress of the ma
ton, it was claimed that the Senators and Rep
resenatives representing the Southern States
went out voluntarily from Congress. There
did not, hoaceUer, seem to be anything criminal
in that act of aoithdrGaCdl. The representatives
of any State haze a right to aCitladrooo If then
choose. And if the Southern States were depriv-
ed of representation for a hundred years, this
assertion would be true just as then now.
The Argus invited us "at least to fortify
our position with the objections of another
Democrat" We have done it. Mr. Pilsbury's
impingement upon the Philadelphia doctrine
was no doubt purely inadvertant. He would
not have uttered that opinion if he had re-
memberel that it was contradicted in the
platform. But HE DID, and from that exam
pie one may easily estimate the kind and de-
gree of conversion which the political infidels
in this State have experienced We repeat,
the Argus dares not openly and plainly tell its
readers that it is ready to accept the abolition
of slavery, the national debt, and the entire
policy of President Lincoln, and for our part
we don't believe it is ready. 1t pretends to
be, but only for temporary purpose.
How they Mean to Succeed.
off the young lady in the red shawl and