Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-10-20
THE DEMOCRACY.

. 81 o
John Morrissey has been nominated
for Congress from one of the districts oil
New York city. What can the Northern
Democrats expect but defeat when they
are so careless of public opinion as TO
put forward as their candidates for high
Offices notorious blacklegs and prize-ring
bruisers? They.do not deserve victory
though it is said to be certain that in this
case they will achieve it, for Morrissey S
election is said to be certain. We pre-
sumo he will introduce a new style OF de-
bate in the Congressional beergarden,
and that his arguments will be emphali-
callv knock down ones. Louisville C0u-
Tier.
The nomination of the great pugilist
may secure one Democratic vote in the
House, but the moral effect Of it hay
lose half dozen. The people are not
quite prepared to accept such man as
leader or legislator There are, no
doubt, worse men in Congress than
MoRRIssEY, but they lack the odium OF
having been professional nose-breakers.
We prefer him who breaks heads, gouges
eyes, bites and scratches, to him who.
with stealthy step, and torch in his
hand, devotss the fruits of years of toll,
privation and suffering to the flames.
One makes wound that few days will
heal. The other not only destroys what
is produced, but renders production i'm
possible. The mild rhetoric of SUMNER
is more to be dreaded than the heavy fists
Of MoRRIssEY. One rouses hostile
people to vengeance on their neighbors.
The other fells q brother boxer to the
earth. A generation will not heal the
effects Of ones words. An Insignificant
plaster will cure the effects of the others
blows. Fs1ts
We are not an admirer of rowdies or
rowdyism. We detest both. We grieve
to see vulgar men ascend the nights OF
power; but vulgarity is better than cold,
polished malignity. We certainly would
not vote for john MoRRIssEY, unless we
were compelled to choose between him
and such characters as PHILLIPS, SUN
NER, and others of that class We do not
think he is fit TO sit in Congress of
statesmen. The Democracy made great
mistake in bringing him out, as the act
is an appeal to the support of the roughs
and rowdies Of the country. This class
should be reformed not battered. Our
institutions have been ruined by pander.
ing to popular passion and vulgar
ignorance Demagogues have triumphed
over statesmen, and virtue over vice by
it, and we are now suffering the conse-
quences.
The Democratic party has much to
answer for. The fear that clinging to its
name and organization contributed
greatly to the success of the Radicals in
the recent elections. The spirit Of the |
Philadelphia Convention was not carried |
out at the polls An attempt was there
made to unite all the Conservatives
against the Radicals, not as Democrats,
but as patriots DESTROYS of the restora-
ton of the Union But the candidates
put forward we're announced as Demo
Gratis, run as Democrats, and, as might
have been expected, were defeated as
Democrats The Conservative Repub-
licans were required to abandon their
party aud act with Democratic organi-
cation. The result proved that they we're
not thus to be transferred. They
abandoned DooLITTLE and DIX and took
their old places with SUMNER and STE-
VEINS. In other States where elections
are to occur, there are no Conservative
candidates. They are Democratic. We
fear the record will have to be made
that, cinging to the Democratic organi-
cation, has thrown the present majority
of Radicals into the next Congress.
When such man as MoRRIssEY is not
only nominated, but nominated as
Democrat, We may imagine how far the
party will fail Of success. All the re-
verses of the once grand old party seem
to have taught it no wisdom.