Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-10-24
CANNOT BE TAUGHT.

The democratic" party has been
charged with incapacity to "learn any
thing" Bull-headed obstinacy has been
named as the chief characteristic Of that
organization. Its ancient leaders would
pirate of what they claimed to be unal-
terable Democratic principles, long after
il became obvious that by such advo-
cacy States were lost and lost again to
that party. There was for many years
no "progress" in the Democratic party,
that was accepted generally under that
name. Douglas was defeated for break
ing the old rule, though he protested he
would not injure the platform Of his
opponents in the party by the practical
operation of his progressive" move
ment. He didn't care whether slavery
was voted up or down, though he
thought it would be voted down in
Kansas on his plan. A party that OBJ.
tains reputation for unreasoning adher-
nee to ancient dogmas, shows its fatal
inAexibility in respect to men as we'll as
platforms. This or that man must win,
will say the majority Of that party, be-
cause he has won or has been our can
didate before; and all personal objection
is met with the resolve of the majority
in the party. The "Democracy" did
not learn much during the war. Either
defiant for States Rights, or sitting in
sullen mood, or affecting a little loyal
war sentiment so as to get power for
anti.war use, the Democrats generally
exhibited the main characteristic OF the
party. In California, during the past
and present season, they have shown
more "progressiveness" or tact than
ever before. Their platform and their
leading candidates were selected with
cunning; and if they do not fall back
from their pronounced creed, they are
in California, in some respects, far
ahead of Massachusetts, and Connecticut
Democrats on the line Of the age. But
we are inclined to think that in the
Golden State the democracy" through
its papers and Legislature, will fall
back on their venerable doctrines.
How it will be in Nevada with the
Democracy, it is yet impossible to say
whether they will next fall hurrah for
States Rights and suggest a practical
reputation Of the National debt, or
whether they will declare after the man
ner Of the shrewd California Platform
Of last summer. We are inclined to
think that the managers Of that party
in Nevada are fully as wise as the chiefs
Of { Democracy in California; and the
old secesh element is not so bothersome
here as it is west Of the Sierras. How
far the Democrats of California will feel
authorized or called upon, however, TO
dictate to the Democrats of Nevada, can
not be foretold. Some imagine that
the Democrats of this State will play
into the hands of the Radicals in primary
c~anvasses, that they may fasten the most
extreme doctrine and candidates upon
the Regular Union Convention. Others
think Il the contrary /; as they say the
Radicals will be the ones to fly the
track clear if beaten in their own party,
while the Conservatives would not, at
the outside limit Of their boiling, do
more than protest. Many people think
and talk in this way. They say that it
is obvious that the Radicals are deter
mined to get the spoils, however mat
tiers political are shaped. And many
think the Democrats are so certain of a
split in the Union party in Nevada, that
they will lay down their extreme party
creed-will not learn anything.
When a party has como to that point
that defeats Of several leading PROPOSE
lions Will mot tchCu ~ tuut suSu PAopo-
sitions are distasteful to the majority,
it is going the way of the Democracy OF
old. If the Union party front is to be
advanced and advanced and advanced
on the negro suffrage line, after many
defeats Of that proposition, if the Rad
icals will learn nothing from the peo-
pies verdicts and if they can bear rule
in the party, the days Of the organiza-
ton are numbered.
The Union party on this coast came
of the Republicans and Douglas Democ-
racy, who had learned enough to know
that they must put aside unessentials
and fight under u new name for the
common loyal cause. If the Democracy
Of this coast should throw aside their
name, discard all secesh plauks, take
conservative Union principles, they
might hold their power in California,
and gain victories in the other Pacific
States. But we are supposing what
thay ,v;ll not ottamNt