Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1867-04-17
The Democratic Party ana the
Future.

| Euuurcs
There is strong effort being made at the
present time to induce tho people to look
upon the Democratic party us defunct, a
thing of tho past, as having fulfilled its mis-
sion, and no longer necessary as means Of
restoring peace and good government in the
country. The Radical faction are earnestly
engaged in thismovcment. All their papers
from the Tribune to the smallest sheet in the
remote West, talk in tho same strain upon
this subject. In the South especially this
view is being urged with great zeal aud ear
ncstness by the missionaricsof the dominant
organization Of the nation. They declare
that il an early settlement of our national
difficulties and troubles is desirable, if the
Southern States crave rehabilitation and
representation, the path towards those ends
lies through an exceptance of the theories of
Of the Radical faction, and an abandonment
ofthc principles Of the Democratic party, and
the organization founded upon those princi-
pies. The whole theory Of those who father
this scheme for uprooting the Democratic
party is that "the Democracy are so odious,
for past offences, that the country will never
submit to their restoration to power. The
country, here, signifies that portion of the
Radicals who think with the Democrats on
the issue now against the land Its assuin-
ed that there are enough of them, by voting
with the latter, to exile the former from
power and place" But the leaders of the
dominant or anti-rcpublican party declare
that it would be far better to let the Radical
faction lead them further on along the path
which leads inevitably to ruin, than win tri-
umph under the democratic name. The
New Orleans Picayunc, after noticing fully
the above grounds assumed by the Radicals,
continues:
If the Democratic organizations were dis
solved and the name abandoned and Il new
party organized, it is plain that by whatever
designation it might be known, it must, in
order to succeed, obtain the votes of those
who are Democrats. There were nearly two
millions of them in the last presidential clec-
ton; and the difference between the two
parties was about ten per cent. of the whole
vote. \ change Of little more than five per
cent would have given the party calling it.
| self Democrats majority of the popular
vote then cast. Besides that. the whole vote
of the South was excluded, and on the issue
of the day that would be almost unanimously
Democratic; that is to say, for the principles
and objects for which the Democrats enter
the political fight. These two millions of
voters in the North are the substance out of
which only a successful party could be raised
and consolidated so as to overcome the Rad
icals at the polls 1t is common saying,
that the odium marked on that party, for
its course, or for rather the course which its
adversaries succeeded in persuading the
public that it had taken during the war, at
tachcs itself TO its organization, so that loyal
Republicans should never consent TO be iden-
tilted with it. 1t is another way Of saying
that the Democratic party must confess it
se.,ft 20 have been disloyal, and declare itself
rs incapable Of defence against the charge.
II scenes to be promised that, If it will do
SO, portion of those who MAKE the accusa-
tion will take all the grounds the Democrat
&c party sustain, and lead them to success.
There is temper and prejudice in this, if
nothing worse. 1t is extremely unreasona-
bic to require such sacrifice as propitiation
to men. to persuade them to do their duty;
and it is extremely irrational to expect that
when party gives up its leaders and is
practically disbandoncd it can rally at once
with the same force and effect as before
Organization is to q party what discipline is
to an army. Itwould be just as sensible to
look for community Of purpose and action
en- the field from the use Of militia, as for
successful political action to be had against
party so thoroughly drilled as the Reppbli-
can party is, by party disbandcd, under
new name.
The utility of the Democratic organization
success in the canvass which is opening now,
to close only with the next Presidential cleo
ton. 1t was tried in the Connecticut cleo
Of considerable number of Republicans,
who cling to the substance of things, with
patriotic disregard Tor nawes, is an encour-
aging sign that the counsels of such papers
as the New York Times will not impede the
union in action OF all those who desire the
same political reforms.
1t is very evident that Radical rule can
only be broken by union of all the friends
of republicanism upon acommon ground and
for common purpose. That purpose must
be to rcinstate the Constitution as the SUI
preme law of the land, to restore the States
to their old places in the Union to repeal
the obnoxious military reconstruction bill,
and to allow the people of all portions of the
Union representation in the councils of the
nation. This is platform onwhich all true
friends of the Republic can certainly unite.
AS to miner details there may and will be
differences of opinion. Local causes may
induce the people of the East and West to
desire that the tariff and revenue laws should
be presented in certain aspects, but on the
great fundamental question of reconstruction,
they need not he separated, if they will take
counsel Of their patriotic impulses, and not
lend themselves to the arts of Il demagogue,
or the uncertain guides of passion and pref
udice.
How can such union of patriotic men,
for such high and holypurpose, be effected,
but upon the platform and through the