The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-11


Democratic successes point to tumult and
disaster rather than TO the paci6oation which
the country impatiently awaits
We consider 1t certain, then, that the 'toiti-
zens who have not for the last few years acted
with tho Democratic party aud to whom that
party ls indebted for the advantages acquired
this fall, will not prolong the connection
The succor they have rendered directly by
their votes, or indirectly by abstaining from
voting, cannot be continued to a party which
uses its triumph as an assurance that Rebels
will remain in control of the Southern States.
The conservative classes at theNorth, who, on
the Worlds own showing, hold the balance of
political power, have not acted with the purpose
of restoring the Democracy to the control Of
the Government. Their course was rendered
possible by the comparative moderation Of the
Democratic platform, but in the great majority
of instances they have not dreamed of afiiliating
formally with that organization. Their chief
purpose has been to Tebuke the intolerance
and extravaganza Of the managers Of the Re-
publican party, under a conviction that the
lesson may result in the setting aside of its
extreme and arrogant leaders. With Copper
headism as the alternative, this had not been
possible. And we may rest assured that as
between the Objectionable features of radi-
calism and the programme of violence and
Rebel victory, which the principal organ Of the
Democracy proclaims, there will be a
moments hesitation.
In a strict party sense, this prospect is emil
nently satisfactory. The more extreme the
ends of Democracy the more easy the defeat
of its nominees. With pro-Rebel afinities,
disguised under pretence OF Union sentiment
on one hand, and radical reconstruction, with
all its harshness, on the other, we have no fear
of the preference that will be evinced by any
Northern constituency. What occurred whom
the Democratic party was rank COpperhead
organization will occur again now that it avows
its purpose to destroy the Senate by fraud,
sustained by force, and to bring back the
! leaders of the Rebellion to place and power.
| The party will be trampled down as ruthlessly
as would be its promised revolution. The
Republican party will once more sweep every
| thing before it. Moderate Republicans will
overcome their Indifference and disgust, and
| will rally around their party standard, even
| though it be upheld by radical hands. The
war Democrats on seeing the feast to which
| they have been invited by the party for the
time victorious in this State, will resume their
| places in the Union ranks, and will vote as
| steadily as during the Rebellion against
| policy which aims at combination with
| Southern malcontents to secure possession of
| the Federal Government. We shall again
| have plain, straightforward sailing There
| will be no tacking or trimming, no boiling or
| staying away from the polls, in the presence
of an organization conducted in the interest Of
| the enemy.
But other than party considerations are in
| volved in the issues which will hereafter
divide the Democrats and Republicans. The
bane of the latter has been their excess of
| strength. Presuming upon the Congressional
| weakness of their adversaries, they have been
reckless in the policy adopted towards the
1 South, and indifferent to subjects Immediately
| affecting the material concerns of the country
| Measures have been pushed through on the
| hypothesis that certain amount of moderate
| support might be dispensed with, without
injury to the party. Radicalism has insisted
| on having its own way, regardless Of conse-
| quences. The same may be said of the party
action in local matters. The extremists have
welded authority with a defiant air. Mode
rate men have been denied admittance to con-
ventions and participation in the working of
the organization. Corrupt candidate, have been
foisted upon the party, despite OF protest and
warning.
Now, all this could scarcely have happened
had the party in opposition borne less OBJ.
| ectionable record than that of the Democracy.
compact, high -principled opposition is one
| of the essentials Of successful parliamentary
government, and its absence from Congress
has been prime cause of the errors that have
been committed, as well in regard to recon
struction as in reference to finance and taxa
tion. OF late the Democrats in the House
have been a faction, fighting now with one
wing of the Republicans, now with another
and finally throwing their little weight into
the scale of ultraism. Under an expectation
that faction might be superseded by respon
| sible opposition, we have not shared the alarm
which has been excited in some quarters by
the results of the elections. Confident thai
the Union sentiment of the country is strong
enough to keep the Government out Of Demo
cratic hands, we have hoped that the presence
of respectable minority would exercise
| wholesome influence over the conduct of bust
| ness, the tone of debate, and the character o
| legislation. Such an influence cannot be looked
for if the suggestions of the World indicate
the objects of the party with which it acts. l
it intend to conform to the reputation it earned
during the war, to resist reconstruction a
every stage, and to give aid and comfort to the
| Southerners who reject the scheme embodied
in the law, it will be powerless except for evil
AS a qualifying correcting agency it will bt
impotent. And the objects for which it con
tends will at once stimulate and excuse tn,
extreme measures of the radicals.
Unless the Republican management be givel
over to men to whom experience teaches ne
lesson, we may trust to the efficacy of thu
warning administered by the elections. What
ever the Democrats plot orthreaten, the party
now dominant in Congress owe to their sup
porters and the country greater moderation
and energy than have yet been shown in tn
work of reconstruction. Energy and judg
ment in fastening its consummation are abov
all things necessary, that the great stumbling
block to national unity and peace may be for
ever removed. But moderation is needed al
the time to restrain extremists, and to prepar
the way for that policy OF forbearance an(