New-York tribune., 1868-10-14
IN 1ppEAL TO DEMOCRATS.

TO that dass of Democrats who make Sham
Democracy pay dividend we make no appeal.
We can argue against doubts but not against
dollars But To those who vote the Democratic
ticket from some intended reverence for the
former principles of the Democratic party 10
those who have come to believe that the
Democratic party is truly conservative; to
those who have the notion that some fea-
turo of its financial policy would be favorable
to tax-paycrs-to any lwho, from honest mo
tives, design to vote for Seymour, we put the
direct question Can YOU yourself afford to
have Seymour elected?
|. d" You are opp0sed,' you say, ." TO the Com
"greSS plan Of Reconstruction Very well
What could Seymour do about it if he were
President? You had Democratic President
and Cabinet in Office during the whole contest
which resulted in the abandonment Of Recon
Struction on the Democratic, or White basis
only and the substitution of the Republican,
plan of Universal or Negro Suffrage. II We
had had the aid of a Republican President for
the adoption of this policy, thcre might he
some hope that you. by the aid of Demo
cratic President, might overthrow it. But
Andrew johnson fought this policy from tlir
outset. tooth aud nail, inch by inch. with an
ability at least equal To Mr. Scymour's and
courage far greater. lie entered into the fight
with majority in both HOUSES oi Congress
and of the people. ON his side. He tried BIZ
polcy-iuly, unintcruptcdly, with dcspotc
completeness. He did all that Seymour could
have done. had hc been in office then, ami
hundred times more than Seymour could do
now, OF after the 4th OF March next. lie fought
the Republican policy until hc was shorr Of
III. usual powers. and at last escaped lay barely
one vote from losing his Office altogether.
Yet his opposition practically availcd nothing,
and he was finally Obliged 10 execute the laws
he had opposed, and 10 bc himself nn agent
in carrying out the Republican plan of Recon
structiOn What. with Democratic President
in Office you could lot prevent, how would you
by the aid Of another Democratic President
reverse and undo II with your bul.rIsh you
could not check Niagara, how would you with
the same weapon set il running backward
The Southern States are reconstructed on the
basis of Universal Suffrage. Some oi them
are restored to the Union. More than two
thirds of Congress passed and will maintain
this policy, whoever may be President. This
majority cannot be- overcome in less than iaur
do YOU hope then to dsiIanclise them! Scy-
mour as President, therefore, could do nothing
toward "White Mans Government" which
johnson has not already done unless, as indi-
Gated by Gen. Blair, hc should use the army, III
defiance of Congress aud its laws This would
be- revolution and rebellion. lou tned those
remedies under jefferson Davis. Do yOn need
10 Try them again to recall their effects. Scy
mour, therefore, could avail you nothing what
ever in the matter of reconstruction.
ii. "Tou wouM Hke,' YOU say 80 see
taJes diminished" No tax is SO disastrous
as the depreciation Of the currency. Yet
your Democratic party proposes to CON
vert the entire national debt into currency
by paving it in greenbacks. This would re-
ducc its value to nominal figure or destroy
it altogether, so deranging the business OF the |
country as to bring ruin on millions of people. |
Your Democratic party would have President |
assume the rod OF a Dictator prop himself up |
by standing army, and defy the laws which |
he is sworn to enforce. Such course would |
call your sons or yourselves again into the |
field to fight, willing or unwilling, and would |
drain the country of countless millions of |
treasure to be destroyed in civil wars Can |
you afford it7
III. d" You adhere," you say, to The ancient
"principIeS ofhe Democratic party" IL so, that |
forms the most conclusive reason why yOu |
ought not to support its present platform and
candidates. The Democratic party believed |
ancently in n specie currency. Now, it would |
flood the country with irredeemabe paper
money 1t believed anciently in free trade |
Now its platform contains an insincere and
bypocritcal clause advocating a protective
tariff, put in to catch gudgeons in Pennsylva- |
mia. 1t was jealous anciently OF despotic
Executive. and labOred to maintain the liber- |
ties of the people and the power OF their rep |
resentatiyes. Now it indOrses one President for
attempting to override Congress, and nomi- !
mates another on his promise to repeat the |
effort. |
The Democratic party was formerly jealous
10 preserye the rights of States But if that
question is in any way involved in this contest,
the Democratic party is on the Federalist side
OF the controversy. 1t acknowledges the power
Of President of the United States to annul
and destroy ten State Governments, some OF
which existed from the formation of the Union,
and 10 substitute for them new governments
dictated by himself, without any authority OF
law. What power can be more Federallstic,
more subversve of State rights. or more auto
cratic and despoticg 1t then denies the
mower of Congress TO enable by law the whole
people of these States TO form State Govern !