The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-25
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
EDITORIAL oPfNIoNs OF rHB LEADING JOURNALS
Upon OURRsNT ToPICs-CoMPmRD EVERY
BAY FoR rHR EVENING TELEGRAPH.
No Backing Down.

NO OuChiuS DOhus
From 1,e ". Y Times.
The Southern Democrats will tolerate no
attempt to explain away the meaning of the
Seymour and Blair ticket. Mr. Buckalew's
declaration in the Senate, that he ''dOes not
coincide with General Blair as to the necessity
of overthrowing the Reconstruction laws"
and Mr.. Davis belief, expressed in the same
body, that ''there will be no attempt TO set up
any other governments in the South than
those organized" are made the texts Of very
stern lectures on the criminality of receding
from the obvious intent OF the party policy.
The Richmond Examiner, speaking OF "the
courage required by the canvass" assatls the
apologetic tone in which the leading organs OF
the party, and its prominent members in Con-
gress, discuss the issues raised by the New
York Convention. "Already," says the Er-
uminer, Eve are not without indications that
some of the recognized leaders of the party
are terrified at the sound of their own bugle-
blast" Referring more particularly to
speeches in the Senate, it remarks:-
"If this is the mode In which the platform is
to be Vindicated ana defended, IL would be
better to hold another Convention, aud call IL
in. Better strike flag tnan defend it in such
fashion. And II this Is tue kind of battle which
the Democratic champions are TO lead, they
might as well abandon the field, for they are
whipped already. The South, at least mean
something when they protest against negro
supremacy reconstruction as intolerable, and
as eternal war and not peace"
.
nest, no doubt. Blair knew how to 'ire the
Southern heart" and he fired it; and the nomi-
nation was his reward. The Convention may
not have intended all that its action signifies.
1t sacrificed something to buncombe and the
wishes of the Southern delegates, and in the
effort went further than any party can go
without insuripg defeat. The willy leaders are
now trying to modify and moderate the import
of the language employ ed, and to throw off the
responsibility which the adoption of extreme
views involves.
Against this cowardice and bad faith, the
class represented by the Richmond Eraminer
Indignantly protest. They bargained for a
policy of revolution, and will not be put off
with vague promises signifyipg nothing. They
helped to nominate Seymour and BLAIR on a
platform pledging the party to forcible over
throw of the new Governments, and they will
be content with nothing less.
In truth the enemies Of reconstruction at the
South helped to nominate the New York
ticket, and propose to help to elect it, on the
ground that it indicates an aggressive course.
They have reunited their fortunes with those
of the Democracy because the latter has issued
declaration of war against the work of Con-
gress in all its parts. They demand the un-
conditional restoration OF the Governments
which Congress abolished, and the revival of
the white supremacy which Congress abro-
gated.
Mr.. Buckalew's remark explains how the
Northern leaders propose to escape from the
dilemma. Their plan is to fasten upon Blair
exclusive responsibility for the opinions and
purposes which convict the party as an orga-
nization hostile to law and order. But the
trick will be unsuccessful. The Blair letter is
an infamous and incendiary document, but il
is not more so than the platform itself. The
platform assails the Reconstruction acts "as
usurpations, and unconstitutional revolution.
ary, and void," and General Blair does nc
more. He merely pushes the avowal to its
logical result, and insists that the duty of a
Democratic President will be to pull down
what the party, in convention assembled, con-
demns as Revolutionary and void" The
odium which is heaped upon Blair, therefore,
attaches to the Convention, and now also to
President Johnson, who breaches the same
anarchical doctrine.
The impatience of the fre-eaters when
Northern Democrats endeavor to divest the
party policy of its revolutionary attributes, is
not surprising. Neither wing occupies pleas
ant position. The Northern managers are
aware that no party can commit itself to 6
course involving civil war without incurrine
overwhelming defeat. The Southern leaders
again, know that unless the extreme view be
adhered to without hnchipg, 'they might a.
well abandon the field, for they are whipped
already So the Richmond journalist says
and he ought to know.