The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1868-04-15
goliktal.
MEN AND PARTIES.

ty must be judged by the policy which
its majority approves and adopts, not
by the principles which few members
may assist upon asserting. 1t is not
the traditions of party which can
save it, but its practical measures.
When the Democratic party in the
country became a machineb by which the
perpetuity and ascendency of slavery
were to be secured, sincere Democrats
left it. 1t was useless to say that it
was a free trade party, and a party
that asserted the strict limitations of
government, and was a State-rights
and decentralizing and anti-bank par
ty; because the paramount political
question was neither ofthose, but was
the controlling power of slavery; and
the Democrats who believed that the
system and the extention of slavery
were fatal to free government and the
national welfare joined the Opposi-
tiOn.
The result was that the moral SEN
timent of the country deserted the
Democratic party, which became un-
der the despotic leadership of the
Southern chiefs mere conspiracy
against free government and human
nature. Its sole object was the mainten
ancc OF the supremacy was Of slavery,
and its methods included suppression
Of free speech, mobs, vigilance COM
mittees, and vast and systematic
decentralization of the public mind
naturally and inevitably eliminating
in Il fierce and prolonged rebellion.
Until the rebellion was suppressed or
victorious the only practical question
was the war and until the nation,
convulscd by the war, is pacified and
restored to a normal condition, the
practical measures upon which parties
must divide are those Immediately
connected with the pacification.
There are therefore now the party
of those who inaexibly oppose the
subserviency of the Democratic party
to slavery, who steadfastly supported
the war against the supremacy of
slavery in the government and who
are resolved that the defeat Of the
party supporting that supremacy
shall be secured in the reconstruction
of the country. This is one of the
present parties. The other is the OPP
position composed of all the miscella-
neous elements ofhatred, ignorance and
dscontent-th hatred ola bafilcd fac
ton, the ignorance of those who are
swayed by appeals to the basest pas
sions, and the discomfort of politicians
out of power; Of those who pinched
by the necessary consequences of a tre-
menduous war, hold the dominant
party responsible for the suffering oc-
casioned by the rebellion; and of those
who are impatient of the extravagances
of some of the leaders of the dominant
party, and by the occasional crudity
OF some measures they propose.
This Opposition, calling itself the
Conservative or Democratic party, is
the re5iduary legatee otall the passions
and prcjudiccs that were generated by
the long slavery contest. Its present
policy is contemptuous injustice to-
ward those whom the war feed, in the
hope that an appeal to the jealousy Of
race, added to the reaction that follows
any prolonged tension of public feel
ing, may restorcit to power. 1t tries
to claim free-trade as one of its pass
ports topublic favor, although some of
the ablest and most conspicuous free
traders are not less eminent Republi-
cans, and the subject is one upon which
party lines are not, and cannot yet be,
drawn. 1t talks abont the strict limi-
tation of government, but not so ably
as many of those who are RADICAL y OPP
posed to it upon the paramount ques-
ton. The only point which is peculiar
to this Conservative or Democratic
party is hostility to equal rights. That
is the subject upon which alone it is
fully concentrated. Upon this all its
orators are equally eloquent, and its
newspapers equally humorous. "Shall
this not remain a white mans govern
ment?' shouts the Reverend Henry
Clay Dtan, and tie New York World
gives endless columns of painful bur-
lcsquc of the 'Pan African" Cenven-
tions.
1t is in the extreme examples that
the dencency of the Democratic party
must be studied. They show the par
ty intention and drift. They reveal
the sentiments and purposes which
more than plainly appear as the party
believes itself ascending to power.
Thus if personally Fernando Wood
is distastelul to many of his political
associates; if he sometimes speaks
little more plainly than they think to
be polite, he is only excessive in the
partydirection. IfMr. Wood asperses
the living General Howard upon an
authority (which I was very careful to
say l would not guarantee" the New
York World constantly insults in the
coarsesl manner the memory Of the
dead President Lincoln. IfChauncey
Burr says that a hundred assassins
would have disposed of the Radicals,
the Albany Argus asks whether the
knot must be cut by the sword. If
Vallandigham derides the cowardice
of the Democracy, the whole Copper
head press .sidfcules ''loyalty" and
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