The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-30

national debt by an ovsr-issus Of greenbacks. The
party which opposed the contraction Of the
debt in its present form because Of the results,
are by this action compelled to act as its
advocates. The success of the Pendleton doo-
trine would cause commercial revolution,
which would wash away all the existing founda-
tions Of trade. A new standard Of value should
be erected. A new era would open--one in
which imitation and speculation would take
the place of legitimate commerce. Can the
conservative element to which we have re-
ferred, and which has heretofore held on to
the Democratic party, because Of It's alleged
devotion to the tims-honored Constitution,
continue to do 80 in the face of such revolu-
tion as that proposed We think not. That
very spirit which led them to lean towards
that party which favored the Union as 1t was,
will now lead them to oppose radical and
unknown change. They have unlimited faith
in the conviction that 1t is "better to endure
the ills we have than to fly to others that we
know not Of" and for this reason will rather
bear the small inconvenience or assumed in
justice of the present form Of the debt,
than test a new machine, which II is eminently
probable will explode at any moment. So
much for the Conservatism" of Democratic
financial theories.
If the proposed policy of the opposition is
one calculated to drive all the conservative
element away from it on the question of
finance, it is ten times more foroibly expelled
when the subject of reconstruction is ex-
amined. For three years has the nation been
seeking to establish some permanent form of
government in the lately rebellious States.
1t was seemingly impossible to allow them to
resume their old power with unabated infu-
enoe and unconcesled treason. 1t was found
by experiment impossible to substitute the
hybrid creatures of Mr.. Johuson's brain, and
make them act as substitutes. So that after
all kinds of experiments the present plan OF
Congressional reconstruction was selected.
For years it has been steadily adapting itself
to the wants of the people. 1t has required
thirty months to get the wheels in motion. At
last in nearly every State success has been
achieved. Difficulties almost insurmountable
have been overcome, obstacles removed, and
the States are at last reconstructed. The agi-
tation is ended. What now do the Democracy
propose to dor They would reopen the healed
wound. They would overthrow all this work
and recommence the task. They would effect
a revolution for which, even Uere 1t possible it
wouLd take gears TO secure success. Is the con-
servative element prepared to favor this end
less agitation? Better, far better, let time
wear off any of the temporary asperities of the
new form of government than to overturn all
and dash down the work of years. No one
who has feeling in favor of quiet after the
long storm can favor such disastrous policy
as that proclaimed by Blair and endorsed by
the Democratic Convention of which he is the
nominee. For these reasons we predict that
the active conservative spirit of the country is
in accord with the Republican ticket and its
platform.