Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-08-24
GUN SPIKED.

There is q wonderful amount OF dead
wood in tue Democratic platform, aud
every days developments of the prog
of public affairs make the utter
aud worthlessuess of its pre-
lenses more apparent. Many Of the
guns which were put in position at
Hall, and pointed with such
muzzles ut the Republican
camp, were already spiked and useless.
The Democratic platform shouts fran
for the restoration Of the rebel
States to their civil rights, after a Re-
publican Congress, despite u united OPP
position by Democratic votes, had
already effected that restoration. 1t
demands the abolition Of the Freedman's
Bureau, after a Republican Congress,
determined to abolish it at the end of
the present year. 1t insists upon u re-
duction Of the public expenses long
after General Grant has demonstrated
by his practical example that such "a
result is certain under his administra-
ton. 1t clamors for the subordination
Of the military to the civil powers, when
every Republican commander from Gem
eral Grant down is giving the best proof
that this is a Republican measure. And
so on through all the category.
The great guns of the Democracy,
upon which they have expended whole
arsenals of blank cartridges, are con-
structed out Of the dreadful "military
despotism," Of this "brutal Republican
Government" These guns, judging
from the ceaseless reiterations of the
same old hackneyed phrases, are all
PARROTS. With the outcry against "co-
e%rcion," the Democracy began the re-
bellion, and the cry, in n key and
another, has been kept up ever since.
Long familiarity with this farorite slang
of the party, North and South, has
dulled its effect; and the fact that the
shot from these Quaker guns never
reached the Republican lines, has long
ago made the bombardment more
amusing than dangerous.
The military rule at the South has
been, like the policy of Republican re-
construction, mild and judicious, and
everywhere the District Commanders
have manifested a desire, often amount
ing to impatiencc, for the time when
their rule should entirely cease.
The order lately issued by General
Meade drives another effective spike into
the Tammauy battery. General Meade,
who has developed an executive ability
in civil affairs not common among men
bred to the profession Of arms, has gov
erued his district with a firm but gener-
Gus and prudent policy. He
that all orders issuing from his head
quarters and bearing upon the rights Of
persons and property, will have only
such force as may be given to them by
the Courts and Legislatures Of the re-
specsivo States. He further directs the
immediate reduction Of all unnecessary
staff and clerical force, and the observ-
auce of a rigid retrenchment OF all ex-
penses.
All this is bad for the Tammany plat
form and the prospects Of the Demo-
cratic campaign. The orators who are
accustomed to discharge great volleys
of abuse at the Republican party, for
the "military despotism" exercised
over the "ten States excluded from
their rightful places in the Union," will
be wotully short Of ammunition. Shut
up to their own staple Of personal abuse
Of General Grant, they will find that
weapon everywhere recoiliug upon their
own heads. The people will see the
malignant falseness of all such assaults,
and stand more closely around their
Great Captain, when he is TINS abused
by the men who would have r~ejoiced
over his defeat, three years ago. The
guns of the Democracy are spiked.
The charges which ARE implied in the
high sounding phrase of the par.y's
platform are all confuted by the quiet
but unanswesable logic Of plain facts.
The Republican party has already done
what the Democracy pretends to demand
20 loudly, and has done it far better
than it would have been done in any
other hands. The country owes Il fresh
debt Of gratitude to General Meade for
this last proof of his patriotism and
wisdom, while the Democratic leaders
will curse him in their hearts for having
deprived them Of one Of their pet argyll
ments with ,houShtless people, by thus
spiking another Of the great guns upon
which they have relied so much for the
,nn,;np c~amDoion