Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-02-13
THE TRIBULATG0NS OF THE
DEMOCRACY.
4 Split Among the Faithful I'm
Ohio -iKanifestO From VAL

a Split Among the Faithful I'm
Ohio -,LanifestO From VAL
landigham.
The Dayton Ledger (Yallandigham's
organ), has Tire following article in its is
sue of January 29th:
Colonel Barnabas Burns has been beaten
for Representative in Congress, from the
Eighth District, by a majority of s29, Re-
publican gain since October, of 5S2.
This is the first gun of the Presidential
campaign of 1868, and indicates Repub-
lican majority next fall, in Ohio, of from
twelve to twenty thousand. Deploring the
causes which arrestei the tide of Demo
cratic victory in this State, and trusting
that the day may come some time, when
politicians will learn that the people CiU
have their own way somehow or other, in
this country and that they demand strong
and honest, and earnest men of measures
and the. the true secret of political success
is direct antagonism, and not fighting
shy," commonly called policy" we shall
labor zealously 10 avert the calamity. The
result in the Eighth District has, a most
important bearing on the Presidential NOM
inatiOn in the Democratic party.
In the above several aspects it is sugges
tive, and we propose to comment upon it
accordingly, in plain. but well-considered
terms. After the disastrous policy" defeat
of 1866. a campaign in which the exclusion
of Vallandigham was 10 be the sure pledge
ofvictory-wegon no further back at present
the true men OF the Ohio Democracy,
determined to start afresh on the old Dem
ocratc line, and begin by holding the State
Convention on the time -honored Eighth of
January. The proposition met with bitter
hostility from The 'policy" men Of that day,
and they came to Columbus on the Sth of
November, SEQ, and into the conference,
fully organized and determined to defeat
10. Yet aftcr a long and excited debate,
one by one they retired, leaving The held
to the sound and bold men of the party;
only one vote being cast against the Eighth,
and that by gentleman who is now a
delegate at large to the Presidential Con-
yeniion.
The State Convention met on the sth of
January. 1867 perhaps the soundcst con-
veniion ever asseiabled i'm Ohio cut of the
three hundred and odd Estate sovereignty"
or ssCorry men, so called, sixty seven were
members of it. Mr.. Cory was himself
delegate from Hamilton County, and Val
landigham. the "odious," was Chairman of
the Committee on Resolutions. OF Gary
men" there were none, that animal being
as yet only 'in posse, as The lawyers say,
and very few of those who composed the
recent State Convention were present.
Many believed the Democratic party TO be
dead and were not even willing TO con-
tribute TO the expenses of its funeral, nor TO
attend il, noreven TO partake fthe funeral
baked meats One OF them, row also
delegate at large, acted, no doubt, upon his
declaration, made ON the 9Th Of August,
1861. during the war, that 'it was no time
10 be holding Democratic conventions"
But there were many who thought that the
party was not dead, but only slept; That
cewar dice and want of energy in the
leaders" so called, had affected it with
polite syncope of the heart and that all it
needed for vitality and victory was the en-
ergizing influence of the honesty and cour-
age of the Democratic masses S, and accord
ingly upon principle, to larger extent
than ever before, if indeed, not fully, the
Democratic party went into the campaign.
The organization and committees were in
the hands of those who then made boast
that they were among the .'sound men" Of
the party, and efficient work was done ac-
cordingly The Democratic masses were
stirred up; and the ''odious" Vallandigham
went everywhere, with immense audiences,
largely Republican, 10 greet him, and sin
jured the party" by contributing bis full
Share to the large Democratic gains wher-
ever he went. and well understood by all
10 be a candidate for the United States
Senate. After a most enthusiastic, straight
haired, straight forward, honest square
toed" fight, the Republican majority in the
policy year 1866, OF AZ, 900 was reduced
to 1900 on Governor, and Democratic
Legislature elected.
1t was emphatically victory of the
Democratic masses, because the hearts of
the people were in it, But no sooner was
the election over, than for a particular pur-
pose, the cry went forth from a certain
class of men all over the State, "We must
now look to policy; we must be careful
to consult the prejudices Of the Republicans
and 'Conservaiies : we must not drive off
the new converts we need more Republi-
can votes the election of Vallandigham as
Senator would snjure the party;' we must
take some less obnoxious man." Through
the machinery OF the State Central and
Executive Committees the work was ac-
cordingly done. The Democratic members
ofthe Legislature were industriously stuffed
with the idea of "policr," and that the en-
tire success of the Der iocracy in Ohio and
elewhere, in 1868, derended or the defeat
of that s'pestiferous" ssllow Vallandigham.
The convention of the 9Th OF January. S6s,
was attended by men, some of whom never
before met in a Democratic convention,
and by others who had been absent during
the twelve years of Democratic defeat, but
who now turned up like vultures and cor
morants hovering over the spoils. At this
convention, through the basest of treachery,
the entire control Of the Democratic organ
ization was handed over bodily, upon Ger.
tain conditions, relating to certain nomina-
tions for high places, to the men who, in
1863, in the great battle for free speech,
free press and free ballot, refused 10 sup
port the Democratic nomination for Gov
ernor that year. From President of the
convention down to minor Offices and chair
men of committees, nearly every man who
figured conspicuous'y in that body, was
one apparently selected because he had
either refused to support the Democratic
ticket In 1868, or had been an avowed
member of the Republican party during
the war. The Democratic party Of Ohio,