The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-16


swimmer who trusts entirely to bladders; he
must strike out and sustain himself. Bat
radlcalism seeking its own advantage always,
would persuade the people that there must
be another depository Of power than them
selves; that there must be a strong central
government original rather than derivative,
in which they must in the last resort conids.
And on this pretense they would vault into
the saddle and seize the reins. That is the
precise opposite to Democracy.
The Youthful, IndOmitabIe Democracy.
From the NJ Y. World.
Democrats may Justly cherish an honorable
pride in the vigor, courage, steadiness, loyalty
to principle, and patriotism of the great party
which has made 80 gallant fight in the OJto-
Der elections. Considering that, two or three
years ago, the Democratic party was pro-
claimed 1'dead" by its opponents that every
Republican newspaper predicted for it the fate
OF the old Federal party after the last war with
England; considering that Congress and all
the State governments were controlled by its
bitter foes; that it was overborne by oalumnies;
that its statesmen were buried in the obscurity
Of private life and that four-ffths of the most
widely circulated journals have daily labored
to bring it into disrepute and odium-con-
sidering all these adverse and depressing
circumstances, 1t is signal proof Of
enduring vitality that the party has been
able, in the late elections, to contest every
inch Of ground against its opponents, and,
in spite OF their most strenuous efforts,
to come within few votes of beating them in
an enormous poll of many hundreds of thou
sands. Indiana we have either redeemed from
the Republicans, or have come so near it that
there is scarcely any perceptible margin in the
strength of the two parties although the Re-
publicans had large majority in that State,
and although it Is the home Of the candidate
for Vice-President one of the most popular
-, fIax Tx, l.
carried its chief city, next to New York the
most populous in the country, and a change of
a few thousand votes weuld have given us that
great State. In Ohio, the Republican majority
is but trife compared with what it used to
be few years ago. For party that was so
confidently and so jeeriDgly pronounced
dead" this is very handsome show. But
our gains were not as great as the party de-
sired and deserved.
In inquiring why, having come so near sue
cess in these elections, we have just missed it,
two reasons appear, in the absence of either of
which our triumph would have been certain.
These reasons are such as to show that ma
jority of the people are really on our side, and
have been repelled from our support by things
having no proper connection with the merits
of the canvass. If the military prestige of
General Grant had been out of the scale we
should have succeeded; or, that remaining, if
the perversions of General Blair's position had
been out of the scale, we should have sue
ceeded. 1t would be paying poor compli-
ment to General Grant, or to the
Judgment of the party that nomi-
has not been worth to the Republicans of
Pennsylvania half of the meagre majority by
which they have carried the State. Put half
of that small majority on the other side, and
the two parties would be equal. II that small
number of votes are due to the popularity Of
General Grant-and 1t would be ridiculous to
suppose the contrary-the election, had it
been decided on the issues, would have been
in favor of the Democratic party. The same
remark will apply to the other States. On
the Democratic principles, pure and simple,
We should have succeeded. We have been
beaten by reasons quite extraneous to the
questions in issue.
We could easily have overcome the popu-
larity of General Grant, il another point had
not been raised to divert attention from the
issues. The position Of General Blair and
some Of the Southern leaders has been indus
triously perverted and misrepre Jented and an
impression produced that the Democratic
party is virtually pledged to overthrow the
new State governments by force. This slander
has repelled more than votes enough to have
turned the balance in our favor. The narrow
escape of the Republicans from q defeat is not
due to their principles, but to the military
prestige Of Grant and the aspersions cast upon
Blair. In simple contest of principle we
should have succeeded and we may succeed
yet, if we can remove or neutralize these ad-
verse influences, which have really nothing to
do with the merits of the public questions.
Can this be done? 1t is grave question,
fraught with the most momentous conse-
quences. We commend it to the attention,
to the most earnest reflection, of the recog-
nized leaders of the party. We have still
nearly three weeks for action: and where SO
slight counterpoise would suffice to turn the
scale, prompt action-if it be judicious as well
as prompt-will accomplish wonders. If, in
review of the whole situation, it shall be con-
cluded that mistakes have been made it is
better that they should be corrected now,
than that the country should be dragged
through four more weary years of strife, to be
redeemed then by measures of the same kind
that might, by a magnificent exercise of
pluck, be as easily adopted now. Whatever
a sagacious forecast may perceive to be the
proper course for the Democratic party four
years hence, if it should be beaten now had
better be pursued at once. The time has
come-the hour has struck-when we must
turn our faces resolutely to the future. This
is young country, with great career be.
fore it which no imagination can grasp
majority OF our voters are young men abound
ing in hope, enterprise, ardor, activity; and
the country being in the dawn of new era,
when all minds are filed with expectation and
excitement, that party has the best
chances of great future which is most in
energies of the nation. growing ma
tion, like an improving individual, has
always something to learn. political party
which does not advance with the nation, and
enter into the fulness of its expanding, exu-
berant life, is on the declivity which descends