Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1868-04-08
Party Discipline.

its requirements Of its members, must, To-
day, exact from every man in its ranks the
most implicit obedience and tho most earnest
action. The broad principles on which thi.
| government rests arc assailed the agree
ment which binds the States in one Union
is put aside as nullity, and it becomes q
i duty from which the true citizens cannot es.
cape, to give battle to those who are op.
posed to the rights Of tho individual and
the masses. In the union Of the citizons,
only, can we find the strength to successful.
ly resist the men who seek to bind the pop.
ular action, and to effect this we must have
an organization, the laws Of which will per.
NIT no lax conduct, and which will demand
the most earnest support for each and all Of
its members. The Democratic party is the
party Of tho people-the sneers Of the
classes show that it is the party Of the con
stitution-thc jeers Of the Radicals prove
that, so it becomes the organization into
which the defenders of the institutions Of
| republican democracy must come. -i'
But it will be idle for this party to seek to
put itself in control Of the country if it does
not come up to the necessities Of the work
which it has to do. It has great contest
to wage against the embodiment of political
evil which seeks to direct the affairs Of this
country in the interests Of those who have
no sympathy with popular liberty. The
class interests here are alive and at work,
and with power Of place and great wealth
which they use very unscrupulously, they
will fight bitter fight 1t is matter Of
life or death to them. They must rule orb
ruined. And how is it with the Democrats? ?
1t is as surely fight for existence with
them, and as such they must conduct it.
When battle is being fought-indeed In
the preparation for it, severe and exact
discipline is always enforced, or failure must
be the result, so in the contestin which the
Democratic party is now about to engage, it
must he prepared for action and fought un-
der the highest discipline it can be brought
to. -..-... g. .-.-... $3.50
Competent, prudent and trusty leaders
must be chosen, men Of nerve, men Of brain,
and the whole body, down to the mere
boys who cannot do service in the ranks
must be full Of life, earnest in action and
obcdieut to an alacrity which is unknown in
any work but that which man docs with
all his heart. Those who come between the
substantial commanders, ,andi the masses,
must be careful, untiring, watchful licuten-
ants, and the least negligencc-the slightest
insubordination must be sharply punished.
And we want no partisans. We are fighting
no desultory warfare. The character Of the
campaign is that which brings great bodies
of men in fair opposition, and every fight
becomesa contest in the open field. Besides
the general conduct Of a partisan warfare
produces bitterness Of feeling which results
in the preparation of acts which always re-
feet upon the parties engaged. Inan irreg-
ular contest it may be looked upon indulg-
emily, but in great struggle, on which the
highest results depend, it is almost crimi-
nal course to pursue. r.s'--'ss ..lae .e.-,s
The Democratic party with whom it rests
to fight the popular side in this warfare,
must with great care avoid the doing Of any
act which will detract from its character as
a patriotic party, and which will give to the
mere seeker for personal fame or advantage
any prominent place or any.positive control.
This action is not impertinent. The per-
sistent effort Of many men in the party to
place thcnselves-even to force themselves,
against the wishes Of the great mass Of the
party, into prominent position and into the
control Of the organization, is well known,
generally, and is as thoroughly condemned.
There is false modesty which hinders the
press from speaking Of this outrage on the
people, but the great party Of the masses
must not be led to disastcrous defeat by any
man or set Of men from the mere want Of
expression from the masses that they will
not be destroyed, either to crafty the arnbi-
ton or to test the capacity Of an incompe,
tent commander. The mere fact that any
one should assume or demand q position is
sufficient to cause him to be put aside in
great popular party. The interests or the
aspiration of man can be regarded. The
great good Of the public, alone, must be con-
sidered. .'-va III. - ..,....y 20