New-York tribune., 1868-06-09
SHAM DEMOCRACY RETREATING.

The one notion, prejudice, impulse, purpose,
antipatly, which makes man distinctly n
Democrat, under the existing classification, is
succinctly expressed in the assertion" This
ais White Mans Government is, "a
community wherein political power is right
fully confined to and exercised by Whites
only, or persons of the Caucasian race. Thou
sands who hated and opposed Jefferson, Jack
son, Polk, are unhesitatingly recognized and
honored as Democrats solely because they can
glibly pronounce this Shibboleth. Alex. II. II.
Stuart, Lewis Z. Parsons, Reyerdy johnson,
Millard Fillmore, are orthodox Democrats by
virtue of their repugnance to the enfranchise-
ment of the Blacks, and of nothing else.
But it is quietly whispered in knowing cir
cles that the Sham Democracy cannot win on
this platform-that the Southern Blacks, who
have so often been stigmatized as so ignorant
and servile that they would vote whatever
ballots their late masters and present land
lords should offer them, will vote no Demo-
cratic ballot while this remains the creed Of
the Democratic party-that thus the Southern
States will nearly or quite all be carried for
Grant and Colfax-that the party must change
its base or be sgnaly foored next November.
Hence the politicians intrigue to nominate
Chief Justice Chase as the Democratic candi-
date for President-hence a thousand shifts
and lodges, whereof the leading article in The
World of Monday is fair sample. We ex-
tract from it as follows:
''What is once established can be upturned only by
some positive action IL Is too evident for that
Negro Suffrage cannot be uprOOted by the Federal Gov
eminent even under Democratic control. II the Demo
cratic marty makes any declaration this subject In the
approaching National Convention 10 only affirm the
principle that the Federal Government has no consti
tuOnal right TO prescribe the rules OF suffrage In State
The reiteratiOn OF this sound principle, while 1t would
retrospectively condemn the Republican party would
prospectivey restrain the Democratic party from im
ttng its example The bearing aud effect of this prin
cpe Is 20 recognize the Status quo OF tho suffrage In every
State and TO preclude Interference by the Federal Gov
ernment TO change IL well from changing u from bad
10 good as from good 10 bad. When the Democratic
marty comes into power, Negro Suffrage Will be
The existing rule in the Southern States q rale
which can no more be lghtfully abrogated by Federal
authority than IL rghtfully introduced by Federal
national platform II VIII be pledge rot to disturb the
existing state OF the suffrage IN the south Tor the
Federal Government cannot interfere at ALL ~ cannot III
terfere for the cOmmendabe object Of rectyhH hDues
All that the Democratic party promise the SCUM on
this subject Is its inacvltyts forbearance 10 thWart
the States In any changes hey may hereafter choose TO
make We suppose We have made IL clear enOukh that
not be by the Federal Government Under Democratic
CONTROL II would not interfere at all under Republican
control, II would not interfere ON that side -
"We next proceed TO inquire into the prODaDllty or
its being discarded by the States The frat remark im
poTtAp 70 10 made N this connection " 'aat me ruiss OF