The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-10-21
POlIticaI ~C0Mardlce.

Political COWardice.
The proposition of the New York
World and the Cincinnati Enquirer,
to substitute CHASE and ADAMS for
SEYMOUR aad BLAIR on the National
Democratic ticket, is not the first
manifestat on ofcowardice on the part
of the Northern Democracy. 1t IS
only the panic consequent upon a
c~owardiee previously exhibited. The
attempt to SUPPRESS BLAIR's Brod-
head Letter, a~ndeienore the clause Of
the Democratic platform which de-
elared the reconstruction laws uncon-
s%titutional, null and void, were exhi-
billions of ~oowardice which thePeople
could not help seeing, Thenstdb, when
the Confederate Democracy of the
South, through their orators and pa
pers, boldly avowed that BLAIR's let
ter and HAMPToN's plank of the,
Platform were the true issues involv-'
ed in the contest, the Democrats
of the North, with unpardonable
c~owardice, suppressed both the arh-
eIes and the speeches. Worse than
this. the Democratic papers objected
to such speeches and articles as impo-
little, and urged their authors to dis
avow them. Instead Of copying the
articles and employing the orators to
canvass che Northern States and thus
spread the true doctrine into every
nook and corner of the land, these
cowardly leaders did all they could
to discourage the true and courageous
Democracy of the'South by condemn
ing their enthusiasm and blasting
their hopes. When, also. the Repub-
lican papers, anxious that the South
ern Democracy should have a hearing,
copied their editorials and speeches
and circulated them to the extent Of
their ability, they were denounced as
working to keep up civil strife, and in
some instances the speeches and arti-
cles copied by them were condemned
as forgeries.
Can we be surprised that the Dem
oerats of the South are Disguised with
the pusiIauimity Of their Northern
associates? Previous to the com
mencement Of hostilities the North
ern Democrats promised that, in case
the Government attempted to use
force t suppress secession, they would
rush to the assistance of their friends
in the South. But, on being put to the
test, they failed to respond. When,
again, both factions of the party met
again in New York, the Nor5hern
leaders promised their Southern
friends to put anything into the plat.
form they might ask. But when il
came to discussing that platform be.
fore the people, again they played the
coward, and left their rebel associates
Ia the lurch. All through the cam
paign this cowardiee was eonspicu.
Gus. The Mobile Register, perhaps
truly, attributes the defeat of the
party to it's eowardly mode of con
Quoting the battle. 1t says the people
of the North were deceived by mis-
representations Of the state of thing;
In the South, and that the Northern
Democracy quailed under them" L
gives the following as a sample of the
general cowardice:
Southern speakers have been dis
sauded from taking the stump il
Pennsylvania and Ohio, through tim
idity. While the writer was in Mil
Waukee there was a large Democrat,
meeting, and although the Democrat.
of that city generally desired him tt
address il, and tell the true story o.
the Southern condition, a few timiG
leaders objected on the score of i'm.
policy, and of course he did not speak
The same thing has befailen Messrs
Langdon and Manning, who were
sent to the East at the cost of the
Democratic Clubs of this city.
The people generally admire cour
age, even in rogues. Therefore. i
would have been far wiser for tn
Democracy to have presented a sem
blauce of boldness, though they die
not possess the true article. As it is
their defeat has resulted in panic, anC
in all parts of the country is hearC
the Democratic cry Of distress. It i
a despairing cry-the agonizing shriel
of a strong swimmer as he sinks be
meath the ave
Republicans may learn a lesson fror
the fate of their opponents, and whe
they take a position on any Of tn
great questions of the day. let then
maintain the position with pluck am
endurance. Victory, under such Gil
cumstanees, Is always the more com
pletc, and defeat brings with it n
dishonar