Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-02-13
The Chicago Times Article I'm
EaYOr Of Negro Suffrage.

From the Chicago Times (Ejitorial New. II, 1866
SHALL THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY DIE OR LIv r?
The present is a crisis in the Democratic
party which has no precedent in its history,
as il is a crisis in tho progress of the coun-
Try which is also without precedent. Never
before has the Democratic party encoun-
tered events so seriously affecting its future
vitality as now. Not that il beholds itself
diminished in the magnitude of its num-
bers-for it is numerically stronger than it
has ever been before-but that, having been
beaten on great national issue, as TO which
il believed itself to be wholly right, and
the opposition wholly wrong, and still So
believes, it must nevertheless abandon that
issue-for the decision of il is final-and
either sit down in decaying and helpless
inactivity. or strike boldly ont upon a new
line, selected with peculiar reference, not to
things as we would like 10 have them, but
to things as they actually are, and in pur-
suing which line il shall cease to- be ahold-
back or conservative" party, and become,
whatit was in its palmy days. progressive
and an aggressive party. These are the
alternatives.
II will not set down in helpless aid de-
caying inactivity.
What, then, shall the new line be? In
the first place, must we not cut loose fir ON
Andrew johnson, and leave that hybrid
concern 10 float on the sea of public con-
tempt into which itsometime since entered,
and from which no power can rescue it?
Is not the late defeat attributable more
largely To this administration than 10 all
other causes combined? What is there in
its composition 10 command popular con-
fidence? Who. belonging to it, is entitled,
by reason OF his antecedents or of his states
manship, 10 The confidence or the respect
of the Democratic party? Certainly is not
Andrew johnson. nor William III. Seward,
nor Edwin NJ. Stanton. True. this admin
istration had right policy, and the Dem.
ocratic party, in overlooking the chief men
,comprising 1t, and thinking only of the
rightfulness OF the policy, displayed pa
triotism whose purity was never excelled !;
but the policy having failei-and having
failed, too, Through the feebleness and folly
and offences against public proprieiy of the
administration--why should not the Dem
ocratic party abandon the dead body.
longer adherence TO which is death also TO
itself?
What next? Can the Democratic party
succeed until the negro question shall be
got out of the way? 1t cannot. Why moi?
Is not negro suffrage inevitable, and Is not
the quickest way to at once concede the
suffrage. making issue only on the degree
to which it shall be conceded? We know
that many Democrats have not reached
this advanced view of the case, and that
such are still greatly inclined to revolt at
the proposition in any degree; but let us
tell them that 1t is always wise to accept
the inevitable when the inevitable comes.
Negro suffrage, we say, is inevitable, and
whether 1t shall be qualified or universal
depends upon the promptness or otherwise
with which the Democratic party shall
move with reference to ii. The South will
speedily yield qualified negro suffrage upon