The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-18

white mans government from party Whlil
has always treated the mental aud moral nierio
rity of the negro race as fundamental political
fact which there is no getting rid of, and on
which all political arrangements, in a country
in which both races were found, must bs
based. 1t must be admitted by anybody who
is familiar with the history OF the last six
years, that there never was party ia free
country which suffered less from lack of con
troversy. In fact, we do not recall a single
case in which party has been divided from
its opponents by so many questions Of the
highest interest, aud questions, too, which go
down to the foundations of moral as well as OF
political science. If the Democracy only bs-
ieves one tenth part of what it says, no party
has ever taken the field with even one-tenth
as much responsibility.
In the platform as it lies before us, however,
we find none of these things. The right OF
slavebolding and that of secession are given
up on the ground that they have been "settled
by the war or by the voluntary action of the
Southern States" as if a war wrongfully
begun and wrongfully conducted could settle
any question of constitutional or moral right,
and as if the Southern States since the war-if
Democratic accounts of their condition be true
have done anything voluntarily. 1t de-
mands the restoration of the States to their
rights in the Union under the Constitution,
but deprives the demand of all value either to
friend or foe by omtting To state what those
rights are 1t demands an amnesty for all
political offenses, but this can offend no one,
as nobody has been punished for political
ofenses, and nobody is likely to bs. II de-
mands the abolition of the Freedmens Bu-
reau and the reduction of the army, but the
Freedmen's Bureau is already in process of
abolition and provision has been made for re-
ducipg the army. The seventh article de-
nouncps "abuses in administration, and
demands the ''eXpulsion OF corrupt men from
office" one of those exceedingly amusing
demands which appear regularly now in the
platforms of all parties, and which, as no de-
tender of abuses or OF corrupt men ever shows
himself 60 nOmiRe in the flesh in the political
arena must be aimed at some ghostly orgaui-
zation visible only 10 spiritualists. The doc
trine of indefeasible allegiance also, against
which the eight article is aimed, now finds no
earthly supporters; the right of the States to
regulate the suffrage has been formally con-
ceded by the Republican party; and if there
be any body who proposes to have the public
"iOrget our soldiers and sailors" or refuse to
execute the guarantees gwen in their favor, "
he has thus far managed to conceal himself
from an indignant community.
OF the abuse of the Republican party, of
which the latter portion of the platform is
composed it must be said that whether iusti-
fable or unjustifable, it offers no issues to an
adversary. Neither policy nor principle can
ever be wrapped up in vituperaLiOn, aud the
applicability of epithets is point which can
ever be submitted to the people. This partic-
ular branch of the controversy between the
two parties has to be worked out in the news
papers and on the stump, and to them We may
safely hand 1t over in the full assurance that
the Dem ocrats will, by next November, have
got as good as they will have given.
There therefore only remains one point on
which the Democratic party offers to do bat
tie. Out of the hosts of principles which it
has upheld one time or another during its
long and checkered career; out of that vast
collection Of grievances which IL has accumu-
lated since 1860, and in describing which it
borrows the language of the oppressed in the
worst Of past ages, it produces nothing worthy
of being embodied in a positive proposition,
and fought for at the election. 1t has no re-
form to call for; it does not offer to carry any
reform out, either in the administration OF the
Government or in the machinery of the ad-
ministration. 1t goes into the canvass simply
| to II maintain the doctrine that, wherever in a
national promise to pay money the word
'cOin" is not mentioned, the debt shall be
| paid in ''lawful money of the United States''-
| that is, another promise to pay issued
| by the same debtor - and that the
representations made in explanation of the
| original instrument by the officers Of the Gov
| erIment, and the understanding of those who
| lent the money, and which has remained un-
distul bed for four years, shall count fol-
nothing. Such "battle-cry' as this coming
from any political party would be singular
enough; there was only one thing needed to
make it by far the most singular battle-cry Of
history, and that was, that the party raising
| 1t should be party which has always main
| tained that paper money issued by Govern
| ment is not and cannot be 'lawful money, u
and that, therefore, the currency in which il
| calls for the payment of Government debts is
| not simply inferior in value to coin, but has
no value whatever; and this one thing the
| battle-cry in question has. The Democratic
party, after many changes and reverses, at
last takes the field in support of compound
swindle, made up partly of fraudulent bank
ruptcy and partly of uttering counterfeit
| money.
We know very we'll what satisfaction this
extraordinary performance has given, and is
| giving, to the Republicans. The platform,
combined with the character of the candidates
who have been selected to stand upon it, seems
| to render Democratic success hopeless, unless,
| indeed, all principle and all honor have de-
serted the American people. The triumph, at
| the close of the war, of party which put
| forth no claim to public confidence except its
Willingness in the richest country in the world
to cheat the public creditor (we again repeat
that all talk of "the letter of the law" in q
| discussion between government and its
creditors as to the rights of the latter, simply
adds impudence to knavery), would indicate a
degree Of moral debasement which would GER
tainly puzzle both preachers and philosophers,
and would greatly increase the doubts and mis-
givings with which so many thoughtful
and intelligent men are looking into the moral
| future of the world. We have, we confess, nc
| dDubt whatever about the result of the cleo