The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-17
SATURDAY, OCTOBER IT, 1868.
The Death-bed Repentance of the
DemOCTaCY.

The Death.bed Repentance oil the
Democracy.
IN the last hours of the Rebellion, after the
Confederaoy had vainly robbed the cradle and
the grave to sustain its dropping cause, 1t
was reported that, as final expedient, Jeiter-
son Davis had resolved to arm the negroes to
defend Dixie. Going to war to preserve, per-
petuate, and extend slavery, and to establish
new government with slavery as its corner
stone, the baffled leaders did not disdain, in
the hour of their desperation, the despicable
expedient of begging the aid of the race they
had most deeply injured. The proposition,
however, came too late; and before any serious
efforts had been made TO recruit the Rebel
arnAes from the ranks of the freedmen, the
irresistible and invincible Grant throttled the
Confederate serpent at Appomattox, and sent
its leader forth fugitive from Richmond, to
be ingloriously captured disguised in woman's
apparel.
The proposition which is agitated among the
Democracy of changing their candidates on
the eve of the election is as desperate device
as the proposed enrolment of negro troops by
the Confederacy, and 1t will meet with no bet
impending disaster and defeat, as we'll as an
acknowledgement that the party, through its
National Convention, committed a blunder.
Whatever may be the result of the present
cogitations, they cannot fail to inflict still
further damage upon desperate cause.
political organization that competes for the
control of the American Government must be
dodI AaHo liant IN ri
otism, and capacity to discharge
the public duty it desires to undertake, il it
cannot act judiciously in the National Con
vention where its sages are assembled, free
from outside interference and where it enjoys
every possible opportunity to arrive at correct
decisions. The fact that the Democracy,
through their chosen representatives., are un-
able to wisely govern themselves, or to
properly direct their own affairs, is one of the
strongest arguments that could be adduced OF
their unftness to control the country. After
days Of dellberatiop, preceded by many
months of elaborate discussion, they selected
candidates who are now admitted to bs OBJ
noxious, and devised a platform which is de-
nounoed by every patriotic man. Let it be
phatioally condemned by the American people
in the recent election had previously bseu
unanimously agreed upon by the Democratic
National Convention, and that any defects in
that action are due to the fact that it faith
fully represented the average and aggregate
views of the Democratic party as it is now
constituted. The issues of the campaign were
presented with an unusual degree of fair
ness and fullness by the Chicago and Nv
York Conventions, the battle has been fought
on these issues up to this time, and the psople
will eight it out on this line if it takes all
summer"
If Seymour and Blair should be withdrawn
from the field now, the Democracy eau gain
no benefit from change of leaders at this late
period. Such man@uvre would rob them
Of their last hold upon the confidence of intel
ligent men. 1t would be at once a confession
OF incompetenoy and incapacity, and direct
insult to the voters of the nation. The latter
have an indefeasible right to demand from
every party seeking their support that it's
Presidential candidates shall be placed in the
field at a period early enough to have their
characters and records subjected to rigid
scrutiny and they would Indignantly spurn
partisan policy which would ignore the useful
rule which has hitherto been universally
observed. Besides, who is to select
the new candidates. Ordinarily the
Democracy are too often blindly led hither
and thither by their leaders, but the contem-
plated scheme would leave them without any
voice at all in the choice of their candidates,
and even the limit of Democratic endurance
would be reached by this unblushing outrage.
Above all things the American people despise
cOwardice and unworthy trucking for success.
II the New York National Convention acted
wisely, It's action should of course be sus-
tanned, but if it acted unwisely, nothing can
be more craven hearted, after its proceedings
have been "ratifed" and endorsed and
glorifed by every Democratic and Rebel organi-
cation in the land, than to suddenly dis
cover that these proceedings were all sham,
and to desert, on the eve of battle, the oandi-
dates on whom SO much praise has been
lavisbed. If the Democracy do not wish to
forfeit all claims to respect, they must make
the best of their blunders, and start off on
their voyage up Salt River with their Sey-
mour flag still flying.
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A Coincidence.