Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-11-11
The Wisconsin Democracy.

q The following which we take from the
- Chicago Tribune, expresses our ideas
-. much better than we could have done
Jo There was never more striking case
~ of blasted hopes than that OF the Wlscon'
= sin Democracy. They are utterly wreck
-. Cd They have often been beaten but
W never so hopelessy rcpulsed as now
~ Last August they met in convention and
O. "organized for victory" Taking, as they
IS thought. wholesome lessons from the past,
they resolved to be progressive. They
Q nominated as their candidate for Govern.
10 or a man who had served long enough
u in the army to obtain q military title,
c+ and one who, with his pen, had snpport-
cd and sustained the war. Thus oihcer-
. ed, they drew up n platform which, for
m Democratic Convention, was sorne
Il what remarkable They resolved that
q slavery had been lawfully and constitu
% tionally abolished, and that they were
- glad Of it, They resolved that, IA the
people of Wisconsin had adopted negro
g suffrage for themselves, that question
was settled in that State, and the Democ-
- racy would make no attempt to disturb
q it, nor would they oppose making such
~ suffrage universal They declared them.
-. selves in favor of paying the debt and
- opposed to Reputation. Having thus
- planted themselves fairly and squarely
upon the Republican platform, they
~ asked the election OF their soldier canti-
" date
But the people did not respond fvora-
q bly,. They had no faith in Sat Clarks
= tears over the fall of slavery, nor had
O they confidence in Democratic profess
O sions to uphold the nation honor by ex
~ ecuting its contracts The Democracy,
IN however, had hope of success They
canvassed the State, displaying their
banners of political equality and impIor
70 ing their dusky brethren to vote with
. them. Also for Democratic expectation J
% The people already had soldier for
= Governor, and they wished no better
Cd one They already had State officers
- who were in favor OF the principles of
the Republican party, and had no dspo-
q stion to change them They declined
Z to elect the Democratic ticket and did
a. rc,eeet Republicans to ill every branch
3 OF the State Government
* Tho election is over, and the condition
!. OF the party is peculiarly unpleasant
They have formally, in foil convention,
adopted Republican platform, and yet
are rs far from Office as ever They
- have gone too far to retrace treir steps
~ To turn back is worse than to 30 ON d.
= rcctly to the RerNbican party They
AZ cannot undo what they have done, nor
g unsay what they have declared Had
they succeeded they might have repudi-
~ ated their profession; but they are still
r suppliants for Offices, and must stick to
IN their story to the end Their present
- position is unenviable. They have n
- Democratic organization which the Re-
e publican majority Of the State viii not
= trust aud they have II Republican plat
8 form which they cannot get rid of, and
n which is distasteIul to the Democratic
party. The policy of swearing to any
- political creed to get office needs success
RI TO redeem it from universal Contempt
This success the Democracy of Wiscon>
sin failed to obtain The result is that
20 the Democratic party in that State has
- been ,demorallzed--is broken up--has
~ gone to pieces
The members are asking each other,
whittier shall we goy' There is only
one rational answer to that question. -
y Having adopted the Republican platform
- intact let them join the Repn ituh
= party Let them seek thHt party md,
8 i'y tAer numerical strength and their
q talcnh and experience serve their ,aun.
% try most effectively IN supporting that
-. party Its policy its principles, and ita
e. candidates letDthem bow To the storm
% which has overwhelmed them Let them
- accept the olt>rcpeated popular vote OF
" an utter want OF confidence ia the Dem
e ocratc organization aud lot them phee
- themselves within that political organ,
- 1auon, which alone has popular conf,
= denee. and which alone must carry the
: nation through the perils which environ
p 1t That is The only thing opcn for The
70 members Of thc routed scattered, troA>
en'up Democratic party Of " isconsin to