The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-29
New York and the Democratic Party-What
il Has Lost and What It Wants.


it Has Lost and What it Wants.
In the proceedings of the late Tammany rati-
fcation pow-wow we look in vain for any lights
or landmarks as to the present position or
future programme of the democratic party on
the living questions of the day. The two prin-
cipal speakers of the evening were the Hon.
Sunset Cox and the Hon. Fernando Wood,
both members of Congress from this city, and
each fresh from a European tour Of observa-
ton. And what was the argument of Mr.. Cox?
A general overhauling of the party in power,
including denunciatons of Congress, of the Ex-
ecutive Department, Of General Grant and his
brothers-in-law Of Judge Pierrepont, compared
with whom the orator pronounced Corbn
saint and Butterfeld beauty; denunciations
of negro suffrage and the fifteenth amendment;
Of the national financial policy now in force,
including debt currency, taxes, internal reve-
nue. and tariff laws, and general reputation
of radicaism. What else? "Only this and
nothing more" And what was the speech Of
Mr. Wood? ''Nothing more"
What does all this signify? Only the old
story of 1868, 1866, 1864, 1860 and lS56-the
old story of the constitution as it was" 'the
Union as it was, and democratic principles as
they were before the deluge. We can make
nothing better than this of these Tammany
speeches If they indicate any definite policy
or purpose on the part of the democracy it is
the purpose of setting aside all that has been
done in changing the status of the Southern
States, and the constitution, and all that has
been done in the provisions for the redemption
Of the public debt since the party was broken
up and thrown out of power in 1860. With
the heavy democratic majorities rolled up in
this city and Brooklyn the State of New York
viii doubtless be carried this year upon the
platform of a general reputation of the
doings of the republican party, as it was
carried last year. Blu. what win this amount
to if there is no democratic progress here or
elsewhere? 1t will result in the election of
another republican Congress in 1870, and in
another Congress and administration of the
same party in 1872 and so on to the end of the
| chapter of the democratic party as it is
| Tammany Hall controls the great nucleus
| upon which this party may be reconstructed as
| a national organization. There are men among
| her sachems competent to take the lead in this
work, and without loss Of time, after this cleo
| ton, they should set about it. They can see
| by what the party has lost in all the great
campaigns since 1856 exactly what is wanted.
They have fought against the niger until they
have fought him into civil and political
| equality, and here he is going to stick. They
have fought for the constitution as it was
until they have made ii 'the constitution as il
| is, which is no more like the sacred charter
Of our fathers" than the sacred old stage coach
is like modern railway train. They have
fought for State sovereignty and the old demo-
cratic State rights resolutions of 1898 and 1893
until railways and telegraphs have knocked
them all in the head. They were knocked in
the head with the rebellion, which was founded
| upon the theory Of the horse and mule com
munications of 1900 Railways and telegraphs
have changed and are still changing all the old
notions and dogmas and principles OF parties,
! sects, States and peoples all over the world
It Is strange that these things escaped the
attention Of Sunset Cox and Fernando Wood