The Portland daily press., 1869-02-04
the Use Made by the Two Parties of the
A rmialice.

Grants "Let us have peace" took effect, in
some measure after the November election.
AT least there was temporary truce between
the two political parties, and Democratic Re
pubicans and Republican Democrats got SO
mixed up in the general movement in support
OF Grant that it become difficult to tell where
Republicanism ended and Democracy pesuh
Grave doubts invaded the CONSERVATIVE hilnu
as to whether Grant is actually Dutcher
and is habtually drunk Ihere Is rea-
son to believe that this doubt touched
even the colossal intellect of Brick Pomeroy
himself. and cooled the venom of his red. hot
pen But in his case il was only for an instant.
The cast of mind that is most impervious to
truth is that which has once given full adm mis-
sion to the chronological view of the negro
question. Individuals belonging to this class
ofpclitcians are incurable. If you could show
them unimpeachable angels wings growing
upon pair of shoulders, they would reserve
their opinion until they had examined the shin
bones and measured the facial angles with the
incest instruments known to modern science.
But except Chauncey Burr, Brick Pemeroy
and certain of the Northern and Southern
chivalry who diet on fire instead of beef steak,
Democracy turned its face GRAVEYARD in that
mellow political summer that followed the Re-
publican triumph.
The trouble is that Grant didn't and doesn't
and aCon't turn his face Democracy-wa The
crooked ways of Andrew johnson and John
Tyler are not his ways. Democracy is not
very sharp in these days of its dotage, but it
sees at last that the administration of General
Grant will be, like that of Abraham Lincoln. a
Republican administration = not only Re-
publican but Radical So Democracy
buckles its armor on its shrunken
limbs, and prepares to WELD its old batter
ed blade, more like the corkscrew of the
Grand Duchess sire than a sword, against the
Republicans with Grant, the invincible and
always victorious, at their head
no! Falsehood, conservatism, the gods of
heathendom, CASTE monopoly, oppression,
"ehivalry," secession, State rights, the Demo
cratic Interpretation of the constitution, the
two "g's" in negro the whip of the slave dri-
yer, limited and partial franchise and the fire
in the Southern heart have not quite got their
quietus yet. The true democracy, youthful,
indomitable," has yet to struggle against them.
The evidence o. the renewed battle is found
in the rekindled fires of political controversy
in New Hampshire and Connecticut and in
the care with which Democratic Journals are
treasuring up the admissions" of Republicans
pending the armistice. The Republicans, hav-
ng just elected their candidates for the highest
officers in the general government and nearly
two-thirds ofthe Forty-frst Congress and hay
ing thecontrol ofmost of the State governments,
have availed themselves of the opportunity
offered for settling up a large number of very
pretty little family quarrels and for some very
frank self-criticisr. Radical Journals, tired of
beating the air with view to smite an invisi-
bic and annihilated adversary, have very pro-
perly turned their attention to setting in order
their own household rebuking whatever is
unworthy in individuals, denouncing whatever
is improper or corrupt in action, protesting
against extravagant appropriations ami unwise
laws and demanding purity and disinterested
patriotism in the Radical ranks. This course
of procedure has not been without its health
full effects, as anyone may see who will re-
member that no Pacific railroad bill, no in
crease of salaries and no real estate purchase
has got through Congress the present session.
Corruption and extravaganza are at such dis
count as they have not reached before within
the memory of the present generation of poll
ticans. The conscience of the party has be-
come so sensitive that Cumback was defeated
for Senator in Indiana for trying to make
bargain to the like of which hundreds of poll
ticians now in good standing have owed their
success in former times.
We are far from regretting the frankness
with which Republicans have conducted their
determination, though the Democrats have
been listening and treasuring up the words ut
tered in the confessional for the purpose of
founding prosecution upon them in the next
campaign. We are proud to have taken part
in the work of Republican publication. The
party will be all the stronger and more
valiant for it, when the next struggle comes.
But the silly blockheads of the opposition i'm.
agine that the people will rush from party
that denounces and Furnishes the corrupt in its
membership and acknowledges its sins, to the
fold OF those who glory in far greater iniqui-
ties. They fancy that the honest men of the
country will repudiate the penitent, who has
erred, and flee to the companionship of the
rnf1ian whose conscience is undisturbed, We
shall see.