The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-06-04

Discipline.


..,-. - =, -..-r.
A political party Ike an army depends ior
Its success IN a great MEASURE upon It's u'se'-
PINE and TIE want Oh not uhirequeh'iy CAUSES
disaster and def'at. Inc principles euio'a"nod
upon the banners Oh party or army DC they never
50 good, II the drill DO lax and discipline neg
lectcd, the result viii SAVIOR OF Bull Run.
Look at the history OF parties In this country
IL the truth Of this statement be doubted. Take
the old -his party with Its eminent respee,a-
plh'y anu KID sio'@' nne'er iaeAe' 'Oi P''n
eipeS ~n'cn 'Ominenasa themselves, 70 tue c''
Judgment VI ea,'''e'' '''i"A'"s' A"u ,'.sNN
men, anu y" "' ~" sa''.''' ""''"
win "eie INC H'e'S' "''''en' =" ns
astonished the members VI ma' ''s"'nsa anu
respectable old party more 'nan '0u'u "
time OF re'erses. ihey never unuers'o'a WV
ry, indeed they never eSpected II. hou' anu
disaster was IN 'he'r eS''n''''0n inc on,y "s
mate conclusion Oh an engagement I" .he P''S
Defeat was their normal condition. ihey were
educated to this, and Injured to IT. and conhdent-
ly expected II, and so managed their party al
fairs as to secure ii almost every time. What
the whig party lacked was not men or meas
urcs. but drill and discipline. And Of this want
It persisted as win hereafter perish all political
parties who undertake to follow Its example.
The democratic party, on the other hand. was
pre-eminently distinguished for its attention to
discipline. Every detail was attended to with
religious care. This spirit pervaded every por-
ton Of the party. The high and mighty sa-
ehems who sat In council and pulled their wires.
were not above obedience to the unwritten by
laws which governed the organization. The
travelling clown who had no other reason for
xo,in, the Democratic ticket than the fact Of
hi, fathers having done 50 before him. was no,
beneath It's influence. This party was organized
for victory. II believed in Il, and fought for
and secured Il. Its members sincerely believed
in the infallibilty Of the old democratic party,
and honestly thought that God had ordained
victory for their especial enjoyment, and that
He permitted the old whig party to exist for the
sole purpose Of furnishing them with the ex.
element and rest Of whipping II.
Upon this single point there was 'ubstan-
tial argument between the two parties. The dem
ocrats considered themselves born to conquer,
and the Wings belieyed themselves born to be
conquered; and Il 1t ever happened that victory
perched by mistake upon the wrong standard,
the Wings were not less unhappy at their sue
cess than the democracy ut their own discomf-
turs, and were only too happy in making the
stupid plumbers by which their enemies recover
I'd all they had lost. In its balmy days the old
democratic party possessed both principle and
discipline, but its discipline was the more Po-
tent and powerful OF the two, and as eonse-
quencc we find 1t lighting battles and winning
victories for fifteen years ai'er IL had betrayed
everybody who trusted IT, anu proved recreaht
to every principle Il had formerly profsssed.
Herein the wonderful character OF its discipline
shovel itself. Its old men rclisiously traincd in
the belief that the democratic party could never
prove false to the great principles upon which
|, was founded, supposed that its divergence
from the old path was merely flank movement.
and followed II with daled eyes and dull ears.
Its young men schooled from tendcrcst infancy
to consider "turn coat" as a traitor whose
punishment in this world was disgrace and
shame. and for whose especial accommodation
in the next, the hOttomless pit was prepared and
furnished, stood to their arms like blessed mar
tyrs for many campaigns after being convinced
that they were wrong.
The Republican party has hitherto been equal
in the matter Of discipline to any party which
has been known In American politics. Starting
cut to do battle for the noblest principles which
ever summoned men 20 the conflict Of opinion. IL
attracted to Its support the best talent and hon
estcst part Of the democratic party, and with
this part came the spirit Of discipline in It's
perfection. The whole lump was leavened.
There have besn times during the last four years
when but for Its marvellous discipline, Il must
have been broken up In hopeless disorder. II
mas haa i0es without and foes within. IL has
gOr,0as'y u'umPhed over all and made its as
eendeney sure for many years to come. But
W A Simonished by every day occurauccs
A' us pY N ms state Is about to be sub
ya nus Tying ordeal.
We nave r0u'ea 'he enemy % often, and have
grown 80 strong ,ha. there Is growing dis