New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-07-04
TIE TAMlN1NY FOURTH.


to the precept of Walt Whitman. 1t cele-
brates itself "The experience of ninety
years" it declares, "has proved that the
democratic party Ealone, of the two parties,
"knows how to govern This is the sub
stance of its long Fourth of July address; it
will be the text of the pyrotechnic oratory
wherewith Tammany is to-day to rival to-
nights skyrockets; and it may fifty suggest
to us a few recOlections.
Who are these people who, after ten years
of continuous defeat, come cheerfully to the
front, asserting still that they are the only
persons that can govern the Country9 In these
ten years we have had great history what
part have they borne in it 2 Did they stamp
out the doctrine of SecessiOn9 Did they abOl-
ish Slavery Did they make all men equal
before the law, thus for the first time crystal
lizng in our statutes the immortal declaration OF
the man they claim as the Father of their party
Did they hold up the failing hands, and through
all encouragement keep bravely on, till the
Rebellion was suppressed Did they raise
the money to pay one-half the cost of the war
as it advanced and so frugally manage
the resources and defend the credit OF
the Government, that we are now paying
off the other half at the rate of twenty mill
lions per month? What part or lot have they
had in these great events, the struggles of the
lusty young manhood of our Nation, by the
side of which the record of the previous eighty
wears seems but the quiet story of a monoto-
nous, peaceful, happy childbood7 1t is worth
while. to-day, in the midst of the smoke and
noise and bad smell of their fireworks and
speeches, to look back to the record.
Co. into tsfo ,ra
with Slavery in State and Territory, or IN the
District of Columbia, as the only means to pre-
vent disunion. In 1860 they declared for the
equal rights of shareholders in all the Terri
tories. In 1864 they sent word to the armies
of Sherman before Atlanta, and Grant before
Richmond, that the war for the Union was
failure. In 1868 they pronounced for the re-
pudiation of part of the obligations OF the
Government concerning the National Debt
and of all its obligations toward its
enfranchsed citizens. These are the men who
alone know how to govern the Country =
these purblind schemers, who wanted to per
petuate Slavery for the sake of quiet in 1860 ;
who wanted to surrender, on the eve of our
most brilliant victories in 1864; who wanted
TO dishonor and degrade our triumph in 1868 !
Is it claimed that this is the shameful record
of the Democracy at large, but that the Democ
racy of New-York has brighter history? In
1861, "the Democracy of NewYOrk" declared
that it would sustain no war tendngt to the sepa-
ration of the States, and that war for the
emancipation of Slaves was fatal to all hopes
for a restoration OF the Union. In 1862, it
sought to destroy public confidence by de-
nouncing the conduct of the war as reckless
and prohigate beyond precedent or description.
In 1868, it sought to paralyze the Government
by denouncing the Draft and melting riots
to prevent its enforcement. In 1864, it renOm-
mated the friend of the rioters, denounced
the war as revolutionary, and the AdministIa-
ton of Abraham Lincoln as tyrannical at
home and cOwardly abroad In 1866, it OPP
posed Reconstruction as tending to overthrow
our form of Government itself, and thus
sought to fan into new flame the smOl-
dering discomfort in the conquered South.
In 1867, it was vehemently protesting
against Impartial Suffrage as abhorrent to
the civilization of mankind /; and in
1868 it was equally vehement in favor of repu-
dating our National obligations. In 1860, it
was denouncing Grants Administration for
protecting the blacks and, for consistency
sake it should to-day denounce it for paying
the Debt.
The record speaks for itself. The Demo-
cratic party was the humble servant of the
Slave Masters till the outbreak of the war, and
their open or covert ally throughout it; it OPP
posed emancipation, opposed the prose-
cution of the war rs failure, opposed
the legislation necessary for it's continuance
and the legislation necessary for garnering iis
fruits; opposes the honest payment Of the
debt, tries to prevent the establishment of I'm
partial Suffrage. and meets to-day in Tammany