Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1870-07-29
TammanY Fireworks.

THE Democratic members of Congress
lexhort their party brethren to make ready
for the autumn, elections, and urge that
there should be "no time lost in the dis
cussion of dead issues; no manifestations
of narrow or proscriptiye feeling" and
the Tammany managers, in announcing
their holiday performance for the Fourth
of July, called themselves the party of
equal rights. Tarnmany Hall is dedicated
to humorous and light entertainments,
but that is unquestionably a better joke
than it is accustomed to hear. The humor,
however, would have been enhanced if
the worthy acrobats had called themselves
the party that saved the Union. That no.
body knows much about the Constitution
except those who justified the rebellion
upon sound constitutional principles is q
Tammany axiom; and that there will be
no constitutional regime until the party
which tried to destroy the government
administers it, is firmly believed by con-
servatives of the Fernando Wood school.
Meanwhile let the student of American
politics, the man who is wondering how
his vote should be cast, look into the Tam
many speeches Of the Fourth, and find, if
he can, any claim that the Democratic
party had any share in the two greatest
achievements in our history. He will find
plenty of rhetoric about radicalism, and
oppression, and extravaganza, and central
ization, and consolidation, and the glory
of the Democracy; but not one of the ora
tors will have asserted that the Union was
preserved, and the equality OF all Ameri-
can citizens secured, by the Democratic
party. By their fruits ye shall know
them. The organs of that party call it
conservative and constitutional, as they
did in the winter of 1660-61. And there
is no doubt that it is just as conservative
as when its chiefs in the last Cabinet it
controlled were plotting rebellion because
they were defeated at ., the polls; just as
constitutional as when its last President
declared that the government could not
make wariupon state. 10 ..o7a ! t.1gdll'
But these probably are the "dead is
sues which the Democratic members OF
Congress warn their friends not to dis
cuss. Other dead issues are slavery,
which these, fine friends of man struggled
to retain; the Fifteenth. Amendment,
which they opposed because it gave those
whom they could no longer enslave the
security Of their freedom and the laws
imposing certain disabilities upon certain
classes of the late insurgents. But the
Congressional caucus does not urge
acquiescence in the result 1t speaks Of
dead issues, but it also suggests doubts OF
the validity of the Fourteenth Amend
ment or the testact. 1t advises conform
ity for the nonce, because otherwise there
is no hope that members disqualified by
the laws will be admitted to seats. Like
every party out Of power, it would yield
everything but it's resolution to return,
and, when, once sure Of its position,
its equal resolution to unsettle every thing
just as fast and as far as it can.
In the tone Of the Tammany digcourses
the tone of the party may be heard. Is it
manly, generous, Americana? Is it in
spired by what is best and most intelli-
gent in the country, or by its ignorance
and passion (? Is it from Tammany Hail.
controlled by Messrs Tweed and Sweeny,
who drag at their triumphal chariot
wheels their fiercest opponents, now loud
ly cheering their masters, that the Amer
lean people wish to receive the policy OF
their government : Ha7Ysr's Weekly. /,