Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-06-21
A NEW PARTY.

We hear much of late of the forms-
ton of new party. Upon that subject
under the above heading We find the fol-
lowing in the New York Times, one of
the ablest Radical journals in the Union:
A disposition Is continually being man.
tested in various quarters to attempt the
formation of new political organizations;
ostensibly in the interest OF some new
scheme of reform, but really-as is inva-
riably discovered upon slight investiga-
tion--to subserYe personal ambitions. 1t
is 8 favorite delusion with many that
great parties can be formed like clubs, or
similar social organizations, and that il is
only necessary to set up central figures
and platform" and that followers will
eagerly rally around them. Long expe-
rience has shown this to be great fall
lacy. Deliberate efforts in that direction
are pretty sure to miscarry, provided there
is not broad and sufficiently important
policy behind them-and even then a
strong organization is secured with the
greatest difficulty.
The American people, more than most
others, are easily influenced to the cham
pionship of great principles, but even in
behalf of such principles it is slow pro-
cess to organize great party. 1t took
many years TO effect realization of the
Federal idea, as embodied in the Consti-
tuition of 1887; and it was only by dint
of the most strenuous efforts of such
leading men as Hamilton, Madison and
Jay, extending over a long period, that
the aim was finally accomplished. More
than a decade of diligent effort was re-
CURED after that time before the republi-
can party was successfully organized,
and succeeded in electing Thomas Jeffer-
son. 1t took quarter of century of
the severest political struggle afterward,
to reach the final arrangement which re-
suited in resolving the opposition Gle
ments into new party, and the election
of Andrew jackson. The slow process
by which the republican idea, which is
as old as the Republic itself, was real
lied in the organization of the present
party of that name, aud finally asserted
with success in 1860, is another illustra-
ton in point.
All these facts show conclusively that
parties are not to be suddenly created,
but that they are slow adaptations of
great policies by existing organizations,
or gradual conformation of old parties to
new ideas and new political necessities.
No national party which has ever existed
in this country has dropped out of exis-
tence entirely; all have merged into 9TH
ers by the slow and almost imperceptible
process we have pointed out. Hence, it
is folly to assert that either of the two
great parties of to-day is to lose its iden-
tity, and especially that the Republican
organization is in any danger of becoming
extinct, because 1t has apparently accom-
plished al the objects which it originally
advocated. Every great political VIC
tory develops a new policy, and this
policy Is sure to arouse sufficient opposi-
ton to strengthen and sustain the party.
1t is only in case of violent disruption that
new organizations are successful. Par
ties may be suddenly born in the midst of
revolutions, but not in times OF peace.
1t was said during the war, and it has
been said since, that the Democratic party
had committed suicide by outraging the
loyal instincts and sentiment of the peo-
pie of the North; yet we find it still! &C
tive, and engaged in accommodating it.
self 10 the very condition of things which
1t once bitterly denounced. So with the
Republican party. 1t was predicted of it
that emancipation being accomplished,
and all the details of reconstruction set
tied, there would be nothing left for it to
take up which would suffice for future
policy, or possess vitality enough to keep
it together. rrra..s