Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1870-05-19
A Sign Of the Times.

-Fa- - |
Sailors inform us that when rats that
fattened on q ships larder begin TO
desert her it is a sign that she is going to
sink. Common experience teaches us
that when a similar phenomenon is seen
in politics, that is, when persons who nave
fatteDed OF a party begin to desert 1t, and
talk about forming q new organization, 1t
is q sign that the abandoned party is on
the eve of a disaster. Just such a phe-
nomenon is to be witnessed at this time.
The scene is Washington city, the head
quarters of Radicalism, and the theatre of
whatever of glory and shame belong to
1t. There is no notable sign of trouble in
the sky. The air, indeed, is thick and
oppressive, and is growing more thick
and oppressive every day but there is no
black tempest in the heavens, no dashing
of trees together in the forest, no rising
OF the sea, no quaking of the earth.
Everything is "idle as a painted ship up
on a painted ocean" But in the midst
of this languid picture p~erspicacious Radl-
Gals are seen stealing away from their
own camp, with its-countersigns- and
watchwords fresh on their lips, and meet
ing together in the national capital to con-
suit aboutsa new party /; and the move
ment toreteIls a coming disruption of Radi-
calism as surely as the unerring fail OF the
barometer portends a storm at sea.
Radicalism has exhausted itself; it has
played everything in its repertoire it has
done all the good it can do, and all the
evil the people viii allow it to do, and it
stands now, without q coherent design,
without a hope, without an aspiration,
without a future, and with the uneasy
memories Gifts crimes trooping thick and
fast beforeoits vision. 1t spent its last
vigor or the Fifteenth Amendment, and
has not enough strength left to pass the
Funding bill the Tariff bill, the San Do
mingo treaty, o any other distinguish
ing measure recommended by President
Grants Administration. Even the bill fol
the third reconstruction of Georgia re
mains On its hands ~undisposed of, like 9
stock of unreasonable merchandise which
it's wne would not sell when he could
and cannot sell when he would Whether
to give Georgia over to Bullock or tc
bayonets or to its people, is the plainesI
of questions; but, plain as it is, the short
breatbed and dying party has not yet beer
able to answer it. The majority in Con
gress are dividing into factions on the
tariff question, on the finance question
and on the subject of reducing the
taxes ; the President stands without I
party to respond to his. most urgent re
quests. Mr.. Boutwell, is defeated on tn
Funding bill ahdson the Tariff bill /; Mr.
Logan leads a powerful and populaa
movement for q reductien of the ARM
against the wishes of the President FREE
trade Republicans of the West are morti
fed at finding that in filing up the seat
from the South with LOYAL Carpet -baggeri
they have only Increased b votes o
New England Protectionists an6strength
ened the tariff monopoly on their con
~stituencies; investigations of frauds ar
constantly going on hat leave scars o.
the most prominent and conspicuous off
Gals of the party and fill the defraudeC
people with disgust /; New England j
desperately essaying to perpetuate its ms
lign sectional power.o over the West by in
sisting o having the new Congressions
apportionment based on the old census c
1860, instead of the forthcoming census @
1870. These be signs of coming trouble
and it is q perception of the -inevitabl
crash that prompted a number of sagaciou
Radicals to meet at Washington a few
days ago, and decide that a new party j
needed.
This conclave of pioneers adopted
platform. of three planks, viz. A tart
for revenue exclusively; specie payments
and reform in the civil service. AL thes
are Democratic dogmas, and all of then
find a foe in the Radical party. 1t is tn
ruling party alone that maintains a pro
tective tariff monopoly; it is that part,
alone that provides specie for one class O
debts, and paper for another class; and
is the unnumbereda and ~stupendous fraud
of that party, alone, that has made a re
form in the civil service necessary. TIL
proposed new'party, therefore, in array
ing itself against n of the two existing
parties, practically declares in favor Q
the other. 1t simply proposes to accom-
plish a part of the task, which the latte
has ALLOTTED to itself, and its proper place
therefore, is in the ranks of that Opposition
which must rise to eminence and lnfluenc
as Radicalism goes down in disgract
PT1f tho nROnnoc6 nn" 644a -@k -
far enough; it wishes to leave too mucI
undone that needs to be done. The res
toration, of the Judiciary to its ancien
dignity, independence and authority
the stern and emphatic denial of tn
transcendent authority that Congress
has SO lawlessly usurped, and 8
oppressively used a reduction i
lessly exacted of the people (; a simph1cS
ton of the revenue system that will rid
of its arbitrary and espionage features
and the concession to the population {
the West, of the influence and respect this
they are entitled to-these are some c
the needed things hat the Democrat
propose to effect with the support and al
proval of the people, but which the prt
posed new party leaves entirely out of il
young programme. Indeed it looks yer
much as though the-new party now bein
brought tolight at Washington was sin
plya device to make the best possibl
terms fora party in power that sees a
inevitable defeat before ito muffle il
fall, and throw oblivion over its gres
crimes. If this be its object, it will surel
fail. The ruling party must take il
chances it cannot claim exemption froI
responsibility. 1t must defend its policy
and stand or fall with 1t. If it is bein
derided and denounced by its own adh,
rents, and if conspiracies are being forme
againstb in its own camp, these are tn
unvarying logical results of every arr
CANT and oppressive abuse of power. Rad
calismiis near Its end, and need not Civ
itself the trouble to p~redispose of it's e
fects before death ; that will be lone b
its proper successor.-MIss0uri Rspu6E
can. ~