The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-01-17
The Presidential Election Close a,
Unnd-Wherc stand the Dem ocracy

We take it for granted that the Democrats
! intend to make strenuous effort 70 carry
tho next Presidential election. II will be
| high time to do 50, unless they wish TO pass
into history along with the old Fedcnls.s.
for 1t viii then be sixteen years since they
succeeded in q national contest oven by a
plurality Of votes. and twenty years since
they elected President by an absolute ma,
iosity. This 10 q long time in this fast age !;
and e the Democracy fail in 1879, they will
find it very difficult TO keep up their organ.
i2ation by hopes that have been so often
blasted, and ly promises tlat seem destined
never 10 he fulfilled.
The Democratic party, then, must triumph
in 1872 or dissolve But willie the len lcrs
are beginning TO look around for the prinei-
pies and the candidates wherewith to make a
struggle for victory, we will call their atten
ton to an historic precedent or fact which
bears very closely upon the main question
and whose consideration they cannot longer
afford To postpone. From the year 1926
down TO the present time, the party which
has secured majority Of the House of Repre-
scntatycs at the election held in the middle
Of Presidential term las invariably chosen
It's candidate for the Presidency two years
afterwards. There has not been m cxccp-
ton TO this rule in the last forty.four years
Ind we trace il no further back, because il
was In 1895, In the middle of JonS QUINcy
ADtMs's term, that the lines which have
divided parties sinco the MoNGoE epoch be
gan to be clearly traced
There nave been two or three seeming ey.
captions to this rule but, when closely ex.
omined, they VIII prove 10 be striking OK.
empliGeations of 1t. For example, take the
case of the House which elected Mr.. BANKS
Speaker in tho middle Of PIERcE's admins.
trati0n. II was composed of three parties Of
which the Democrats were the strongest,
though still only minority Of the whole
number. The subsequent Presidential elcc.
ton faithfully reflected the state of parties in
the House Of Representatives. Three candi.
dates ran, and though Mr.. BUcuANAH was
chosen, he received only a minority Of the
popular vote.
There's aphlosophy underlying this re.
markable historic inct but we pass over il,
and deal only with the fact itself Tho party,
thcn, which shall carry tho next Congress
viii elect the next President and hence, the
struggle for the occupancy of the White
House after the close Of Gen. GRANTS admin.
istration win practically be carried on and
decided, not in 1872, but in this present year !;
and 1t will begin as carly as August, when
some Of the States hold Congressional oloc,
tioRs
And now, gentlemen Of the Democratic
party what is tho platform oil principles on
which you expect to elect majority of the
House Of Representatives this coming sum
NOR and fallf IL il TO be the financial pro
gTamme proclaimed by Mr.. MUNGEN on the
door OF Congress- or that just delivered by
| Gov HOFFMAN, to the New York Legisla
turef lsit TO be an approval oftho Fifteenth
Amendment according 10 JoHS QuISCy
ADAMS, or its notification according TO VIII
LIAM M. TwpRpf Ia IL 10 DO the