The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1871-08-10
The New Departure.

We clip the following article from
the Memphis Avalanche, of the 9th of
July:
What is termed in the North the New
Departure was the result of a political
exigency which cotld not be disregard
ed. For the Democracy to adhere to the
platform which pronounced three liv-
| ing daily, enforced amendments null
ltes. was to fling into the teeth of the
people what they knew to be falsehood.
Strangely enough, majority of the
National Democratic Convention in
1868 believed, or affected to believe.
that these amendments (the third was
not then declared ratifed) would be
swept away by public opinion. Time
long ago showed the absurdty of this
conclusion. No matter how adopted, +,
the masses of the people of the North
now regard these amendments as the
settlement of the war. This belief is
purely logical result. and, therefore.
not TO be shaken. The fact that oppo-
sition to it increases Radical majorities ;
that it is only when Conservatives recog-
nize this settlement that Radical majori-
ties dwindle or are overcome: stares ev-
cry one in the face. 1t brushes away all
conflicting theories, and, taking it as
basis of calculation, platforms are made
accordingly. This means death to
Northern Radicalism and Southern
Bourbonism. The former recognizes
in its success loss of power; the latter
the abandonment of its stubbornlv ad-
hered to prejudices. Both, therefore,
fight it, and wage the battle to the death.
Because here and there in the North
some rural assemblage in the interest Of
a few political soreheads, denounccs the
New Departure platform of State
Convention, the Radical journals Of the
North and the Bourbon journals of the
South quote the stupid resolutions OF
these imitators Of the nine tailors of
London as evidence that the new move
ment is mere schism-amounts to
nothing. The action of convention
Of delegates from every county in Ohio
or Pennsylvania settles nothing if a
town mpatin9 cumposel of dozen
! fsc,ionists "resolve" that it does not sac
cept this action. To this miserable
resort are these two extremes driven in
the hope ofsustaining themselves. The
Northern Radicals assert that the
New Departure is failure for two
reasons: l. Some Northern town meet
ing so declared: 2. A few Southern
Bourbon papers so declare. And from
all this they argue that the Northern
Conservatives are hypocrites and the
SouthernCo Conservative "rebels" at heart.
To prove the latter they point to the
public journals which even now declare
the Constitutional Amendments null
and void. and assert that, the Doniocra-
cy once in power, they will be swept
away. Our Bourbons, it is seen, make
ali the arguments for the Radicals, who
lovingly pat them OH their backs and
assure them that these arguments can
not be answered. They quote them in
every newspaper: every speaker reads
them on the hustings; for they are the
sole stock in trade. And thus our
Bourbons assist in breaking up the Rad.
ical party. 1t is like attempting to kill
Il starving man by giving him the nu-
tritious food absolutely necessary to
sustain life. The question with the
Democracy is whether the party shall
die or live. tits whether the bulk of the
party or few silly factionists shall
stand up jabbcring to the world that no
change since 1860 is admitted, and that
all unpopular laws shall be treated as
nullified, no matter what their authors,
or the vast majority recognizing them,
shall say. BY their actions the faction
lists have placed themselves outside of
all parties. While they continue to
furnish Radical arguments for use
against the Democrats of the country,
the latter are determined that these ar
guments shal' not go to the world with
a '.by authority" stamp. They must be
accepted as the utterance of the few
who choose to fight on their account as
guerrillas, and who like guerrillas in
actual war, generally inflict more dam
age on friend than foe. The Democ-
racy is fighting for its existence as an
organization. The Bourbons are fight
ing to keep alive prejudices which
alone keep them alive. Thei, cause is
not the cause of the people, who when
ever and wherever speaking, have de-
clared againt them. Let the status be
plainly understood. .-...-