New-York tribune., 1871-05-31
TIE OLD ND TIE NEW.

When we SllG the Otner udy lniJ tHt
Democracy elected the Republican ticket ia
their Tammany Hall Presidential Convention,
we argued that the meaning OF Mr.. Nallan-
dighanl'S New Departure" was that he and
his friends did Mt mean to repeat the perform
ance. But we added a doubt as to their
power TO suppress the men like Wade Hamp-
ton, who defeated them before Already comes
from the South the swift confirmation OF our
doubt. While Mr. Vallandigham and The World
are trying to persuade us that the Democracy is
a brand new party, which has forgotten all the
past, frankly accepted the results OF the war,
aAd made a fresh start in lie, Mr.. Jefferson
Davis, who certainly knows the Southern Dem
Ocrats better than either of those eminent
Northern leaders, is industriously proving that
the party is lust what it always was, pursuing
the same objects now that it pursued ten years
ago, holding fast all the old doctrines and
ready for another rebellion whenever the time
seems ripe Mr.. Davis for several years past
has courted Il becoming obScurity. But no
sooner does Mr.. Vallandgham announce his
" New Departure than tine ex-cheftain of the
Lost Cause emergcs from his retirement,
makes a triumphal journey through the South,
rouses his old followers, and tells us iii very
a delu,ion. Mr.. Davis has been so warmly
received by the Southern people and 50
heartily applauded that we cannot help at
tributing to this movement deep significance.
II is a warning to the Northern Democrats
that they can expect no help from the South
unless they fight openly under the old banners.
Il am not of those who accept the situatiOn,'
said Mr. Davis, at Atlanta I" accept moth
"ing. I have done nothing that | am sorry
" for. | shall not abide by the issue of the war.
"The South is only waiting. The cause for
(which we fought must triumph sooner or
later. Our policy is to watch the current of
events, and when our friends at the North
"are ready to help us, we will help them.
"They will give us what we want and we
" shall put them in power"
What the Davis party wants is of course well
understood The right Of any State to break
up the Union at pleasure is cardinal doc
trine of their creed Estate sovereignty must
"be restored" exclaims the Rebel ex-Presldent,
Z" or else the republic of America is failure"
"The day is not far distant when the sun VIII
" shine upon you as a free, independent, and
sovereign State" 1t is true, he does not ad-
wise an immediate war; lie even processes, as
he did in 1851 earnestly to desire peace. All
he wanted at the outset of the rebellion was
"to be let alone" and that is all he wants
now. 1t is true that he does not counsel
armed resistance; but he is kind enough to ex-
plain that "there never was any organization
Gin the South whose purpose was resistance
"to the Government" and by the time he has
made few more speeches we dare say he will
reach the proposition that there never was
any war.
Mr. Davis's rhetoric has no great intrinsic
value but the manner in which it is received
is equivalent to notification from the South
ern Democracy that the New Departure will
not do. The party at the South has welded
itself to the extreme principles of State SOW
ereignty, which involve the right of secession,
the right to repudiate the recent constitutional
amendments, the right TO reverse all the re-
suits of the war Gncluding of course the abO-
lition of slavery, and the right to establish an
independent cOnfederacy. If the Northern
Democrats will join it on this platform, well
and good it shall be bargain. But Mr. Val
landigham's nostrum will not suit the Southern
complaint; and in this madness we find better
announcement for Republican success than in
tbe wrangles of our own leaders at the North.
49,