Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-06-23
The Change Of Front.

TIE abandonment of the principal and
essential aims which The pro-slavery, cop
perhead Democracy has kept steadily In
view for the past twenty-five years Is not
only made reluctantly and awkwardly, but
with evident insincerity. Nothing but
the impossibility of achieving po-
litical victory, except through deceptive
platform, induces the managers of the
Democracy to propose an abandonment
of their long cherished intention to over
throw The obnoxious amendments to the
constitution. The retraction of a hereto,
made as the penal fires begin to scorch
him, may be very polite and life saving
measure on his part but we have never
been taught to regard his reluctant and
cons rained abjuration as very valuable
tes imonial for the truth itself, nor even as.
proof of sound and reliable conversion.
Ra her than go through the agonies of
final dissolu ion, the Democratic party
may consent to at l. asst profess an aban-
donment of its most destructive and per-
nicious measures, but the making of pro-
fession is one thing, and change of pur.
pose and character qui g ano her
II is not in the power of party leaders
like Vallandigham o change the character
and tendencies of great political party.
They not only do not wish to direct the
energies of ,he Democratic party in a pat
riotic and reformatory direction, but they
could not do it if they would. They can
change the professions of the party, but
they cannot change its c0nUtcttoRs by re
arranging the words of the party creed.
One of the old prophets asked; Can the
Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard
his spotsg Then may We also do good that
ara 70 do oui1 - Thu onSynaO
of great body of men cannot be radical
ly changed by the mere manipulation of
political managers. Were the purpose of
Vallandigham ever so honestly entertain
ed on his own part he could not restrain
the mischievous tendencies of his party
when once it should be restored to the
control of the government Only by a
radical and honest change in the interests,
convictions and feelings of The party can
the heresies it has tenaciously held hither-
to be forever put aside.
The logical tendencies, not of a party
platform, but of the real convictions of
party in power, will be carried out, let its
professions or pre.determinaiions be what
they may. 1t was by no means the pur-
pose of the Republican party, at the out
set, to do for the country the great and
glorious things it has done 1t did not in
tend to attempt the abolition of slavery
it was even pledged not to attempt its de-
struction. But events it could not avert
or control hurried it forward with an ire
sistfble momentum. to point it never
dreamed of reaching. But it is to be OBJ
served that it followed the line Of its real
c0nUtctions. 1t could not do otherwise
The Democratic party, when it adopted
the policy laid down by the Southern oil
garchs, did not design to go the lengths il
finally reached in servility to slavery. Had
General jackson been asked if the party
of which he was the head would ever con-
sent to the treacherous repeal of the Mis-
souri, Compromise, would he not, with his
wonted emphasis, have declared it impos-
sible, and would he not have considered
the question itself as an insult? Yet that
party did perform that act of treachery.
Did Stephen A. Douglas believe that his
consenting to repeal the Missouri compro-
mise limitation of slavery, would prepare
the way for, and make inevitable, the
Breckenridge doctrine that the constitu-
tion carried slavery into all the territories
without reference to the will of the peo-
pleg Yet his party was carried there
with momentum he could not with
stand. Did James Buchanan ever dream
that he should ever be made to say that
power TO coerce a seeding or rebellious
State into obedience to the constitution?
If in the days of Franklin Pierce, even he
had been asked if he could take such
position, he would have said " Is thy SER
want a dog that he should do this thing?"
The logical tendencies of party convictions
are not easily resisted-much less turned
into opposite channels.
The Republican party contains the ele-
ments which make up apatriotic, freedom
loving and progressive party. The Demo-
cratic party is arrayed against it because
OF opposite sympathies, tendencies and
convictions. 1t is the same party it was in
in the days of the struggle for slavery ex-
tension, and more recently for the over
throw Of the Union. When the Ethiopian
by mere will power changes his skin to
the whiteness of the Caucasian race may
the Democratic party, being accustomed
to evil, learn to do good through the
change of its platform of words. Let no
man be deceived. The Ku-Klux of the
South are the real exponents of the real
GnimuS and aims of the Democratic party.
And the irresistible tendencies of the
party are such as no leaders can ever hope
to control into a beneficial and patriotic
direction. Toledo Blade