The Weekly Washington telegraph., 1871-11-22
THE PASSIVE POLICY.-OUR
DUTY, ETC.

servatiye journalists and statesmen
throughout the country, j. whether the
National Democracy should hold
convention for the nomination of' can.
didates, or whether they should with
hold and preserve their strength for
the purpose ofuniting with the genuine
Republicans Of the north, to prevent
Grants reelection. The question is
very grave one, and il worthy of our
most serious consideration. The
"Passive Policy" as tia termed, num-
bers among its advocates some of the
ablest journalists and politicians of the
conservative party, both in the north
and south; and whilst we are not pre-
pared to say that its adoption would
insure to the country more beneficial
results than any other policy, We may
he excused for Offering to our reader.
some reasons, which appear to us very
satisfactory in favor Of non-action on
the part OF the National Democracy.
| The recent fall elections must salts.
fy every unbiased observer of events,
that, at the next Presidential election,
if the contest is narrowed down be-
tween Grant as the republican nominee,
and the nominee of the democratic
party, tho democracy will be surely
defeated-ths, unless there should be
some reaction in our favor between
now and the election. which at this
time, we cannot reasonably expect
The rescna Of nj, that- remains of
the government from the wreck wr6agRt
by radical ambition and cupidity, is
the goal for which the National De-
mocracy and the genuine republican.
contend; Grants re. election would put
and end to all hope in that direction
Who believes that this Republic could
survive four years more of Grant.
) administration after the expiration oi
the present term?
If the government should retrogradc
during the next four years of his ad,
mini.tration as it has in the two Just
passed there would be nothing Of il
left for which to contend Nothing
short of another civil war-a blood,
l revolution n-would unseat him, and
, reassert the principles ola written con
stitution recognizing a confederacy o
States, in lieu of a Dictatorship, e,tab
u lished by acts of usurpation, substitu
: ting tho will OF one man for the law Of
n the land. And we have our doubts
whether or not the people of this gov.
= ernment would be willing to risk an,
: other revolution for the purpose Of
D asserting the supremacy of the consti-
J tuition over Grants will. In fact the
Indifference with which the great mas
Q ses of the people seem to view his
declaration of martial law in South Car
olina, IS well as other acts of lawlass-
ness, would justify us in concluding that
they would not
When Grant was elected, many
. democratic speakers and writers openly
proclaimed that "he was in to stay"
That he would never willingly vacate
the seat. That he was strictly Iylil,
itary man, without any qualification,
for the position; without experience in
the civil pursuits of life; that he wa,
self-willed and ambitious; that h,
would be governed IN his movements
fiat abby the mosS ultra. turbulent
and vndlctive spirits OF the age; anC
would avail himself of the debauchet
condition Of the country-en engeudere,
by civil war-to make himself Dictator
And whether or not these men wer,
mistaken in his character let his acts III
TO this time answer. And, if we mis-
7 take not, some Of the most prominen
Of these men advocate passiyeness OF
the part of the National Democracy
as the surest method of securing hii
defeat hereafter, while many promiuenr
republicans at the north are public il
the announcement of the fact that hi,
rapid and unchecked strides toward.
imperialism form a subjec: of grave
apprehension with those who favor a