Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-11-01
No Further Use for the Democratic
Party.

Party.
The elections during the past few months
haze shown beyond any reasonable question
that the Democratic party in the country
mas no hope of carrying the next presidential
election, if indeed it is net becoming evident
that the party is to be beaten in all State
and local elections Of Importance. In view
of this Carl Schurz says in a recent letter to
his paper
After the splendid victories of the Repub-
cans in Iowa. Ohio and Pennsylvania many
things will become plain to the comprehen-
sion of the Democrats. In Ohio and Penn
sylvania the new departure played its be>t
trumps. 1t has been proven beyond doubt
that Democratic trumps can no longer win.
Far-seeing Democrats have long since become
convinced that their party has the consump-
ton, and that 1t cannot carry on a national
contest with the least prospect Of success.
The Republican victories are hammering
this conviction deeper into the masses. and
soon every Democrat, who is not entirely
blinded by prejudice, Will become convinced
that the Democratic party exists for the
purpose Of keeping together the Republican
party"
The elections in California only make this
truth still more evident That State has
been revolutionized, and seems now to be
nearly as surely Republican as Wisconsin
In New York, although il is not impossible
the Democrats may carry the State, their
only hope of doing so is through the divisions
among Republicans, and the chance that
Tweed will be able still to count for the
Democratic candidates from twenty to fifty
thousand more votes than will be cast 10
New York City. In the States where men
can read, and class prejudices, and the hates,
not yet dead, which made the rebellion pos
sible, have no existence, there indeed seems
little Of hope (for itself) in the Democratic
organization.
Democrats themselves are becoming con-
WINGED Of this condition of their party, and
are seriously considering the expediency Of
making no nomination for President next
year or If they make one, of nominating
some independent Republican. The Missouri
Republican, one of the stroDgC It Democratic
papers in the West, has suggested this
course, and Gen. Frank Blair in a recent
speech has intimated that he was ready for
such a movement. This tendency in the
party is so strong that undoubtedly, if Chief
Justice Chase was equal physically and
mentally to the position, his chance for the
Democratic nomination would be very good
and at any rate, it makes it possible that the
party will make no nomination, OF will pre-
sent as a candidate some person who viii be
supposed to have considerable strength out
side Of the Democratic organization.
Indeed, Senator Schurz seems exactly to
hit the truth, when he says . the Demo
cratic party exists for the purpose Of keer-
ing together the Republican party"
This, of course, is not the motive that il
huences the Democracy to keep up their
organization. The hope of national victory
and the spoils Of Office has been their actual
Ing motive thus far; indeed, with the man
a gers Of the party, that has been their animal
ing principle for many years. They lived
on government plumber long enough to ac-
quire very decided taste for it, and since
they have been expelled from that feeding
ground they have constantly kept up their
drill and discipline in the delusive expecta-
ZION Of coming again into power. There Is
no other theory upon which the party or
ganization in such States as Vermont or Iowa
that the men who run the Democratic machine
will get the federal Offices in case a part isan
Democratic president should be elected, the
necessity to the professional politicians Of
keeping up the organization becomes appar-
cnt. Yet the very existence of this Demo-
cratic party, as partisan organization, is
almost the only thing that makes it certain
that partisan Republican will be elected to
be next president: and it il almost the onl V
thing in the way of such a publication of
the Republican party as Will make that or
ganizat ton in fact, what it is in theory, q
party seeking only the good of the country
through the largest liberty of the citizen
consistent with established order and good
government. The tendency Of a mere party
organization is to degenerate into machine
where partisanship takes the place of prin-
ciple, and party success is looked upon as OF
more consequence than integrity and honesty
in the administration of public affairs; and
there is seldom a general breaking up OF
party lines from which the country does not
derive an essential advantage.
If the Democrats were seeking only the
good of the country, independent Of any ad-
vantage to the managers themselves, they
could do no higher service now than tc
give up their party organisation. and aid in
the election Of men of ability and incorrupt-
ible integrity: and such position taken
by them, would compel the Republican
partisan managers, either to make unexccT-
tiOnable nominations or submit TO defeat
As it is, however, there seems to b. every
probability that the Democracy will strive
for party victory, and Will go far keeE
their organization compact as to make il
seem necessary for the Republicans to stand
by the " regular nominations, b" in order tc
prevent the Democratic party, as party
from coming into power. And this is JUS
what the Chambers, and Camerons anC
Murphys and politicians of that stripe dc.
sire, as they expect TO control the Republi
can nominations, and thus secure thei1
hold on the government ; because, corrupt
and partisan as they are, the people, afte1
all, don't at present choose to submit Z,
Tweed and Sweeney.