Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-12-22
Playing POssum.

Time having demonstrated that the last
political will and testament of Mr.. Val
landigham cannot stand in the court of
public opinion, some of The administra-
tors de 6Oais non of the Democratic party
re advising a supplemental new departure.
He cOunseled the organization to depart
from its ancient modes of speech and de-
sire; the present conservatOrs of its faith
counsel it to depart from the very body
of its being. They do not say it should
actually lie down and give up the ghost,
but recommend that it seem to do so, and
play possum in the cleverest fashion.
They see it cannot conquer in a fair,
standup fight, and, therefore, clamor
that ii ought to try the virtue of STOPPING.
THE Democratic party, as an Organiza-
tion, must stand back, and leave the field
clear to the disaffected Republicans, :"
says Mr.. Montgomery Blair. Let the
Radicals call their convention and NOM
mate Grant, and then let the independent
Republicans bolt and nominate whoever
they please, and then let the Democrats
rally as one man to his support" he con-
tinues, with a comical assumption that
the solution of the problem of the hour
is as easy as the addition of two and two.
OF course the objective of this scheme is
Democratic supremacy in fact even if not
in name.
Now, STOPPING to conquer may be wise
and adroit policy in love-afiairs though
we refaln from committal on that point,
but is there reasonable warrant for sup.
posing the next Presidential election can
be carried by such course The pos
sum of to-day as he is found in his favor
ite habitat, shrewd by the natural selec-
nj a lnnm fai1 10
even the dullest negro urchin who en-
counters him limp and upturned on the
ground. Do Mr. Blair and his coadjutors
think the people of these United States
utterly stupid? How long did it take
them to get at the pith and marrow of the
Endorsement here and there made of Mr..
Vallandighams political nostrum ? Who
are the "disaffected Republicans? Ger
tainly the body of them are men who feel
that the President has not gone far enough
nor fast enough in the direction of pTacti-
cal reform. And what is the reform"
on which their hearts are so fixed Ger
tainly 1t is next to nothing of what the
Democrats have ever favored And Mr..
Blair dreams that the voters of his party
can be induced to support the most adj
vanced of American political ideas Put
the matter to the test of cold analysis,
and il finally comes to just this. We
should like to see the Democrats advance,
and at once, to that position but no poll,
tician of the Blair stamp pcan be the Moses
to lead them thither.
The proposal TO abandon the field and
skulk behind the stumps is confession of
political incapacity and party demoral-
lZation that must be as exhileratng to the
Republican managers as old wine is to a
bon cfrdnh If the Democrats are ready |
to give up everything for which they |
have contended in the domain of politics, |
ana cast their lot with the new and en-
Iarged ideas of these years since the war
Of the Rebellion began, let them say SO |
squarely and directly, and furnish the
country with a spectacle of canvass in
which there is entire unanimity of plat
form and promise This would indeed be
new depart for the admiration of every.
body But playing possum win not win |