The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1871-05-25
DEMOCRATIC INCONSISTENCIES.

ventlOn, held at Dayton on the 18th OF
the present month, Vallandigham deIiv-
cred himself of speech supporting "a
new Democratic departure platform in
tended for the groundwork of national
PLATFORM" proposed in series of resolu-
tons offered by himself for the commit
tee on resolutions. The general points
of the speech are timely and for substance
are worthy The consideration of the
masses, but bringing into the balance a
few facts of the history of the Demo-
cratic party for the past ten years and Of
the man himself, they are apt to create
distrust as to good intents and sincerity.
And as we look o'the resolutions we are
not to take them as criterion for the
party; and Vallandigham is one OF the
last men to be accepted as faithful ex-
ponent of the principles Of the Demo-
cratic party. Now, while he takes ad-
vanced grounds and advocates doctrines
in keeping with Republicanism, he is de-
termined flo disagec with the Govern
ment and the Republican party; for he
says that the radical party of 1871, as
now constituted, is not the Republican
party of the period previous to the war,
nor the so-called Union party during the
war, and is in no respect entitled to the
public confidence as SUCH" One might
suppose that he had been identified with
the Republican party and "the so-called
Union party during the war;" but it is
patent to all that the military was COM
PEELED to arrest HIM to stop him from
disparaging the cause and from tr.ducing
in the rear the mcn who had gone in de-
fence Of the country. Vallandigham ac-
ceptcd the results of the war, including
the three several amendments recently
declared adopted rs settlement of all
issues of war, and acquiesce in the same
as no longer issues before the country"
and proposed for the "ncw departure "
g the payment Of the public debt at the
earliest practicable moment consistent
wiHp moderate taxation and ga strictly
rcvte,ue tariff"
Tffre is little probability that the pro-
posed "dcparture" will be embodied
With the national platform, but should
il be DO question exists but that it will
be employed just long enough to use as
IN eli tering wedge for the success of the
part,, and no longer. With all the de-
,ices brought forth, at certain times, by
dividual members, the Democratic par /.
Y, as party, seems, determined to con-
inue to hold to its ultra views and for
ner teachings. In 1867 Il number of the /
,apers and persons of the Democratic
'ersuaslon, the Chicago Times being one
# the foremost movers, espouscd the
:ause of negro suffrage; but who sup
POSED that the party would accept it as
me of the plaaks of its platform? 1t
vas eschewed by the members at large
With the same hastiness that they would
lee from contagious and virulent dis
ases. Again, it was impossible for
base to secure the Democratic nomina-
ion for the Presidency, in 1868, at the
lands Of the men who had held such d.
erse views to his own in former times.
Iast fall a strenuous and quite general
fort was made to influence votes from
he Republican ranks with the preten-
ions of advanced: ideas, and 1t was
artly successful, but the party promptly
back into its old wcll-beaten
aths. 1t is all very fine for Vallandig-
am to advise the party to acquiesce in
he Constitutional Amendments, but we
ave it from more responsible men than
e is, certainly those who speak more in
for the party and enjoy its
onfidence to vastly greater extent
uch men, for instance, as Thurman, of
|hio, and Frank Blair, of Missouri
hat it is the unaltcrable design of the
artv, when it comes into power, to de-
lare the Amendments null and void and
'ithout any effect whatever. Thus, the
democracy will not, nor can not, BE- any
hing else than that which it has been
ince the agitation Of the slavery qucs-
on-a party welded to wrong ideas.
has been hoped that the party would
ccept the issues promulgated since the
ar but it never once gave in any form
f an adherence until it became matter
f necessity for its perpetuation. The !
elusion is palpable npon its face that
here is no gcnuineness in the attempt
, adopt Republican principles in antag-
nism to the Republican party.
A few papers and a few persons in our
tate still continue to attribute every