The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-03-17
Daitp ARGUS.
Democratic ISSUES in 1s72.

in which the people are interested. In view
of this fact we copy the following from that
very able and carefully guarded paper, the
Albany Argus, as expressing the sentiment
Of the leading men 10 that state
1t seems to be generally conceded that
the Democrats cannot be beaten in 1872,
except by their own Encouragement and
folly. The most sAgsoious and tar-seeing
Republicans have little confidence IN re
gard to the future. And get halt dozen
hot headed imprdcticabtss can .toredoom the
Democratic party to a defeat as utter and
OUerWhelming as that Of 1868, If they are
dLiO1ed to put the organization on the er-
t-eme course IChich then caused our dOlcntaH'
We apprehend no such result however; for
the serious lessons of the past ie" years
will not be lost on the party, nor VIII the
sound conservative statesmen who are On
titled to direct and control the movements
OF the organization shrink from the proper
responsibility of depressing the turbulence
of faction and restraining the movement OF
those who seek notoriety irrespective of the
general welfare. There are certain
obvious facts that conpot be overlooked
or forgotten. The political situation is
determined and unmistakable. There as
10 be no obsolete iSSueS--no reactiondfy Bs0Ue
aueht or recurrence to the past-no recOHsid
Grafton Of measure that the people hare decid-
ed upon. We resisted the three amendments
to the Constitution 30 long as opposition
was of any avail; but they are now part
Of the Fundamental law, aud it IL worse than
useless to discuss their character and tend
ency, the means by which they we're carried,
or the effect produced by them. The pro
piSi0ns embraced in the thirteenth and IF
teeRh amendments are nOW IN operation, and
in such a form that they cannot be abrOgated
except By another resolutions:
The fret of these amendments gave free
dom to the negro, and We have neither the
inclination nor the power to remand him to
servitude. The Democratic party cheerttdty
acceds this as one Of the consequences 81 the
rebellion, dndhqS no desire to reUerSe IL. The
fifteenth amendment secures the privileges
Of a voter to the negro, and this provision
hdeiRg become incorporated into most Of the
State constitutions, negro suffrage lroutd re
main. eueH If the amendment to the Federal
Constitution tCdS rcSciied This issue,
therefore, cannot be forced upon us. An
act of Congress granting universal amnesty
as an act Of justice to the South, equally
wise and humane, will be one of the FIRST
measures of the Democratic party on com
ing into power: and that will remove whs (
is Objectionable in the fourteenth amend
ment.
The Nav York World which we consider
BY far the ablest journal published in tina:
city also says on this Subjec that the states
man or politician who is not gifted to dis
Germ the rising and the receding tide, who
cannot distinguish between the evening twi
light which foretokens darkness, and thu
morning twilight which heralds the dawn o
a new day, was not born to be leader o
men. A second or third rate politician MAJ
acquire transient importance as the repre-
sentative OF decAying Issues, and his temp
tation TO play such role is in proportion IL
his newn9ss in the party with which he acts
To illustrate by examples: General Butler
and General Sickles arc exotics in th'
republican party, and we accordingly fnt
them the extremist of al republicans oil
questions which the country is outgrowing
whereas men like Gratz Brown and Car
Schurz, who were identified with the repub-
Iean movement from the beginning, are
under no necessity of giving such proofs Of
their party orthodoxy. 1t commonly happen
that recent prosely.es to a political part
are it's stiffest uliraists this seeming tn
most obvious method of Atoning for pas
opposition and establishing the reality 0
their conversion. 1t is therefore never SAT
for political party to accept its own con.
yerts as leaders. 1t is only the old and triet
leaders, who have always been in its coun-
sells and identified with its interests, the
possess sufficient moral authority to be SAT
counsellors and guides. If 1t is necessAr
TO carry the party forward, they alone Co
lead such d movement without exposin
tn cir fidelity TO suspicion. Some Of the Of
Wings and recent republican recruits VII
now act with the Democratic party are tn
most violent extre mists among us. This
a reason why the party should lean upon i
old leaders, whose consistent fidelity pr
tects them against sus picion when the
counsel the abandonment Of dead ISSUE
Fresh converts are seldom safe counsellor
Having q new character to establish and
new confidence to gain, they are tempted
put on clothes Of last years cut and fAshiC
as an stonemeut for not wearing the
when they we're the prevailing style of Il
party.
Stripped Of irrelevant accessories, Whit
only cloud and confuse, the real question
whether the democratic party will arrl
itself against negro suffrage in the ne.
Presidential election. 1t is not expedient
do 30 for this plain reason that in the ne
Presidential election the negroes will a
vote, and on such an issue every one
them would vote against the democrat
candidate. If there should be in the Natio
al Convention any democrats who desire Il
party to make an antl'negro-sufrage pla
form, they will come from States where Il
negro vote is 80 large that the plstfor
recommended by such delegates would CO
tainly lose their own states. Any candida
who tries to get nominated by appealing
that kind of sentiment, will solicit votes
the convention which do not represent ele
toral votes among their constituencies. Al
candidate who should get nominated on tb
Issue would be booked, not for an electio
but defeat.
The important question is not who shs
vote, but what measures shall be adopted
result of the voting The democrat
pIrty wants sound currency, reduction
taxes, retrenehment of governmeut ex pense
abolition of the protective tariff, non-intt
ference with the reserved rights Of state
and foreign policy consistent with t
national dignity and honor. Ifthese gre
obiecta ara attained IL is of little cnD,