The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-12-07
Political Schemes.

| The press is full of rumors concerning
| the future action of the Democratic party
of the nation. Some of these have CLEANS
of sense in them, while others are but the
very dregs of folly. One individual in
the far west, claiming to be q Democrat,
but hitherto unknown to fame, puts forth
his opinion that the Democratic party is
dead, and will know no future revival
Another scheme, also having its origin in
the west. is ''passivism' that Of lying
down in the furrow and allowing the
Grant chariot to be driven back and forth
over the PROSTATE party at the will Of the
presiding Jehu. Other plans contemplate
the nomination by the Democracy of some
prominent republican in opposition to
Grant and the candidates named in this
connection range from Gratz Brown and
Chief Justice Chase to Horace Greeley
and Charles Sumner
No one who looks at the situation IN
diligently, and speaks in the spirit of
candor, can avoid the acknowledgement
that the immediate future of the Demo-
cratic party is not promising. The radi-
cal party has intrenched itself in power
by every device that force, fraud and cum
ming can suggest, 1t has enlarged the
civil list until its army of salaried and
trained adherents, who are paid out of the
peoples pockets to defeat the peoples will,
cover the whole land. 1t has brought to
Its support, by enormous tariff duties, the
immense manufacturing interest of the
country. BY the extraordinary and before
unheard Of advantages to capitalists and
bankers, it has the favor and support of
the moneyed power of the country, and
dips at will into its purse for the sinews
OF political warfare. The army, enlarged
beyond all precedent for times of peace,
and too numerous for honest purposes, is
al the beck and call of those who scheme
for perpetual power. A law, extraor-
binary and unconstitutional, suspends at
the will of the head of the party the great
writ of personal freedom, and makes his
word the supreme law in any region of
the country. Another law, outrageous
and insulting to every citizen, surrounds
the polls with bayonets on election day,
and compels The nominally free men of
the land to exercise the dearest right be-
queathed by their fathers. while they are
compelled to bow before the insignia of
tyranny. Presses, subsidized from the
public treasury, sing praises to all this,
IS Nero fiddled while Rome burned.
While the monarchical countries of Europe
are stirred by the ideas and hopes of self
government, the hitherto prototype of
freedom and exemplar of democracy on
this side the ocean, is swayed to the pur-
poses of Capitalization and sinks to the
arms of imperialism.
This is no fiattering outlook But what
will it be if the great Democratic party of
the country, that cherished the republic
in its growth and is now the only hope Of
its restoration, shall disband or do that
which is equivalent to disbanding Can
its watch-fires be relighted, and its stand
ard raised anew? Can its organization
be reformed? Can the true men who
have stood shoulder to shoulder on so
many we'll fought fields be brought again
to their posts If these miracles cannot
be performed, what them Why imperi-
| alism bestrides our country unopposed, and
the fires of freedom go out forever. To
acknowledge that the Democratic party
has no future, is to confess that self-gov-
eminent Is failure.
We do not say that we would not con-
sent to an honorable concert of action
with men of the republican party who ac-
knowledge the necessity Of defeating
Grant as means of saving the country
but it should be upon the simple platform
of that one purpose. There may be an
alliance. but not surrender We would
not consent to the lowering of the Demo-
cratic standard one inch, or get upon our
knees for the confession of sins that we
never committed I'VE have a party of
more than two and half million voters
IN the country, who are not disheartened
because the right does not always pre-
vail. They believe that, despite of radi-
cal cunning and craft, despite all the hard
facts OF the present, better days will dawn
that there will yet arise some man of
will and purpose and courage-some
Jackson. relying on the great heart of the
people, and facing their enemies with I'M
daunted soul and unyelding purpose, till
those who now Cypress and mock at our
calamities are scattered to the winds.
The varying currents of party success can
be determined and predicted by no one.
They puzzle and disappoint the most ex-
perienced. We may be nearer than we
suspect to revulslon of public opinion
that will astonish us. But in any event,
let us hold fast to the faith