The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-04-05


Schurz, who were identified with the
Republican movement from the begin
ming, are under no necessity Of giving
such proofs Of their party orthodoxy
1t commonly happens that recent prose-
lytes to political party are its stifest
ultraists; this seeming the most obvious
method of atoning for past opposition
and establishing the reality Of their
conversion. 1t is therefore never safe
for political party to accept its new
converts as leaders. 1t is only the old
and tried leaders, who have always been
in its coausels and identified with its
interests, that possess sufficient moral
authority to be safe counsellers and
guides. If it is necessary to carry the
party forward, they alone can lead such
movement without exposing their
fidelity to suspicion.
Some of the old Wings aud recent
Republican recruits who now act with
the Democratic party are the most VIC
lent extremists among US. This is q
reason why the party should lean upon
its old leaders, whose consistent fidelity
protects them against suspicion when
they counsel the abandonment of dead
issues. Fresh converts are seldom safe
couusellers. Having & new character to
establish and a new confidence to gain,
they are tempted to put on clothes of
last years cut and fashion as an atone
men: for not wearing them when they
were the prevailing style Of the party.
Stripped of irrelevant accessories,
which only cloud and confuse, the real
question is, whether the Democratic
party will array itself against negro
suffrage in the next Presidential cleo
ton. 1t is inexpedieut to do so for this
plain reason that in the next Presi-
Dental election the negroes will all vote,
and on such an issue every one of them
would vote against the Democratic eau
d;date. If there should be in the
National Convention any Democrats who
desire the party to make an anti-negro
suffrage platform, they will CONF from
States where the negro vote is so large
that the platform recommended by such
delegates would certainly lose their own
States. Any candidate who tries to get
nominated by appealing to that kind OF
sentiment. will solicit votes in the con.
yentiou which do not represent electoral
votes among their constituencies. Any
candidate who should get nominated on
this issue would be booked, not Tor an
election, but defeat.
The important q'estion is not who
shall vote, but what measures shall be
adopted as result of ,he voting. The
Democratic party wants a sound curreu-
cy, reduction of taxes, retreuchment Of
government expenses, abolition of the
protective tariff, non interference with
the reserved rights of states, and a
foreign policy consistent with the
national dignity and honor. If these
great objects are attained, it is Of little
consequence whether they are attained
with or without negro votes. Certain II
is, that the negroes will vote in the nez'
Presidential election. If We can elect
our candidate in spite Of their votes,
negro suffrage is nothing very formi-
dable; but if negro suffrage is an
insuperabIe barrier to our success, how
are we ever to get power to abolish it!
To make that an issue now would be
an act of political suicide.-NeU YORK.
World.