The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-18
sP1RIT OF Ezn PRESS.
Editorial Opinions Of the Leading Journals
upon Current Toplcs-compied Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph.
DEMOCRATIC SUCCESS THE. CoLUM-
BUS CONFERENCE


BUS CONFERENCE.
From the ~ Y. Sun.
The Ohio Democracy have been holding
conference at Columbus, in which Mr.. Pen
dleton, Mr.. Vallandigham, aud Colonel Nc
Cook shone as conspicuous figures. The main
question was thus propounded by Vallandig-
ham:-''How shall the success of the Demo-
cratic party be achieved?" Judging from so
much of the discussion as is reported, we do
not perceive that any new light was shed
upon this subject, nor any original ideas or
novel modes of proceeding propounded In
deed, Mr.. Vallandigham winds up his speech
by proclaiming that the party must go for
ward and ''restore the old Federal Republic
as our fathers made it.
Do the great lights of the Democracy see
no further than this2 Doubtless, as they
contemplate Grants enfeebled hold upon the
Republicans, and the dissensions he is engen-
dering in their ranks, they anticipate an easy
victory over him at the next Presidential
election Let them net rest their hopes of a
triumph in that contest upon any such delu-
sive foundation as this. Grant is not going
to be renominated for the Presidency; and
the fact that the Democracy are right in
assuming that they could easily overthrow
him, is the very reason why he will not be
allowed to carry the Republican standard in
1872. His fate is already fixed in the minds
Of Republican leaders; and ere long the pro-
phetic hand, tracing his doom on the walls of
the White House in unmistakable characters,
will be visible even to the stolid eye of Grant
himself. The Republicans will no doubt
present new candidate who will be reason
ably acceptable to all who intend to remain
in that organization.
How, then, can the Democrats succeed
Minorities become majorities by drawing to
themselves portion of their opponents. BY
this rule and by no other, can the Demo-
cracy hope for victory in 1872. From what
portions of the Republican party can they
reasonably look for aid? Assuming that
they will present a candidate whose past
record, whose avowed principles, whose local
surroundings, and the platform whereon he
is placed, are not such as to repel those who
have heretofore been Republicans, the De-
mocracy might possibly look for the co-ope-
ration of two classes of Republicans at the
next Presidential election.
We refer, in the first place, to those Re-
publicans who, at the opening of the next
Presidential campaign, will have become so
disgusted with Grants administration that
even the refusal to renominate him will not
suffice to condone the follies of the party for
so long submitting to his rule, and who will
therefore eagerly embrace the occasion of
the election of 1872 to rebuke its subseryi-
ency to his behests.
These will constitute pretty numerous
class of voters. But right behind them will
stand larger and less easily managed body
of Republicans, whose aid the Democracy
must have if they would win, but which they
cannot obtain except on severe terms. We
refer to those Republicans who regard the
mission of their party as having been full
filled, and who, turning their backs upon the
past, now fix their eyes upon the long future.
Regarding the great battle of the last six
teen years as won, and having little respect
Co.. Ahoeo h. GaIl
share in the spoils of victory, they will never
theless be chary in forming new alliances.
Before they consent to place
confidence in the Democracy in respect
even to the future, they will have to be con-
vinced that there is to be no renewal of con
tests which have been settled by the war and
by the policy of reconstruction. Satisfied
of this, they will then give the Democracy
distinctly to understand that ere they CO.
operate with them the party is to pass
through the purgatory process of reforma
tion, especially in its leadership, and that
they will not submit to the guidance of men
who still linger in the graveyards and be-
lieve that the American people have made
no advance in political wisdom since Jeffer-
son and Jackson were laid in their tombs
During the past ten years majority of the
voters of this country have given incontest
able proofs that we have crossed the threshold
Of a new epoch in national affairs
The Democracy, then, may rest assured
that those Republicans who are willing to
leave the Republican army because its work
is done, and form coalition with them in
the coming Presidential contest, will not sub
NIT to play an inferior role in such an alli-
ance Having for fifteen years belonged to
an organization which they helped to create,
and which during the whole period of its
existence has been victorious in the North,
and for ten years past supreme in the coun-
ellis of the nation, they do not now intend
to become mere hewers of wood and drawers
of water in a party which has not received
the support of majority of the voters of
the country in any Presidential election
since 1852, and but twice since 1886, and
whose record for thirteen years past-not to
speak of any other phase of it-discloses an
uninterrupted series of inglorious national
defeats Such men, in consenting to such
an alliance, will be more apt to give than
to take advice, and viii be quite as likely
to claim the right to lead as to quietly con-
sent to follow.
If the Democratic party is not willing to
accept such allies on such terms, then, Grant
being thrown overheard, il can make up its
mind to be beaten by the Republicans in the
next Presidential contest.
We commend these views to the distin
guished members of the late conference a
Columbus.
AMERICA AND ENGLAND.