The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-06-15
DAILY PRESS,
PORTLAND
THURSDAY, JUNE Is, 1871.


The New Strategy Failure.
Political Pentecosts do not come at the call
of every political imposter; nor are great
revolutions produced by the simple announce
nent by Vallendgham of new departure
There is not great national CRISIS o''
Than twice in lifetime when men ininuo
are changed in an hour and cohVlctiohs anu
beliefs take root in their natures ike the oak
of centuries growth. In April, 1861, there
was pentecostal season. The rebel batter
les in Charleston Harbor, with a single echo,
touched the great national heart and in an
hour mems convictions and beliefs and pur-
poses were changed. Then was the time for
Vallandgham and Wood to have made
''new departure" That they did not; that
they plotted against the national life, is now
matter of current history. The files of
every newspaper show the infamy OF their
deeds, sometimes performed covertly, but al
ways in malicious hatred of the national au-
thority and against the national life.
The country regards this new departure as
an imbecile piece of political strategy. 1t is
an attempt to make war upon an enemy in
an armor stolen from him and of which they
have no knowledge, and cannot learn it's use.
They present the aspect OF the slave who at
tempted to perform with magician's wand
but taking it in the wrong hand, was torn in
pieces. The Democratic leaders have at
tempted similar task and will meet a SINH
lar fate. The whole country knows that the
Democratic leaders do not cannot mean
what they say. 1t is not in the nature of
things that a political organization should
thus be revolutionized. The ideas, the mo-
tves and convictions of a whole party CAN
not lie put off and on as a coat. 1t it had
been possible for them to have changed their
views, it would have been done in 1861 or
during the years Immediately following when
they were strengthening them.
The hatred of the Democratic party to all
the principles that have been inscribed upon
the banner of its opponents and which they
now make the CHASTITY attempt to adopt, has
become more intense with each defeat. Con-
tinualy pandering with the worst impulses
OF the day it has drawn to itself all the
vicious and reactionary forces in our political
system until it has become their real embodi-
ment. Twenty years ago its leaders were
servile to the slave power, it was the ally of
rebellion and the foe of all the principles that
have triumphed in the defeat of both. In
deed, the party has no life, no history, no sig
nificance outside of its deadly hostility to that
which it processes to accept. By the law of
nature, every fibre of its organism is pro-
test to this new departure, and cries out
against this would be piece of strategy.
Nor do the Democr attic leaders mean TO
accept the amendm ents. They make the
declaration, hoping to satisfy Republicans
that their professions are genuine, while they
put a different construction upon the new de-
parture to their Southern .alhes. To the Re-
publicans, they accept the amendment; to
the Democtats they neutralize them by prom
Using non enforcement. Like Ensign Stebbins,
they favor the law but oppose its enforcement.
They know that these amendments are worth
nothing except as they are vitalized by law.
With the Democratic party in power the
amendments would remain dead letter, and
their defiance by any Stale would be followed
by no remedy. Indeed, that party would lead
in the notification if it is true to its past his
tory.
The intelligent part of the country will APP
ply all the tests of criticism to this remarka-
BILE dispensalon of Mr.. Vallandigham, and
the result will be that it cannot stand the
ire. Ii was the reckless attempt of bank
rupt politicians to deceive the country. 1t is
piece OF political trickery, without a parti-
Gle of sincerity and at war with every I'M
pulse of the Democratic party.