The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1871-11-24
PaNjyIsm and PartylSm.

We did not anticipate, less than
month ago, we suggested the passive
policy for the consideration of the de-
mocracy, that il would receive the
swift and supreme vindication that IL is
already meeting with. Let US not be
misunderstood we are not in haste 10
claim for it approval Of sil members
of the party to which il was submit
ted: we merely wish to note the inter
esting fact that il meets with the dis
approval Of all members Of the party
| 10 which ii is not submitted. lfit has
not received the unanimous approba-
tion of democrats, il has, at least re.
ceiyed the unanimous and unqualified
condemnation of radicals. Some dem
ocrats are not quite convinced that 1t
would be wise policy. A few demo
Gratis are afraid that it break up their
party all radicals are sure il would
break up theirs, and for that reason
the affectionate fellows-are opposed
to it. Ii is still a subject of earnest
consultation and discussion among
democrats, aud il il not to be wondered
at that many members Of that party
should require more than q single
months time to make up their minds
on proposition that is without ma
tional precedent, and that really in
wolves a revolution in our system of
party management. But the admins.
tration partisans are not 20 sluggish in
their ratiocination they saw clear
through the proposition, and detected
the logical ending of il, from the mo-
ment it was first broached. II is en-
veloped in no mists Of doubt TO them !; il
presents no by-ways whose ending they
cannot see it involves no possibilities
which they cannot estimate. They
know precisely what it means, and al
though the matter is none Of their bus
iness, they have that degree Of fond de-
votion to democratic interests and
principles, that they cannot bear to see
the democracy rush headlong to de-
struction, without raising their warn
ing voices, with one accord, against
the step.
This unusual solicitude Of theadmin-
istration partisans for the welfare of the
democracy is a phenomenon which de-
serves TO be noted in weighing the mer-
its and demirits ofpassivism. Our an
tagonists sometimes see the effect of our
movements better than we see them
ourselves, because they know their
weak points better than we can know
them and when the administration
partisans come forward without invi-
tation TO take part in democratic con-
sultations, and to furnish unsolicited
arguments against paSsivism, their sin
gular conduct suggests that there may
be good deal more in the policy than
we ourselves had at first detected.
When an army makes a movement
which its antagonist does not want it
to make, it may safely conclude that 1t
is doing exactly right The passive
policy has met with q more favorable
reception from the thinking men and
the masses of the party to whom it is
presented than we expected; the weight
of democratic opinion is largely in its
favor ana when TO this IL added the
fact that the organs OF that party,
which passivism proposes to defeat, are
earnestly, and without exception, OPP
posed to ii, it would seem that the pro-
priety Of the policy is demonstrated
beyond dispute.
1t il the moral Sower Of passivism
that spreads this dismay through the
administration ranks. The Presidents
adherents and organs offer us nothing
but an ever-recurring party struggle
ever the questions which they profess
TO have settled forever, but which they
themselves unsettle and revive Mt ev-
cry new canvass. The President has
even reduced partyism to the contract
ed limits of persona!ism, by outlawing
many leading representatives Of frepub
lican sentiment, and ostracising large
portions of the republican organiza-
ton, for the simple oflense Of dissent
ing from his policy or being opposed
to his person and yet, even while
those republicans are imperiously ex-
cluded from bis favor, and denied the
poor comfort of party rights, they are
coolIy told that their party duties re-
main, and that the supremest of those
duties is to. vote for the reelection Of
the President to q second term. On
the other hand, passivism proposes a
truce to partyism, while the people
unite TO rescue the republic from the
malign personal authority that can
dictate the decision of the Supreme
Court, dispose the chairman Of senate
committees, control conventions by
bribery and infantry, commit acts of
war against a feeble friendly power,
interfere in state elections, lay the
whole districts under martial law,