Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-05-25
THE NEWLY DEPARTED.

@ The new Democratic departure
vaguely foreshadowed for some time,
past, was inaugurated on the 18th inst,
by a convention at Dayton, under the
leadership of the apostolic Vallandig-
ham. Eighteen resolutions were adopt
ed containing the new principles, which
are proposed as the basis of the Demo
cratic platform of 1872. 1t was resolved
that as Democrats were on opposite
sidesof many questions during the war
each member should repent Of his own
sins, while the party itself should now
stand forth regenerated in the begin
ming of a new life. Vallandigham said
. in his address: "The a;ispicious mo-
bment, the tide in the affairs of men, to
be taken at the flood, has now, in my
Judgment reached us, when the Demo-
cratic party of to-day laying aside the
weight and shaking from it the dead
a body Of the past, can and must at one
-beund place itself upon the vantage
ground of the present. !" So 1t was re-
solved to accept the results of the crush
ling out of the Democratic rebellion,
o and toacquiesce inthe last threeamend-
!. rnents to the Constitution as settle
ment in fact of all the issues of the,
9 war. The third resolution would s'bury
out of sight all that is of the dead past,
F. namely, the right of secession, slavery,
inequality before the law" &c.; and
would "pledge the Democracy to the
faithful and absolute execution and en-
Z forcement of the Constitution as it now
is, SO as to secure equal rights to all
persons, without distinction of race.
color or condition." Another resolu-
dtion favors the payment of the public
debt at the earliest practical moment.
The Democracy, it is declared, still
"holds to the good old Democratic doc
trine of annexation or acquisition of
! territory" but is opposed to acquiring
San Domingo because Grant favors it,
One resolution favors revenue tariff.
I. The last resolution declares s'that the
Radical party of 1871, as now constitu-
5 ted, is not the Republican party previ-
GUS to the war, nor the so-cailed Union
party during the war, and is in no re-
speet entitled to beg the public conf
dence as such;" that it is now only the
+.Grant party, dating back to March 4,
as64," and to be judged of by its record
since that time. All good Republicans
entertaining these principles are eordi-
hlyinyited into the Democratic fold,
all members of which are to be ssupon
the basis of perfect equality and the
old nonsense about a "white mans
ticket, &c, is never again to be re-
peated. The resolutions unnoticed are
OF minor Importance, and, as their drift
may be inferred from the above, we
pass them by. The reader will be
struck by the similarity between somei
OF these principles and those which,
have long been, and still are. adyoca-
ted by the Republican party. Quite a
calm now prevails in the journalistic
St:.lIrcies OF the Democracy, and the per-
piexitylof the situation is but poorly
'concealed.s9 Such papers as the ST.
Clairsyille Gazete will hesitate long
before reading out of the party cherish
el leaders like Nallandigham, and yet
they will be very 10th to follow him.
The movement on his part is too trans
parent to deceive anybody :z.55Go ii
Some of the unterrifed don't take
kindly to the new departure of the
Ohio martyr. Some with view to
policy approve it and as usual large
class have nothing to say, or are wait
ing like Nasty for astraight ticket from
iieadquarters. Nothing in the political !
line has crested srch Hutter- among
both parties as yal's declaring, himself
in faver of negro civil equality and
negro suffrage and his acknowledo-