The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-20
The Democratic Leaders ON tho Alert
Proposed Manifesto or tho Party.


Proposed Manifesto or tho Party.
1t Is understood that the democratic Sena-
tors and members Of Congress are about to
issue a manifesto to the country defining the
position of the party. 1t is to be, In fact, the
platform OF principles and policy which the
democrats propose to stand upon In the APP
preaching Presidential contest. General
Grant and his party friends, under the lead OF
| Senator Morton, opened the campaign few
days ago at that improvised meeting at the
| National Hotel. 1t was Q successful move
ment for 1t brought down the recusant and
rival aspirants Of the republican party and
placed the General fairly on the track
for the race Of 1879. 6ince that
time the leading men who were dis
posed to make trouble In the party have
been silenced, and extraordinary strides have
been taken to win popularity either by the In
PRODUCTION or promise of measures to reduce
taxation, to economist expenditures and for
other necessary reforms. Not much has been
done or is likely to be done this session, 1t Is
true, but the radicals hold out hope to the
people. Indeed, in some Of the measures pro-
posed they have cut right under the demo-
Gratis. Under these circumstances 1t was
necessary that the democrats should be up
and doing something to checkmate the radi-
Gals. The administration party is not going to
let the democrats appropriate all the political
thunder; no, not even that which they have
been using, and which properly belongs to
them. This party evidently is ready to
abandon St. Domingo or anything else that
savors Of unpopularty, except those coercive
measures by which it expects to control votes,
and is prepared to strike out any new line of
policy to hold the power it possesses.
| What, then, will the democrats do7 How
| will they checkmate their facilc, active and
cunning opponents? We recommend them to
steal in return some Of the republican thun-
der-that is, let them henceforth 60 heartily
for the amendments to the constitution-go the
whole figure on the negroes and everything
else that has been settled by the war and tho
| constitutional amendments. If the radicals
put Fred Douglass up on some high place to
be worshipped and to catch negro votes, let
the democrats take some other good-looking
mulatto and honor him. And what If this
makes the negroes jubilant and happy for the
time, when they are sure to find in the end
the level nature intended they should have2
Why will not the democrats learn wisdom
Why will they not, in the language Of Scrip
ture, 'sbe as wise as serpents and harmless as
doves?" At least let them abandon their old,
unpopular dogmas and march with the times.
On the question Of local self-government,
| which is the basis of our republican liberty
and institutions, the democrats can beat the
radicals always. And So too, on the ques-
tiens Of free trade or tariff for revenue only,
on revenue reform, in hostility to monopolies
and sectional legislation, and in many other
things, as well as in opposition to that arbi-
trary government by the sword which clings
to the radical war party. In short, the
democrats might and can have the advantage
Of popular issues if they will honestly accept
the issues Of the war and march with the pro-
gress of the times.
In addition to having good, honest and
unexceptionable platform of principles and
well defined policy, such as the conservative
masses, which form the balance Of power
between parties, can accept, the democrats
should be careful in the choice Of shoir candi-
date. he must be truly national, with an eye
always to frown down sectionalisn, to heal
the wounds of sectional strife and bitterness,
to place his country in the foremost position
among the nations Of the world, and to march
| with the progress of the age to the glorious
destiny which awaits the great republic. 1t
must be known that he is q defender of the
constitution as it is, without mental reserva-
ton as to the changes that have been made
by and since the war and without clinging to
old political dogmas that are no longer appli-
cable to the country or the times Then he
ought to be man of sufficient experience in
public affairs to satisfy the people that they will
had too many experimental Presidents
apprentices in public life-taken up for thu
sake of expediency and because they were
such nonentities that nobody could find out or
discuss their merits. The country is getting
beyond the point when either manufactured
heroes or negative and untred men can
satisfy the aspirations and wants Of the Ameri-
can people. If we have not or cannot find
towering statesmen for the Presidential Office,
let us have, at least, men of some experience
in public life, of respectable ability and Of
high character.
There is another thing the democratic mana
gers should not lose sight Of, and that is to
choose a candidate who would have fair
prospect of carrying one or more of the great
States that may be doubtful and where parties
are nearly balanced. Looking over the whole
field, 1t strikes us that Pennsylvania may be,
as 1t has been before, the most important II
not the decisive battle ground of the