The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-07-12

promises of beginning life anew and
doing better. All that the Democratic
party can say now upon entering this
canvass is that we agree to cut loose
from all our old principles we divorce
ourselves from all our past history, as
far as possible; we intend TO start in
life anew we accept all the principles
of Horace Greeley and the Cincinnati
platform.
A voice" We can't trust en-"
Mr.. Morton-A voice says we can't
trust them. For, if they can cut loose,
for the sake of office, from principles
which they have avowed for twenty-five
years past, how long will it take them
to cut loose from the princi-
Piles they have adopted within the last
few days? How much sincerity have
they, my friends, in accepting these
principles +? Their leaders find it nee
essary to say so. They know they can
not obtain control of the Government
as the Democratic party; they know
that the verdict of this nation is against
that party. Therefore, they must pro
fess before the world to have discarded
their Old principles and adopted new
ones.
But now | ask you very briefly, in
conclusion, have they turned their
backs upon the past, and can they dc
it? Is it in the possibilities of parties
Is it in the possibilities of human ma
ture2 Why, the Democratic party has
an education running back for quar-
ter of century or more. 1t has an
experience. They have declared their
principles from time to time. They
reasserted them within three months
They are old doctrines. Have they
changed their minds? What the Dem
ocratic party believed six, twelve, TWEEN
ty.four months ago they believe to-
night. They cannot help it. Men can
change their actions, but they cannot
change their convictions. God alone
can make a change in the hearts and
consciences Of men. But q Democratic
Convention can't do that. They may
protest. new convictions, but they do not,
they cannot entert lin them. They can
no more lay aside their convictions than
they can their experience. Take the
Democracy of the South. Do yon be
lieve they have fallen in line with Re,
publican principles ? Do you believe
they love the Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Amendments any better than they did
six months or year ago ? No, they dc
not. Tney may agree to support Hor-
ace Greeley and TO take the principles
of the Cincinnati Convention, but they
have not changed their minds.
Now that brings me to the point. If
the Democratic party shall come into
power, under whatever name or stan
dard, when once they have received the
reins they will carry out the cid Demo
cratic doctrines. Does any intelligent
man doubt that for one moment? Do
we not know that this thing has been
done merely for the purpose of gaining
power-to secure secessions from the
Republican party, which, added to the
Democracy, will give them the majority
and enable them to seize control of this
Government? Start upon the hypoth-
esis that this is their purpose, consider
for few moments what they would do
should they come into power. My
friends, | would just as soon the Demo
cratic party would elect Horatio Sey-
mour or Frank Blair President as to
elect Horace Greeley or any man who
has ever been Republican, but who
will lend himself to them for their votes
and for power DO you suppose that
this small body who call themselves
Liberal Republicans mere handful
can leaven the whole Democratic party?
Not bit of it. They will be dissolved
like flies in vinegar. Instead of the
Democracy coming to them, they will
90 to the Democracy. A renegade Re-
publican elected by Democratic votes,
knowing that he owes his office to them,
surrounded by Democrats IN his Cabi.
net, and socially and politically, in his
daily goings in and QUIT care not
what may have been his original pur.
pose-human nature is malleable,
and that man would inevitably come
under Democratic influence and become
one of them. Therefore, as before re.
marked, ! would in fact prefer that
they should take man of their own
party, consistent Democrat of high
character, rather than renegade Re.
publican who is athirst for office. and
who will sell himself out for their vote.
The Republican party Will go forward
as it has done before we have our can.
didates in the field our principles are
inscribed upon our banners; they are
side by side with our victories, civil and
military, for the last ten years; the
brightest political record in this or any
other country and, gentlemen, we
shall triumph; | have no doubt of it,.
| believe we are destined to obtain a
greater Republican triumph than we
have yet had our policy conceded, our
principles not now denied, our enemies
compelled to sail under false coors,
and the prosperity of the nation speak.
ing in thunder tones for US ia every
State Of the Union, we have never had
such prospects for victory.