Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-12-05
Political Leaders.

The late election suggests several thoughts
upon political Leadership in this country
The Democratic politicians who managed the
State Convention of their party IN New
York after the Cincinnati nomination were
resolved to secure the adoption of the Gin
cinnati candidate at Baltimore, because they
were sure that the Republican secession
would swell the Democratic vote into vast
majority. They reasoned that if such men
as Senators Sumner, Trumbull and Schurz
were willing to leave the party, they must
necessarily Lead to an army of followers with
them; and that if politicians like Mr. Fen
ton, Mr.. Hutchines, Mr.. Mcclure and Mr..
Cochrane were ready to cooperate with
Democrats, 1t was because they were sure of
the disintegration of the party. We were
constantly told that Gen. Grant " as the onl Y
man who would divide the Republicans, and
the only one who could not be elected.
Doubtless the gentlemen whom we have
named believed nuch of what was said. Mr.
Sumner thought that Massachusetts, the
great Republ can State, would follow him,
Mr.. TrumbuIl supposed that he could divert
Illinois, and, Mr.. Schurz imagined that he
could control the German vote On the
other hand, the Democrats made the same
mistake. II the Cincinnati candidate were
regularly" nominated, and if the men who
are called the leaders of the party-Mr.
Hendricks, Mr.. Seymour, Mr. Thurman, Mr..
whole
party would follow, and the result was GER
tain. All these gentlemen have been unde-
ceiVed, and 1t has been made evident that in
the old English sense there arc no party
leaders IN this county. In. English history,
when few great Wings or Tories had been
secured, the vote was virtually polled. But
this is not the fact in this country, and it IS
curious that shrewd politicians do not learn
1t Mr.. Webster thought Gen. Taylor's NOM
2nation "not fit to he made" but he found
himself marching alone. Mr.. Seward turned
to Andrew johnson, and prophesied forty
thousand majority for him in New York
RVt New York gave thirty thousand ma
3ority against him, and Mr.. Seward was DO
litically dead. Mr.. Chase said the war was
over, and toyed with Tammany-and Mr..
Chase disappeared.
Despite all these familiar instances the
Democratic managers insisted upon suppos-
ing that the detection of Mr.. Sumner and
others met Mt 8 dissolution of the Republican
party. BU. they were doubly mistaken. First
IN supposing that many Republicans would
follow the seceders into the Democratic lines,
and second, in supposing that the Democrats
would follow them in supporting a lifelong
enemy OF the Democratic party. In the ia
mIllar phrase, party may be sold, but it
cannot be delivered. All these calculators
forgot that an intelligent people decides for
Itself. Party ties with us are strong but
they are not invincible. It is because we
use parties as means and not as ends that we
prove our capacity to govern ourselves. We
honor men who maintain ably principles
that We approve. But we dc not therefore
adopt all the measures that they recommend.
The Republican party acknowledged, tor in
stance, the great service of Mr.. Sumner in
the long anti-slavery debate of the last
twenty years; but it was not therefore will
ing to commit the cause of equal rights to
ex-rebels and Copperhsads because he ad.
ylsed it. And had he accepted the Demo-
cratic nomina ion for Governor of Massa-
chusetts, although the State was probably
prouder of him than of any of her living
sons, she would have defeated him by sew
enty thousand majority.
The Democratic managers who saw certain
conspicuous leaders leave the Republican
lines did not see thai for every one of them
hundreds OF thousands of Republicans lust
as sincere and intelligent as they, but not
prominent nor known, chung all the more
closely to the party, and stroye all the more
zealously to defeat the cause which the Sc
ceders espoused. The Liberal orators vera
constantly vocIferating that it was the SOL
dlers, and not Gen. Grant, who suppressed
the rebellion; but they never thought of ap-
plying their argument to the political situa-
ton, and reasoning that it was the Republi-
can rank and file, not General here and
tneAeI "Ao were really important. This same
disposition to regard persons more than ten
denotes and principles was evident through
out the campaign. The coalition insisted al
ways upon personal argument. Mr.. Sum
ner's letter to the colored voters was devoted
to proving that Mr.. Greeley was better
Republican than Gen. Grant, until, perceiv-
ing that such an argument was useless, he
added that the Democrats were now as good
Republicans as the Republicans themselves.
The coalition tried 10 make an issue between
Grant and Greeley. The country knew that
the contest was one of the principles and
probabilities.
Henceforth the number of votes alienated
by "leaders" will not be reckoned in proper
ton to the ability of those leaders or their
conspicuous service. 1t will probably be
hereafter remembered that the most trusted
Leader" who, miscalculating the situation,
would Withstand the party instinct and i'm
peril the party principle and purp Sc, will
be promptly discarded by his associates
For they are associates, and not followers.
The great mass of the Republicans refused
to accompany Messrs. Sumner, Trumbull
and Schurz, and the best part OF the Demo
Gratis spurned the Leadership" that attempt
ed the coalition.-Harper's Weekly.