The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1872-07-27
vigilance the Price Of Liberty.

Vigilance the Price Of Liberty.
We have elsewhere spoken Of the ability
and The craft Of the Democratic party. There
should be no foolish confidence among Re-
publicana. From the time that We first came
into power we have found II necessary to
mako tho most strennous sxertion to defeat
the enemy At each election. In 1862, in this
State, We were all very sure that Wadsworth
must, Of course. be elected, but Seymour was
chosen. Even in the Presidential election OF
1864 there were many who doubted the ISSUE
although the elections were held only in the
loyal States. This year there are peculiar
reasons for the hope of the Democratic patty
for their success.
The FIRST is that General Grant is the actua
President, and 10 held responsible for every
fault and short.coming Of the Administration.
Four years ago he was invested with the halo
Of his military glory only. Indeed, of nm I'M
tried candidate whom the people honor every
thing is possible. He is the type Of every
generous hope and aspiration. In the burn
ing rhetoric Of the campaign his Administra-
ton 10 foretcld as an ideal epoch, golden
age of purity aud reform. There is sublime
disregard of actual difficulties, of the necessa-
~ limitations, of the conditions Of human
weakness. Every body enthusiastically be-
lisves that his private expectations will be full
lIal n,nk sftor dvn;n ctrat ~ forsp
years, during which there must have been err
rors of many kinds and various disappoint-
ments, reasonable and unreasonable, the ar
gument shifts from the Imagination to expert
fence. The opposing party seizes upon.every
slip and mistake, exaggerates it, distorts it,
maligns its motives; and tho friends of tie
Administration not only lose the vantage
ground of the Imagination, but are thrown
upon the defensive.
II is the other side, the opposition, which
now revels in promises and hopes and glori.
GUS prophecy. Its old ofenses are dimmed
by distance. We to-day. for instance, hear
that General Grant is nepotist and taker
OF gifts; but We sometimes forget that we
UcAE II CWCuy AOA bn0 vVIy PCi0Ouo WIZ
saw without murmur treason plotted in the
last Democratic cabinet, and Buchanan, the
last Democratic President, feebly wringing
his hands, while Jere riah Black, the las
Democratic Secretary Of State, told him that
he had no power to save the nation. This did
not trouble the pure and patriotic party, eager
for reform, which now roars with indignation
because the Presidents brother-in-law fills
some Office in the White House. There is a
new generation of voters which knew not Blu.
chanan or the Democratic party, to whom the
appeal is made. The errors of the actual Adj
minissration, whatever they may be, tend to
weaken the argument for its continuance, and
lis supporters must not suppose that victory
will win itself.
The second chief reason for the hope of the
Democrats is derived from the first: 1t is the
secession of a certain number Of Republicans
from their party. The Democrats have nom-
mated Mr.. Greeley because they think or hope
that he will divert Republican votes enough
from General Grant to secure Democrs tic
success. They very uncertainty of the mum.
Der is inspiring. lgnotun, pro ssagnifco. They
can declare that the breach is enormous and
fatal; that the disaffected Republicans will
swarm at the polls that the party is ire.
trieyably demoralized and the louder the
Democrats shout, the more enthusiastic and
confident they will become. They will de.
clare to the large number who like to vot,
with tho successful side that the whole Dem
ocratic party in alliance with this indefinit,
host Of Republicans will sweep the country
They will swear that the sovereign people ar,
rising in all the majesty of their power t.
save civilization and America BY restoring tb,
Democratic party to power but they vii
call it by another nams-reform, or purity, o.
antique simplicity, or Liberal RepubIcanism
Here, again, Republicans must renembe
that there i a secession from tie party. Il
New York, for instance, some who have bee,
always politically allied are now strangely il
| hostile camps; some CT US honestly seeming
to Others supporters of corruption, other
seeming to US madly bent upon betray ing JUS
tice and liberty, and tramplng the dead in thei
graves. In this confusion it is of the last in,
portance that every Republican who believe
that the principles he has always supporte
are as true as ever, and who thinks that the
can better be administered in the gov srnmen
by their constant friends than by their bite
enemies, ston!d not lull himself into a falls
and stupid security. We have no doubt wha,
ever that large majority of the voters of th
United States desire the reelection of Gene,
al Grant to secure the defeat and destructio
OF the Democratic party. But we do not sur
pose that the mere fact Of that majority wi
produce that result.
There ust be thorough organization. whic
implies every means of bringing the truth {
the situation home to every voter, and bring
ing every voter 10 the polls. With this ther
must be nominations to every Office of til
very best men who can consent to be cand
dates, men of spotless character, of know
ability, and of political fidelity. Every bod
who counsels a questionable nominatio
should be considered to be an ally of the enc
my. One way to secure this result is for II
Republican papers to declare that they wi
denounce nominations which they know to 1
improper. The Democratic party and il
candidate, Horace Greeley, are not to be Dc
feated by sleeping and dreaming that all
well, but BY vigorously making all vel. - Ha,
per's Weekly, July "a.
The Hon. A. G. Porter, Of Indiana, in al
dressing convention recently, said that AT.
the battles of Forts Henry ard Douelson, al
after the battle Of Pittsburg Landing, white
was halt victory an half defeat, when Il
scolds of the country rose against Grant,
self-cor stituted committee of them called Vi