Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-04-09

that they will be unwise in doing so-the fact
that they do sc remains. They may be de-
feated, but they will be strong enough to pre-
serve their party organization, and to include
in it the great majority of these who have
| been in it hitherto. There are indeed hopes
and fears that enough Republicans may leave
the party standard to turn the scale in the ma
tional election. But no man doubts that there
will be distnctively Republican candidate,
and that at the very least large majority of
those now in the party will support him. The
New Hampshire election is profoundly signifi-
cant as to this. In the face Of the disaffection
of some Of the party's most honored leaders,
the Republicans of that State not only kept
their ranks together, but they were strong
enough to beat all their enemies. No; be the
issue of the Presidential campaign what it
may, the Republican party will not cease to
exist and be vigorous.
Suppose, then, that the candidate of the OPP
position be elected President Bywhose votes
will he have been elected2 In other words, on
whose support and cooperation must he. as
President depend? A handful from the Re-
publicans, and the whole of the democrats !!
For every vote he might have received from
a former republican, he must have had ten,
twenty, from Democrats. And the "new"
party supporting him would be made up in
overwhelming proportion of Democrats. This
is as plain as anything can be. And in such
case, it is as certain as anything in history
that the present numbers of the Democratic
party would have an overwhelming influence
in his administration. He would govern
mainly through them, or he would not govern
at all.
Could the country look with hope to an adj
ministration so controlled, for an improvement
of public affairs2
But, we are told, the new party would not
be the present Democratic party. We ans
wer, it would be made up of all the present
members of that party, reinforced by few
Republicans. Call it by what name you
please. Write what you please in its platform.
Its rank and file would be the men who have
hitherto resisted all those great ends and pol
icies which have made the Republican party
the party of progress, of justice and of liber-
ty. Even if the leaders of the old regime
the Bourbons of America-should not rise to
power, the subordinates would soon create
public sentiment around and within the party
which would prevent the very reform for the
sake of which SO many are clamoring for
new party.
There are other great issues to be settled.
and the status of the negro
are not yet sealed book. Eight years after
the war is far too soon to have settled forever
the questions which it bequeathed. Is the
country willing to trust these matters to new
hands, or to tumble of wise orators and
cunning politicians would the financial ques-
ton, and the Indian question, and all the
questions of domestic and foreign policy, be
safer under virtually Democratic than under
a Republican administration! Above all,
could the great reform of the times-the pu-
rification of the civil service-be furthered by
making the present Democratic party the pre-
dominating power in the government?
These are questions that ought to be we'll
weighed before the lines of the campaign are
drawn. 1t is natural to chafe at present I'M
projections, and to look hopefully for some
new and complete deliverance. But at such
a crisis, men ought to fully understand what
they are doing. With such course of things
as we have supposed, the question for voters
would be, not between Mr.. Trumbull, or Mr..
Greedy, or whoever he may be-and General
Grant. 1t would be not between men but par
ties; between the old democratic party re-
vamped and faced with q few virtuOus and
impracticable Republicans, and the Republi-
can party-somewhat battered by long and
stormy voyage, but sound and seaworthy yet.