The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-11-19
Taking Time by the FOreloCk,

Already the politicians are preparing for
the "next time" They are quite early. 1t
won't do to put secd in the ground too
soon-the cold earth rots the seed, and even
where it ger1ninates and sends up the young
shoots al untimely frost often nips them in
the bud, and the midday sun blasts the poor
strugglers for existence, and soon there is no
trace left of them.
The papers are talking about parties and
Hprinciples stuff land now and then
'letter-writer intimates that preparations are
being made for organization Of this and that,
and this and that prominent man is intend
ing to do something very surprising.
The most palpable and substantial form
tic preparation for the future has taken Is In
the proceedings of the Liberal Republicans
and Democrats of Ohio, which seem to have
been directed chiefly by that great man Sem
ator THURMAN. We publish this morning
their address, understood to have been pre-
pared by the senator, and we invite attention
10 it. .
Z The movement Is interesting, but what
effect can 1t have upon events four years
hence? None, we suppose. There never
has been ct any previous period Of the his
tory Of this country more confusion In M
tional politics. The war has broken up the
issues that divided parties before it occurred
The war party inevitably dies. Its vitality
has been maintained wonderfully, but il
must die. What is to follow, no man can
tell. Certainly no party that existed prior
TO The war can reippcar with its old plat
form, for the Government Is settled upon a
new basis, and anti.w,r issues do not apply
to it. The Government Is indeed "the Gov
ernment Of the people of the United States"
and tho acts Of the mon they put In power
cannot DO resisted by tho States. That is
settled. The new parties must conform to
IL, and conGno themselves entirely to the
questions Of what sort OF measures arc best
for the welfare OF the nation,
We cannot see how 1t Is possible for old
parties and old issues to be revived any more
than we can see how the old tobacco-roller
can run against the railroad. There must
be an entirely new order of Thugs and
those who move FIRST will possibly be mos;
certainly doomed to defeat.
Possibly the uncertainty Of the future i.
Increased by the probable course Of Genera
GRANT, who appears to be determined te
administer the Government Irrespective Of
the leaders Of the Republican party. Ii
& other words, he does not seem inclined
10 indicate hs successor. II he wer,
so Inclined, we do not believe he would
be successful; for the instances W,
have prove the utter failure of any sucl
attempt. The people seem to think
quite enough that they should give mar
their support, and that 1t is more than b
should ask Of them that he should compe
Them 10 vote for his fayorite. That took
TOO like dictation.
But, apart from the question as to whether
GRANT may or may not throw his in1uenc,
IN anybody's scale, be certainly seems dis
Posed to cut loose from mere party and nd
minister the Government according to hi:
own will. THIS cannot facilitate party organ
izatioD, and adds some obscurity to that fu.
lure which we think Is darker thug we evel
knew it so far as concerns politicians and
s,aFty matters. We shall not he surprised a,
anything that may turn UP, and are clearly
Of opinion that the wise men" will be ut
terly obfuscated by events. Men and poll
eies viii be moved about on the stage
strangely, and the ruling spirits that will mp.
pear are probably not now dreamed of.
Rely upon 1t, that early movements are
10. likely to be the most successful.