New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-01-04
Bungling Political Tactics.


Bungling Political Tactics.
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In politics as in, war q wise leader nsver
permits himself to be placed on the defensive.
A defensive campaign is always losing one,
whether in war or politics. Gen. MoCLELLAN
gave the country painful and Notifying
military illustration of this truth during the
frst eighteen months of the rebellion, and the
Democratic party gave MS quite as forcible
1868, in permitting themselves to be placed
always on the defensive, as MCCLELLAN did
while at the head Of our armies All he at
tempted, or ali he voluntarily attempted in
the field was to resist the aggressive blows of
the enemy, and so he was always defeated, or
never victorious, which was practically the
same thing All the Democratic leaders at
tempted to do, or at any rate, oil they were
permitted to do, in the political campaign of
these years was to defend their lines from the
well directed and persistent attacks of their
watehful opponents. They had by their crimes
placed themselves in such a vulnerable posi-
ton, that, SO far from being able to act on the
aggressive, they were unable even to defend
themselves. So they were subject to defeat
after defeat in every political contest from the
time they plunged the nation into rebellion
for the benefit of slavery until after General
GRANTS election to the Presidency
But they seem to have learned wisdom from
their disgraceful defeats, and to have decided
on different policy. Though the Democracy
cannot otter its criminal record nor wipe the
bloody stains from its hands any more than
the leopard can change its spots, it can ignore
them and abandon their defence This it has
done, and the country is now witnessing the
remarkable spectacle of seeing the party which
saved the nation from its treason denounced as
no more worthy the peoples confidence, and the
man who led our armies to victory arraigned
IS corruptionist, base, unprincipled dema
gogue, and an ignorant pretender. Abandon
ing every effort to defend themselves against
the truthful charges Of treason, corruption,
and disloyalty during the war, and enmity to
the Government and all its great interests
since, they have turned accusers and prosecu-
tors, aud have taken the saviors of the
nation before the bar of public opinion on
charges as destItute or truth as they nave
proved themselves to be destitute Of patriotism,
integrity, and candor.
False as these charges are known to be,
however, and as strange as the statements may
seem, it is nevertheless true that the Demo
cratic leaders have, to a large extent, accom-
plished the object which led to this change of
tactics. That object was to carry on an sg-
gressive warfare in the pending Presidential
campaign, and to place the Republicans ON the
defensive. Many of the friends of the AID
ministration have fallen into the trap, and are
actually devoting all their time and talents in
replying to charges that President GRANT is q
corrupt and dishonest man-prostituting the
patronage of the Government to corrupt pur.
poses-approving and participating in frauds
upon the Treasury-corruptly using his posi-
ton to enrich himself-and that his professions
in favor of civil service reform are hypocritical
and insincere. There is not Democrat
in the nation who believes one of these charges
to be true, and the people only despse the lying
knsves who make them and cling the more
closely to General GRANT. Yet such papers
as Harper's Weekly, edited by a man who be-
lieves that politics is only another name for
and who has endeavored to rid the
world of the curse, has undertaken seriously
to reply to these trumped-up charges. In the
m lost gingerly terms they rebuke the rebel libel
lers of the President, and think CARL ScHUss
is little unjust, though Internationally so,
in insinuating that the President is directly
involved in certain stupendous frauds going Oh
in the New York Custom. house. They rather
think it cannot be true, and that his oppo
nents ought not to make such injurious impu
tatious. 1t IL all wrong!
Our opinion is that these infamous charges,
out of whole cloth for q bad pur.
pose, like their villsinous authors, should be
treated with utter contempt. The people will
not accept Copperheads and rebels, nor sore
head Republicans, as valid witnesses against
proves that he is an honest as well as an able
and true man, as his course during the rebel
lion and his success in the field proved
him to be patriotic man as we'll ss q great
general. So the people will laugh to scorn the
Efforts of those who were aiding and abetting
The enemy while he was fighting him, or when
tired Of their weakly labors on the side of the
country in those days of trial, like this same
Mr. SoHURz. to destroy the good name of one
who serves them 80 we'll and the country with
such honor. Let us charge home upon the
traitor Democracy these crimes and corruptions,
Ind the people will take care of Gen. GRANT
while he continues as true as he did before and