Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-01-06
1ailp Nennebet 9ournal
"A U 6 U Ia.
SATURDAY MORNING. Jan. 8, 1879.
ATTEMPTS At FUSION.

here and there one, dissatisfied with their
position in the party, are casting about for
a new deal through a fusion with the dem
ocratic party. These men were at the
bottom of the new departure policy adopt
ed by the democratic party last year.
They are also the originators of the pas
siye policy now being urged upon the
democratic organization. Despairing of
being able to prevent the denomination of
President Grant for President, they aim to
defeat his election by an alliance with the
enemies of the republican party. But
they find they have undertaken difficult
task. Confidence in President Grant is so
strong that the republican conspirators
cannot disturb it sufficiently to give them
any following. "Cnless they can carry
respectable portion of the rank and file
with them, these dissatisfied republicans,
all claiming leadership and reward, would
be source of weakness rather than
strength to the democracy. In order to
present plausible case, they are engaged
III efforts to bring some republican into
the field who will serve as the candidate
of the fusionists. The New York Sun,
which is one of the organs of the faction
lists. came out on the Sd, in long editori-
al article in favor of the nomination of
Senator Trumbull The latter portion OF
the article is as follows: -
and on these Mr.. Trumbull and large body
of his Republican associates are in close ac-
cord with the great mass of the Democratic
party. The cordial union of these two ele-
ments is essential to success in the approach
ing Presidential struggle. These Kepubi-
cans will follow the lead and share the for
tunes of Mr.. Trumbull; but the large major
ity of them will not embark on board purely
Democratic craft under a straight out Demo-
cratic pilot. Mr.. Trumbul is of Democratic
training, has held high trusts under the Dem
ocratic party, and now agrees in opinion on
most important questions with the wisest
statesmen of that party. Why, then, should
they not accept him as their candidate for
1872? The only answer which can be given
Is at hand. In the past few years he has diff
tered with the Democratic policy and the
Democratic party. But that policy has been
exploded, and the party which sustained it
has not won a national victory in the last
fourteen years; and moreover, and this is
conclusive on the point we are now discuss
ing, you cannot convince the four or five hun
dred thousand Republicans who hail Mr.
Trumbull as their leader that in his differ
ences with the Democratic party he was not
the truer Democrat, and was not right while
the party was wrong.
The above outlines the plan But al
though the Sun declares that Trun,bull
will take the nomination of the fusionists
if rendered him, there is probably no GER
tainty of that The experience of promi-
nent republicans who have undertaken the
experiment of leading any portion of the
party over into the democratic camp has
not been such as to encourage others to
follow their example. The opportunity is
not very inviting. Too many skeletons
line the way. The tealty of the republ-
can party to its principles is too strong to
be broken. Republicans read and under
stand too well to be caught by fusion
chaf. The prospect of reform by joining
hands with party that elects Tammany
robbers for Legislators is hopeless. And
besides the difficulty of enticing republi-
cans into the scheme, the democracy OBJ
! ject to giving up their organization and
accepting republican leaders. Their prin-
ing OF the party is doubtless expressed in
the following paragraph from the Boston
Post, which occurs in an article relating to
the movement in Hamilton county, Ohio,
for new party
There is party already existing in the
/ country, that has never swerved from the
very ground which the honest men of Hamil
ton county now assume. The first and most
pertinent question would be- whether there
is more need of organizing another party to
enforce these measures than there is of launch
4 ing the measures themselves by the shortest
! method. The democratic party stands and
4 proclalms the urgency of every one of the re-
forms moved by the men of Ohio and it free.
ly invites cooperation from every quarter in
carrying them out. 1t puts forth no protests
or professions in a partisan spirit, but pro-
poses union of all, whatever their past po-
/ iiucal procliviteS or preludices, to secure the
/ work which is eXlgent in the country's affairs.
To entirely ignore such an organization at
this time, is not very promising for the results
aimed for. 1t certainly is not expected that
these reforms are to be achieved without the
help ot the democrats. Aud ii they are nu-
merically preponderant and possess COM
pact and firm organization all ready for the
undertaking besides, it must be more than a
common excuse that will explain the entire
disregard OF the only body that can be relied
on or prove at all effective.
This looks as though The new party can
not reckon very safely upon even demo
cratic support. But the article in the Sun
will call for~some notice on the part OF
Mr.. Trumbull. a few days will shed
more light upon the subject.
GENERAL hEJHS