Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-08-21
WHY THE PEOPLE SUSTAIN THE
REPUBLICAN, PARTY.

An article in the Christian Union OF this
week discusses the question "f politica!
parties and political ISSUES. IN it the
writer inquiries why it is that the people
still continue to support the republican
party, while the issues upon which it came
into existence have become obsolete.
The answer which he gives to his query
is substantially that they are afraid to
trust the democracy. Although the
slavery question is settled, confidence in
the democratic party has been so COM
pletely broken that ii cannot be restored.
The elections" says the writer, ''since
1860 prove that the sober, second thought
of the American people repudiates the
party which sold itself and its country to
an aristocracy of slave breeders and slave
buyers. which twisted the national consti-
tuition into an instrument for the nation
alization of slavery, and which could re-
spond to threatened or attempted seces-
sion, only by unlimited concession.
Malecontents may cry out as much as they
will against the administration and the
majority in Congrcss--they may talk till
they are weary about 'nepotism' ant
'Caesarism,' about yenal members of Con
gress, about IMMIGRANTS to railroad corpor
atoms. about baek-pay and all that bu
the people win not believe that the
admin Strafion IF Rucbanon cr af D;aroo
was more honest or more patriotic OF
less mindful Of party interests and behests,
than the administration of Grant. If we
could have, TO day, the personal question
between Pierce and Grant, or between
Buchanan and any man whom the repub-
lican party might nominate as Grants sue
cessor. there is no doubt what the voice
of the people would be-
Now who does not know. except the
Bourbon democracy, that the ideas which
we have quoted are very near the truth
1t should he added that there are better
reasons for sustaining the republican par
ty than these, reasons which take hold of
the future destiny OF the country, the con
dition OF the blacks. the settlement of
questions which will arise growing out of
the war. questions of the deepest import
ance, but without these, there is enough
in the want of confidence in the democrat
ic party to hold the republican together
and make it victorious over all opposition
that the democracy can bring against it.
And yet, with republican writer's point
ing out to the democracy the stumbling
block which their party name is to them,
and with large portion of their own par.
t. praying that the name and organization
be dropped, the Bourbon leaders manifest
their wisdom by raising the party stand
ard. Here in Maine they show their as
tuteness by excluding all but democrats
from their State Convention selecting n
man as candidate for governor because
he has always been democrat, and re-
newing their allegiance to the resolves of
'9S and the acts of Pierce and Buchanan.
The probability is that Mr.. Titcomb and
his Bourbon friends viii learn in Scptem.
Der that they have not displayed Il large
amount of craftsmanship or brains in the
course which they have pursued. 1t was
one thing to manage the convention, but
to bnAg out voters upon what they hon
estly bookeye to be only a FOOLS errand, to
vote for'Mr Tncomb and the spectre OF
'9S, will be very different matter Gree
ley democrats will have fine opportunity
to retaliate upon the Bourbon democrats
when the election returns are declared,
for we shall be greatly deceived il the
democratic vote il not smaller than that
thrown by the party at any election for
the last half dozen years. Under any
name or with any platform the democracy
OF Maine cannot carry the State. bnt moth.
ing could more certainly foreshadow
their overwhelming defeat than the policy
which the Bourbons have thrust upon the
party
PoPossi that Americans should have n