Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-09-04
POLITICAL MAsQUERADING.

Last year, the Democratic leaders,
while wholly unregenerate in their
hearts, attempted victory by false pre-
tenses-by marching under false col
ors. They took for their candidate a
high-tariff Republican, and adopted a
platform which was Republican in all
its leading features. The people did
not believe in their sincerity, but they
vociferOusly swore they were in earn
est, and had in good faith turned their
backs upon the past. But now they
admit they attempted fraud, laugh in
the faces of the Liberals, and tell them
they never intended to abandon their
old faith and old party; and merely
wanted to use their fingers to pull the
chestunts out of the fire.
The Liberal Republicans believed
last year they had captured the De-
mocracy and led them to make final
remuneration of their old principles,
and to recognize in good faith the con-
stitutional amendments, the enfran-
chisement OF. the coloied race, and the
general results of the war. And their
ambition to accomplish this was a no.
BILE one, and might well appeal to the
highest patriotism; but all their efforts
have proved lamentable failure.
Last year, under their lead, the De-
mocracy professed to recognize the
natural and political rights of the col
ored man, and the validity of the 18th,
18th, and 18th Amendments; but in
their several State platforms this year
they significantly ignore all these
things, and repudiate their professions
of last year by declaring that upon all
great questions they stand where they
have always stood. And, as up to last
year they had denied the validity of
the amendments, and refused to accept
colored suffrage as finality, they have
again distinctly placed themselves
upon that ground.
What faith can the nation have in
any professions of reform made by
these politicians, who, after flirting
and masquerading on all political
questions, finally throw off the mask,
and, with derisive shouts, tell their
late allies: 1--WE were only trying to
use you; We are nothing but old-fash-
ioned, anti-war, pro-slavery Demo-
Gratis, and deny the existence of the
nation, and assert the sovereignty of
the States"
Mr.. Groesbeck, in his late letter, says
the surrender and confessions of last
year can not be recalled; but he forgets
that it was mere stratagem of the
war, and meant no more than when
during the rebellion rebel regiment
put on blue uniform to enable them
to effect surprise and victory.
THE OLD GUARD.
Justice requires me, however, to say
that all Democratic politicians are-hot
obnoxious to the charges 1 have just
made. Many of their Oldest and ablest
leaders resisted the attempted decep-
tion and the coalition of last Year, de-
claring that they wanted no bargain
with Liberal Republicans, no entang-
ling alliance with those who accepted
the amendments and the situation, and
they would not consent, even for sue
cess, to appear for a time to abandon
the DomOcratic party and its principles.
Among these L believe it is fair to
rank Senator Thurman, who l think
never consented follower the old Demo-
cratic standard.
The issues in this election are not of
our making. The revival of that old
superstition which the Chicago Times
describes as that "ancient and bad
smelling prejudice called the Democrat
ic party" compels us again to recur to
the unhappy memories of the past and
unroll the record of the crimes and mis-
fortunes of the rebellion.