The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1873-11-13
From Harper's Weekly.]
The Promised Democratic Revival.

Some of the Democratic journals assert
that the result of the Ohio election will
be the renewed vitality of the Democratic
party, which will now be the only opposi-
tion party. All expectation of its disor-
ganization, or of the formation of new
party, say these journals, may be aban-
doned; the old Democratic guard neither
dies nor surrenders. Upon what grounds
then, does this party of slavery, repudia-
tion, and secession hope to regain the
confidence of the country? Its Ohio
platform must now be regarded as its
authoritative manifesto. That document
declares that the party Stands by its
principles" and the Convention which
| adopted it nominated a candidate who
was identified with them-an old partisan
of slavery and Copperhead. Yet the
same document asserts that while the
party stands by its principles, it seeks to
revive no deadissu 1t carefully omits,
however, to state what issues are dead
For if it had defined them, it would have
mentioned all the Democratic measures
of the last generation. The denuncia-
tions of dishonesty, the demand
of economy, and the protestations
of fidelity to the Constitution are
common to all parties and platforms
Upon what fundamental principles, what
system of policy, then, does the Demo-
cratic party propose to oppose the Repub-
lican?
SONG, of its journals would like to have
it considered free-trade party But
the truth is in the way. Its Presidential
candidate last year was the most con-
spicuous protectionist in the country.
No party which nominated Horace Gree
ley for the Presidency can assume to be
free-trade party unless it admits itself
to be dishonest. The himsy Cincinnati
resolution of last year does not conceal
the fact of surrender That resolution
declared that the question should be left
| to the districts. Is that a principle?
Of course and by the necessity of our po-
litical system it is left to the districts
But party is an association of men who
hold views which they wish the districts
to sustain, and which appeals TO all the
people in every district with the most
persuasive arguments it can command.
To say that question is left to the dis
tricts to decide is to say that it is not
party tenet Did the Democratic party
leave the question of the United States
Bank, or of internal improvements, or of
a Sub-Treasury, or of the extension of
slavery, under cover of the Congressional
territorial power, to the districts without
argument? When the Democatic party
nominated Mr.. Greeley it deliberately
renounced the claim of free-trade party
Last year it said distinctly that it left
| the question of protection to the people
in the districts. This year it INSISTS"
upon a revenue tariff and demands it.
Mr.. Orator Puff had two tones in his
voice. The Democratic party had no
principle whatever upon the subject, and
the proof is its conduct and its professions
| within the same twelve-month.
But if it has not this, what other prin-
ciple has it? Is it return to specie pay
ment? Senator Thurman expressly
deprecated such course at present, and
the Ohio platform, regretting, as every
party and every body regrets, an ire
deemable currency, does not demand re-
turn to specie payment, but only that the
return shall be cautious and considerate
of the debtor class The foolish New
York platform, indeed, "demands" spe-
Gle payment. But that only shows that
the party is not harmonious, and has no
! principle upon the subject. The Ohio
| platform covertly demands taxation of
| the bonds Is that "principle' upon
which the party means to go to the coun-
try? The platform asserts the rights of
the States, condemns Capitalization, de-
nounces usurpation. Certainly: so does
every good citizen of every party. And
what party pronounces against the rights
of the States, or favors Capitalization, or
countenances usurpation? This is the
cheapest kind of defamation The ques-
ton is one of Interpretation. What is
Capitalization what are the limits of
State rights what constitutes usurpa-
ton? The platform defines no princi-
pies upon the subject. But the implica-
ton is that the Republican party prac-
tically disregards the just rights of the
States, whatever they may be and favors
some kind of Capitalization and usurpa-
ton. All this the Republican party de-
nies, and therefore the Democratic appeal
becomes really one Of administration, 1t
has no. revenue principle, as its talk
4 about free trade and its nomination OF
: Mr.. Greeley show. 1t proposes no finan-
cial system, not even agreeing upon an
immediate return to specie payments
And it has only vague phrases to offer