Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-08-08

less imperfectly organized bodies of cltl
zens: namely, the Liberal Republicans and
the Farmers Oranges. It is not merely
probable, but certain, that these three Or.
CARNATIONS (if they all deserve the name
of organzationsEth Democratic party
the Farmers Oranges, and the Liberal Re
publicans-comprise among them, ma
Ijority of the voters of the United States
It might therefore seem desirable, on SUI
perfcial view, that they should be melted
down and blended into one powerful, con
trolling organization. This is a pretty
air castle, pleasing to sentimental and Sc
ductive to trading politicians, but never
destined to descend from shifting cloud
land to solid foundations on te1ra-1irnaG
We will prove that it is political dream
and that it is not desirable even if it were
practicable. Undesirable, we mean, from
a Democratic point of view.
What is Liberal Republicanism? 1t is
Repu6lic01aism minus General Grant. It is
notorious that Messrs. Greeley, Sumner
Trumbull, Schufz, Banks, Gratz Brown
Farnsworth, and the rest, would not have
seeded from the Republican party, last
year, if they had believed there was any
chance of defeating Grant in the regular
Il Republican National Convention. It was
personal hostility to that--new recruit, anc
not wanting confidence in, much less re
nunciation of, Republican principles
which inspired that revolt. Mr.. Greeley
or Mr.. Summer, on Mr.. Trumbull, or Mr.
Banks would gladly have accepted the reg
ular Republican nomination If he coulo
have got it, and have fought and traducec
the Democratic party with all his former
zeal. They hated Grant and we hated him
and this common.personal hatred was thu
bond of union in5he coalition last year.
Now, it is quite impossible for the Demo
cratic party to dissolve and enter new
Organization of which the basis is Repub
licanism minus Grant. ItWould bea sink
ing of all that is valuable and distinctive
in Democratic principles. And yet this is
what the handfuFof Liberal Republicans
have the audacity to demand as the condi
ton of united action!
The Farmers Oranges, which present nc
such surprising demand, make nearer ap
proach to Democratic principles. Theil
supreme motive is not personal hostility
to an individual, but the protection O.
prices for the products of their industry
ICJ OtICy GlIC 1ODCCI Wy oilC 1cb1A'
roads, robbed by the tariff, robbed by pa
per money. Theyhave no wide-reachfng
comprehensive theory of government; they
aim only at the redress Of specific griev-
ances. The Democratic party entertains
the Farmers view of these particular evils
as it shares the hostilityssof the Liberal Re
publicans to General Grant; but it can nc
more dwarf itself to the economical reforms
sought by the one than to the persona
change of administration which would sat
isfy the other. The Democratic party in
cludes the aims ofboth; yet these are but
a mere corner or fraction of the compre
hensive Democratic policy. The Democ-
racy are great deal more than an anti
Grant party; a great deal more than al
lanti-monopoly or anti tariff party. Dem
ocrats by conviction cannot surrender al
that is most cherished in their politica
fr er doF srs AMI ghaa az e na
sympathize with any view which makes
these the chief objects of party organi
zation. Christianity inculcates temper
ance; Christianity teaches charity; but
it would nevertheless be absurd to dis,
band the ChristiankC Church and merge it in
a conjoint association Of temperance soci
cites and charitable institutions. The p0ao
en- of Christianity resides in the doctrines
which it does not share with such associ
ations.
Democracy, as a distinctive political te-
net, rests upon profound conviction OF
the capacity of man for selfgovernment
and an equally profound sense of the con-
slant tendency of political power to steal
from the many to the few. It is the CHIEF
aim of Democracy to curtail and circum-
scribe the sphere of governmental action
Democracy does not look upon man as q
wild beast that needs keeper, or as q
slave that needs master, or as child
that needs leading strings, but as an intel
ligent being capable of self-direction.
The Democratic party of this country
has always been distinguished as the par,
ty which denies to the Federal Govern
ment all authority to which it cannot make
out clear title; the party which has OPP
posed it's exercise Of conceded powers in
such manner as to interfere with the
freedom and self direction of private busl-
ness and industry. For the first sixty
years after the Democratic party came into
power it had a great victorious career
But the civil war undid great deal of the
past work of the party. War is always
Eunfavorable to Democracy. The necessity
of putting forth the whole strength of the
.country clothes the Government with vast
Eprerogatives and accustoms the people to
Iacquiesence. The enormous growth OF
patronage and expense, besides its corrupt
ing tendency, fosters the habit Of looking
up to Government as an irresistible, over
shadoWing influence against which it is
vain for the people to contend. Democra
cy was put back whole generation by
our four years. war. All true Democrats
recognize the difficulties of the situation
and feel that work is laid on them ever
greater than belonged to the generation O.
which Jefferson was the leader. He haC
no such obstacles to encounter in reducing
Federal authority to its just proportions
as confront us when the patronage of the
Government has been increased ttty-told
His great battles and Jackson's are all tC
be fought over again, and the Democrats
of this period will not prove unworthy o
their liberty loving predecessors. But tho
first of all requisites to success is a clea1
. perception of the object at which Ameri
can Democracy has always aimed-tht
wrestling Of power from the Federal Gov
eminent and it's restoration to the people
Neither the Farmers Oranges nor the
: Liberal Republicans have been baptized
into the spirit of this high mission. The.
may prove valuable nurseries OF Democra
cy, but as yet they are mere shoots anc
seedlings. If we were to descend to thel
level, Democratic principles would soo1