Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-08-21
Democracy in Distress.

The Democrats of Ohio assembled in
convention, the 9th inst, resurrected a
fossil as candidate for Governor, re-
pudiated all connection with the Allen
County movement, and adopted a
string of platitudes in resolutions of
much sound and fury, but signifying
nothing. 1t is hardly possible to seri-
ously consider the doings of men who
shout themselves hoarse over the NOM
ination at this late day of such man
as Mr.. William Allen for Governor of
great State. Gifted, it is true, with
great abilities, and of irreproachable
private character, politically he is the
most vulnerable of candidates. He has
been through long life consistent
Bourbon Democrat. Belonging to the
era before the war, he can have no
sympathy with the needs and aspira-
tions of the present. Always the de-
votee of party, he was misled by the
action of his party into thorough sup
port of its antiwar policy, end into ac-
quiescence in all the demands of the
slavery propagandists. Whatever the
Democrats may resolve to be their
present principles, the nomination of a
candidate like this declares them to be
welded to the delusions of the past.
But the Democrats are careful not to
declare their principles with any dis
tinctness. They fight shy ofsthat
declaration as to the political equality
of all men with the World implored
them to utter. On the contrary, they
only say "The Democratic party seeks
to revive no dead issues, but stands by
its principles, which are suited to all
times and circumstances" 1t was a
Democratic precept, as well as practice,
admirably suited to the time of Demo-
cratic ascenGency to kill "niggers."
Are we to infer that this sport is to be
revived in case these people regain
power? But these Democrats go furth-
er and repeat the old party sroan about
the reserved rights OF the States and
their opposition to Capitalization. All
this has most familiar sound. We
heard it uttered with most vigor when
Democrats were stealing forts and slay-
ing loyalists. The people know what
it means coming from Democrats, and
want none of it. Having INDUCED in
these vague but glitteriug generalities,
these Democrats deal with other issues
with the utmost caution. They spread
a clumsy trap of honeyed words for the
farmers, whom they call "agricultur-
ists;" they recognize the evils of an
irredeemable currency, but insist that
in the return to specie payments care
shall be taken not to seriously disturb
the business of the country" whatever
that may mean. These utterances are
fair specimen of this platform as
whole, and it VIII be seen that rarely
has performance fallen SO far below
promise. 1t was expected of this con-
vention that it would plant the Democ-
racy on a line with the present; it has,
OH the contrary, both in its candidate
and its platform, clung to the dead
past.
1t is not possible that any Democrat
supposes his party can run winning
race in Ohio with the auspices under
which it was started yesterday. There
is certain to be widespread disaffection
in the party, if not triangular contest,
as consequence of the complete and
studied ignoring of the new party
movement which was lately inaugu-
rated. The Liberals cannot be expected
to kiss the hand that smites them in
this ugly fashion. The voter who be-
lieves that his Government was right
in making war upon the rebellion can
hardly vote for Mr.. Allen. The citizen
who belives that the time has come to
fully and heartily recognize the Repub-
lican principles upon which the nation
was finally established by the war,
cannot support "A party that speaks as
the Democracy did yesterday. De-
ceived by the prestige of a name in
former generation, and confused by
completely in the political crimes of
their party in former period, the
Democrats of Ohio have finally and
irrevocably decided that they will be
true to the errors of the past and false
to the present. This means defeat, of
course, but they seem to prefer defeat
to hearty acquiescence in the system of
political truth which their opponents
have enthusiastically. Y. Times.