Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-07-30
WANTS Il NEW PARTY.

Mr. Groesbeck of Ohio does not agree
with those democrats who are laboring to
re-organize their party on ante-belium
principles, as his letter recently published
shows. Being mentioned and interviewed
as the democratic candidate for governor
he declines the honor proffered, and in th'
letter Of which we have spoken, gives hi
views in regard to the political situation
His first proposition is that the democratic
party is the same as dead. Il believe,
says he, 'the historical democratic organ
CO citation is spoiled. Blundering constant
sly during the past ten years. and shatter
led by many defeats, it surrendered final
..ly at the last Presidential election. 1t can
''not recall that surrender or the confess
zion then made. and it has no longer
strength enough for victory. That a
democrat SO prominent as Mr.. Groesbeck
should make the above confession is very
significant. Thousands of democrats agree
with his opinion, but there are few who
have the courage to state what they think
as boldly as he has. Having thus avowed
the weakness of the old party. he pro-
poses the formation of new one to take
its place. Looking the field over and see
ing the democracy utterly PROSTATE he
says: "In this extremity it win be wise
''to lay aside the old organization and en-
''ter into new one. The new organiza-
''tion should accept the results of the war,
las was done at Baltimore, and it should
accept them in good faith and SO as to
command the confidence of the people !;
''and in order to command the confidence
..of the people the new organization
"should be something different from re-
cast Of the old one. There should be
mo exclusiveness about it, nor should it
"bc merely democratic.
Mr.. Groesbeck would call his new par
y the "Liberal Democracy" It's princi-
pies he would have somewhat like those
adopted at Baltimore, and yet on the tariff
radically different. He would assent to
negro suffrage, oppose monopolies and
Capitalization, favor free trade and strict
construction of the constitution. How his
new party could be any more orthodox
upon negro suffrage than the republican
party we fail to comprehend, or be any
more opposed to monopolies and centrali-
cation. The main plank in Mr.. Groes-
beck's platform is that in favor of free
trade, which is phrase so indefinite in
meaning as it used by those who pretend
to advocate it that to fully understand Mr.
Groesbeck he will have to write another
letter IN explanation. It's a phrase which
sounds well, but principle which even
Adam Smith admits to be impracticable
and therefore MIR. Groesbeck will have te
tell us what he means when he talks about
prohibitory tariff and free trade.
But the democrats of Maine are forbid
den by the call for their State Conven,io,
to adopt Mr.. Groesbeck's ideas and sue
gestions. They have taken their positio
with MIR. Thurman. They have ha
enough of Liberals" and propose no
to 60 back to the resolutions of 9S, whio
Mr.. Groesbeck sneers at, to discover
they can their precise meaning. Thes
varying opinions of democrats in Ohio an
elsewhere make certain one thing, TIL
the party is sadly demoralized, divided
without principle. and drifting about in
political fog from which they cannot fin
deliyerance.