The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-27

Pennsylvanfa-The Democratic Party
Views Of Alexander H. stephens ON
Csesarism.
The democracy Of Pennsylvania assemble
in State Convention to-day at Wilkesbarre for
the purpose Of nominating the State ticket
and proclaiming the principles and issues
upon which the party will take the field against
the republicans for their approaching October
State election. Following the lead OF their
brethren of Ohio, as in 1871 and 1872, 1t is
generally believed that the Pennsylvania
democrats, excepting the tariff question, will
substantially adopt the dogmas and doctrines
of the late Ohio Democratic Convention as
their new departure, which may be briefly
expressed as the absolute abandonment OF
the profitless Cincinnati and Baltimore coali-
ton, and return to the old party church
and ritual, ''unmixed with baser matter"
The reconstructed platform of the old organ
ization, as adopted in Ohio, embraces the de-
clarations that the democratic party seeks to
revive no dead issues; or, in other words, that
bodied in the thirteenth, fourteenth and
fifteenth amendments of the constitution; that,
nevertheless, 1t stands by its old principles,
which are suited to all times and circum-
Stances that it supports the federal govern
ment in its constitutional authority and OPP
poses notification and secession; that it
defends the reserved rights of the States and
kIo o,,A tbo i1ofiO
would impair or destroy them. Furthermore,
the Ohio democracy insist upon strict con-
struction of the constitution and oppose all
property qualifications for suffrage, and are in
favor of liberal law for the natural
ization of foreigners, and are opposed
to all monopolies, including the OPP
pressive monopolies of railway combinations,
and are particularly devoted to the good work
of redressing the wrongs and establishing the
rights of the agriculturists and other produc-
ing classes, and contend that the public do
main should be disposed of only to actual
settlers. But, lest there should otherwise be
some doubts as to the patent right for these
declarations, the Ohio democracy emphati-
cally denounce the Credit Mobilier frauds and
various other alleged corruptions of the ad-
ministration. and the ''back pay grab" and
the conduct of President Grant in signing the
bill, and ''the bayonet government of Loui-
siana, not chosen BY her people and having
no title whatever to rule them"
So far, this new democratic pronunoiamento
from Ohio will be plain sailing to the party in
Pennsylvania; but, in opposing ''the system
by which large portion of the proft-produc-
ing wealth of the country Is exempted
from TAXATION" and in insisting that our
tariff should be formed with q view to
revenue, and not to tax the community
for the benefit Of particular industries,
the Ohio democracy are crowding their
Pennsylvania brethren to the wall The latter
will not dance to this music Of free trade,
soften it as you may, and all attempts, looking
to the campaign Of '76, to make free trade the
shibboleth of the opposition to the party in
power will fail as signally as they failed in II.
| However, as revenue tariff is the old
platitude for the agricultural States, it may
continue to serve the purposes of "glittering
generality" if nothing more. The Pennsyl-
vania democrats, nevertheless will adhere at
least to the shadow of protection as in 1874,
when their Presidential battle cry was 'Polk,
Dallas Texas and the Tariff of A." This
issue and "those bonds excepted, we expect
that the new departure of the Pennsylvania
democrats will be substantially that of the
party in Ohio, and especially in the dropping
of the liberal republican as a make-weight of
no consequence and entitled to no further
consideration whatsoever. And from this
point we may date the abandonment, the dis
solution and the disappearance Of the liberal
republican faction. It has been weighed and
found wanting, and it ceases to be make
weight except in the history of the late Presi-
Dental campaign.
The democratic party returns to its own
affairs and, dropping the dead issues upon
which Mcclellan and Seymour were so sig
nally defeated with the disastrous coalition
upon Greeley, the old historical organization
reafirms its Jeffersonian ritual. In this posi-
ton we dare say that its future course to and
including the next Presidential contest will
be entirely in accordance with the views of
that distinguished Southern expounder of the
constitution, Alexander H. Stephens, as given
in the very interesting letter from Gainesville,
Ga, which we publish to-day, first, upon
Cesarism, and, next upon the mission, the
prospects and the true policy Of the demo
cratic party.
Mr.. Stephens does not think there is any
more danger Of Casarism from General Grant
in being elected President third time than
there was in his second or first election, espe-
cially if he confines the exercise of his execu-
tive powers hereafter to the same limits as
heretofore-that Casarism does not consist in
who is the Executive nor how long, but in