Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1874-11-13
After the Battle.

The prudent General after the battle,
whether it results in victory or defeat, and
as soon as the smoke has cleared away
sufficiently, will take careful survey of
his position and determine as to his future
course. If defeat has been his fate, he will
endeavor to see how best he may prepare
to mend his fortunes on another day. III
victory has been the result of his efforts
he will seek at once to take such prompt
and necessary steps as will enable him to
reap its fruits and secure the beneficient
results of lasting peace. peace hath
her victories no less renowned than war"
and the elections of the Sd of November
have been victory to the Democratic
party not less disastrous to their opponents
than was the battle Of Waterloo to the for
tunes Of Napoleon Bonaparte. All that is
needed now is wise craftsmanship to en-
able that party to reap the fruits of their
victory by obtaining entire control of the
National Government. We say that the
election has resulted in a victory to the
Democratic party because the candidates
nominated by that party were elected But
nobody will be so blind as to believe that
all the people who voted for the nominees
o. that party were Democrats or converted
to Democratic principles. Take for in
stance Massachusetts,. No sensible man
will suppose to-day that she is more Demo
cratic than she was six months or a wear
ago, yet nowhere was the Democratic vic
tory more signal and its triumphs more
marked than in the old Bay State There
its-eandidates stood fair and square upon
the time-honored principles of the party.
We take this Republican State as type.
The same thing occurred elsewhere. Now
what does all this mean? 1t means simply
that the people, disguised with the leaders
of the dominant party, have made up their
minds to give the Democratic party a trial.
For years they have trusted the Republican
party because of its war and anti-slavery
record-trusted it implicitly, with faith
that would have been sublime if bestowed
on more worthy object-trusted it dur
ing the war to pour out the blood and
treasure of the country, until the one was
wasted like water and the other squander
Ell until bankruptcy had almost resulted
trusted it for nine weary years since, whilst
a horde Of thieves and robbers filed all
the high places of the land and gorged
themselves with public pluAdcr-trusted
it until these minions seemed to think that
the land and the fairness thereof was for
rage upon outrage Of law, justice, and hui
man rights in ever way had been piled
mountain high, Pelion on Ossa, when the
industries ofthe country were all PROSTATE,
and the rulers thought still only of their
own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, and whilst every
vestige of liberty was being fast obliterat
ed and ruin staring all in the face, and
there was no warning cry from the trusted
party and its leaders-Rome was burning
and Nero was fiddling-then this long
trusting and much-abused people aroused
themselves, even as Sampson in the temple,
and in their frantic efforts to be free they
cared not that they destroyed the party
which they had 50 long and so generously
upheld. They have fled to the Democra-
tic party, even as to the horns of the altar,
f,r protection, safety and salvation. Thus
it is that to-day we find ourselves victors
on the battle field of peaceful contest.
And it is for US and our leaders to prove
themselves equal to the great trust reposed
in us. The confidence thus freely, lavish
Iy bestowed must not be trifed with. It |
is true our candidates have been elected, |
but it is not the victory of party, but Of
the people. No party but that of the
whole people could achieve such triumph.
The victory may belong to the party, but
the triumph is the peoples. The party
thus trusted must not forget that there is
sometimes danger in success. And there
that if not carefully guarded against may
result in disaster. Our mission is not one
Of revenge, but to restore the Government
to its original republican simplicity and
to administer it on the true principles of
constitutional limitations as enunciated
by the fathers who presided at the birth
of the Nation. Our mission is not to pull
down. but to build up, not to undo the
past, but to act for the present and prepare
for the future, and to see that the blessings