New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-07-16

season inspired. But Douglas died, and
so did that purpose.
With sagacity, steadfastness, and a
clearness of vision which, if employed in
a good cause, would be of inestimable
value. the Democratic party found that
covert, narrow, and devious way which
lay between loyalty and treason, and
they pursued that way from the middle
of the year 1862 to the end of the war,
always avoiding the rebuke of their
country's laws and also the reproach of
their country's foes.
But even for this stinted measure of
loyalty there may have been some excuse.
1t may have sprung from lack of faith
and not from want of love. They pro-
fessed to believe the rebellion invincible,
and, if they really believed so, they could
hardly be expected to display much zeal
in struggle they believed to be hopeless.
The spirits are rare and very choice who
lead a forlorn hope with anything like
gayety. But those who lead real hope,
no matter how forlOrn, and do not
merely follow a dread, are not apt to
look so dismal as these Democrats did
when the rebellion was finally crushed.
Possibly, however, even that singular
detection was but the effect of mOrtifica-
ton at their own misjudgment and want
of provision. But when the rebellion
was crushed and they were invited to aid
in removing it's cause, as we'll as a
cause for future rebellions, by abolishing
slavery, they refused to do that How
can that refusal be excused or for
given? The great act Of emancipation,
while it is the grandest in history, is also
the least expensive. 1t cost nothing but
a vote, yet even this they refused to give.
BY simply writing Eyes upon their bal
lots, instead of ''no," they knew they
could give freedom to four millions of
human beings. They were sure of vic
tory if they said Eyes )" they could only
hope for victory if they said "no ''-and
yet they said mo" 1t was mere ques-
ton of volition. The question was
squarely put to them after they had been
led shuddering clear through the Red sea
and stood dry on the other shOre-stood,
too, in that marvellous blaze which
irradiates the nineteenth century as 1t
sinks into the twentieth-they were
plainly asked " Are you willing the bond
should be free ?" and they said mo"
When is that generation coming, and
whence is it coming, that shall excuse or
forgive that impious refusal?
And when, in spite of Democratic re-
sistance the bond had been made free
and secured against a return to slavery
by an amendment to the Federal Consti-
tuition, this same opposition was asked
once more, "May the freedmen become
citizens and be admitted to civilrights ?"
And again ClIc answcI WAS " IU.
And when, in spite of that resistance,
the freedmen had been made citizens the
Democracy was asked, MAY these citi-
zens, though they be black, have the pro-
lection of the ballot which the law be-
nignly grants to all citizens. however
humble, of every other color ?'' And
again the answer was "no."
And when the Kuklux, armed with
brand and bludgeon, hunted the new
made citizen by night, hunted him
through swamps and pursued him to
death-when the local authorities stood
powerless in the presence of organized
murder and arson, and this opposition
was appealed to to lend the protection of |
the national tribunals to the victims of
such incarnate hate, they still Knocked at |
such calamities and refused all relief.
1t is often flippantly said that all these
crimes and horrors are past, and it is |
absurd to attempt to maintain politi- |
cal party on the memory of them. Per-
haps so. But would it not be insane to
trust a political party that could so
readily forget them? 1t is not magnani- |
nous, it is indeed hardly manly, to per- |
,ecute men for sins of which they have
really repented. But that is not repen-
lance, it is hypocrisy, which processes to
repent of sins and does not forsake them,
but embraces worse ones. Such is the
repentance displayed by the
party. 1t never ceases TO
lenounce the Republican party for what
t has done or is trying to do, but it
thunders with fiercer de-
of what the party has not
lone and is determined shall not be done.
The moment Democrats forget to decry |
Republican policies they begin to belle
Republican motives. For twenty years
,hey deemed it sufficiently Opprobrious
20 call Republicans Radicals" now
hey claim to be radicals themselves and
lenounce Republicans as rascals.
DEMOCRATIC PROMISES. |
Since the early part of 1872 they have
been diligently seeking to suborn rene
yade Republicanstot turn states evidence
md to swear that all political virtue Is
nthose discounted forces which resisted
bo nrorross of the last decade and all |