The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-01-22
PAR4mMa.

The Meridian Gazette i very much
mistaken in supposing that the Republi-
can newspapers an# politicians look with
favor on the idea which is frequently ex-
pressed, and which il i,orcephbly working
its way into the minds Of the masses,
that the Democratic party has outliveei
its usefulness, and BY reason Of it, loss OF
public confidence after seventeen years
Of successive defeats, ought to be laid
On the shelf for newer, purer. and
more athletic party, through which its
principles can be preserved and put in
to practice.
The Republican leaders who abhor Re
form in the Administration, have been
the loudest advocates for the mainten-
ance Of the Democratic party, and its
monopoly Of the field of conflict against
themselves. They are impatient at the
thought that it is either dead, or has any
intention of shutting OF the mortal coil.
Why should they not2 Has mt it been
sport for them to knock it over, whenever,
since 1856, it has gotten upon its feet
and squared itself for combat? With
| the exception Of here and there a squirt
fof victory which it has been permitted
to win, in an off year in politics, this has
/ been invariably the case and the Repub-
| lean leaders would be less than human If
they did not prefer an antagonist which
had grown old and feeble and democrat
lied, and had sunk as deep in the mire OF
the infamies that have made them I'M
popular, as they themselves have, to one
which did not labor under this disadvan-
tage?
To show how tenderly the Radicals
have nursed Bourbonism and cared for
those who have sworn that it should not
be superseded by any other party of Re
form, we have only to be reminded that
Grant has rewarded with appointments
the most conspicuous members Of the
Louisville Simon-Pure Democratic Con
vention which nominated the straight-oui
| (O'Connor), ticket for the Presidency,
including the presiding officer, the very
head and front of the concern. Knowing
their guilt, the Republican party leaders
have come to believe that the country
prefers them to but one other party, and
that is the old Democratic organization,
and hence they have taken under then
wings the dog in the manger, Bourbon,
who insists that if their organization cant
win a victory in the cause of Reform, DC
other party shall. The Radical spoils
men are ecstatic whenever the prospect Of
the success Of this policy is encouraging.
On the other hand, they tremble like
Belshazzers reading the mysterious VIII
ting on the wall, at the mention of the
Autobiography or Peoples Movement,
which is gathering strength in the West
and has routed them in the strongholdS
in which they have been securely en-
trenched for nearly generation.
To show that our distrust of the capa
bility of the Democratic party to achieve
the reforms that are needed by the coun
try, is shared by thoughtful Democrats
who occupy standpoint from which they
can take wider view of the field than
we have opportunity of doing, we viii
take the liberty of copying the following
extract of a letter from a very distin
guished member Of the party, who writes
from Washington City under recent date
as follows
Your views as to making anything
e." out of the Democratic party that vii
g be of benefit to the South, | agree
with 1t lost its strength when i
swerved from its principles and opposed
" the war upon the South just far enough
% to incur the suspicion and odium, anC
''yet not far enough to command thu
sympathy and support, of the friends o
constitutional liberty. 1t is very veal
in the intellect and moral force of it
| & leaders &c Re "