The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-01-28
The Field for 1870.

Henry Watterson, the well known editor of
the Louisville Courer-J ournal, and the ardent
supporter of Mr., Greeley in 1872 has recently
given in that paper the following forecast of
political parties in 1876:
While the political adventures and revolu-
tionists, ever ready for plots and juggles, and
ever expectant of sensations, are waiting for
his readiness to enter into their schemes, the
stolid Democrats and the s.od Republicans
calmly take their way along the beaten tracks,
sure that the next Presidential contest will lie
between the two old regular armies, led by two
old veteran partisans. 1t may be on the one
hand Thurman or Hendricks or Bayard, and on
the other hand Morton or Blaine or Washburn
or Conkling, but is bound to be the Democratic
party against the Republican party. Extremes
are not to meet in the persons of Butler and
Stephens managi ng league in the interest of
Grant Butler is to be shelved in Massachu-
sets. Stevens is to retire to the seclusion of
Liberty Hall. Grant is to walk out of the
White House, carrying all his baggage along
with him, unassisted by stretcher. There is
to be no pit-fall; no sudden trap-door; no am
blscade; no bloody-minded FOOLS continuance
anywhere. The healthy minded and cheerful
bgots of each particular element are equally
confident of success, They, at least are not
going to see anything untoward or even novel.
1t is not a period Of disorganization. The
transition epoch has passed away, leaving by
gone organisms just as they used to be. Last
year was all dream. The Liberal Republic
cans, rid of Grant, will be folded into the old
embrace. The disconnected Democrats, quit
of Liberalism, will resume the half-abandoned
tenets of the true faith. As for the presumptu-
GUS journalists they will have leave to 60 to
the devil, where they properly belong; and So
"The world will wag it's ancient way.
lust as it did before It went astray."'
We really want--the. people, North and
South, want-to do the fair, honest thing by
one another. This can only be done BY an
ing the Southern States to take care of their
local Interests like the Northern States The
present policy of the Republican party exposes
it to constant injustice. 1t also gives rise to
ill-breeding, examinations. and recriminationIs,
which stand in the way of sectional good will.
1t is thus as We conceive, an unpatriotic policy,
as it is dangerous policy; and, if it be not
abated, it may lead to a collision between
Grant and the Democrats, by which the Presi-
dent will be continued in office and the Demo-
Gratis be re-established in power, at the cost of
great cardinal principle in their faith.
The Republican leaders are too intelligent to
need to be told that these are the merest con-
lectures: but they are also too acute not to rec
ognize them as possibilities. The time has
line marked out for them by Morton in 1866.
That line was untenable because of the bung-
ing, vacillation, and bad faith of Andrew John
son. 1t is perfectly tenable now. Nothing can
De more ruinOuS TO tnc 0epuDncan parry, as
nothing can be more false to the natural pre-
objections and characteristics of many Gifts best
minds than that it should continue the wretch
ed woods path which it has pursued the last SIX
years. 1t will lead only deeper and deeper into
the briars. There are indeed no ambuscades on
the open political highway. 1t is the other
route, promising nothing at the start, and lead
ing nowhere which is full of them. The Re-
publican party should abandon them at once,
put itself on high national ground, and com
mand the respect, if not the affections of the
Southern people by its candor, moderation and
Justice