National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-08-28
RECENT POLITICAL CONHEN
TONS.

During the last week political conven'
tons have been held in several States by one
or the other of the two great parties which
at present divide the country. An exami-
katIon of the platforms laid down by them
may serve to give US some idea OF the pollt-
ical drift and thought Of the people. In
any other point of view, literature Of this
character is generally worthless, and in
many cases it Is, so far as even that is con-
cerned, of no account whatever. Politi-
clans as a class are so selfish, so apt to seek
their own ends, irrespective Of how they
NAV serve or hurt the country, that it is
ALWAYS safe to receive what they say with
sorne mental reservations. Sometimes they
reflect the popular will, but in many In
stances we have in their declarations only
what they would like that will to be. In
the present condition Of parties, however,
tbe politicians are more disposed than usual
to allow the people to have their own way,
and are making extraordinary efforts to
give their feelings and ideas correct inter
probation. The people just now are some
what FESTIVE; If they have not gotten the
hit in their mouth, to use homely meta
phor, they are so very near that point that
it is not deemed safe or prudent TO trife
with them. The political whips are &C
cordinCly more inclined to accommodate
themselves to the situation than to make
the situation suit them. Hence we have
perhaps a closer reflection of The popular
idea in the platforms now being made than
in any which have been put forth for years.
The two great questions evidently up
permost in the public mind are the finances
and the civil rights measure. Upon the
former in all the conventions that have been
held since the adjournment Of Congress the
Republicans have spoken with courage and
determination. There was, it is true, some
little shifting and shutting in Indiana, but,
so far Is we can remember, no uncertain
gound has come from the party in any Of
the other States. Pennsylvania was out
gDolcn upon it some ten days ago, and so
was Michigan on Wednesday Of this week.
The Republicans of that State resolved that
" the country should return to gold basis
rs soon as possible" Kansas Republican
ism the same day made q similar resolve,
not as strong, however, as could be desired.
The Maine Republicans stood firm in the
hard -money ranks, and there is no doubt
that the party in the other States, where
elections are to be held, will be equally
pronounced on the same subject. The De-
mocracy, on the other hand, have, in
nearly every convention held, either de-
clared In favor of initiation or squinted at it.
Inonc OF two instances they have proclaimed
reprdialion, or what is tantamount to it. In
diana oDened the ball, and this week Ohio
followed her leadership-"the Democracy
"of Ohio reiterate their declaration that
cha fve-twepty bonds, by the letter and
"snirit of the law and the general undeT-
"standing of the community, were payable
"in legal tender notes, and the act of March,
1880, which pledged the faith Of the ma
'lion TO their payment in coin, was an I'M
necessary and wicked sacrifice OF the in
'terests of the tax-paYing labOrers for the
"beneft of the non-taxpaying bondholders.
Again, in one breath, they declared in IA
vor of "a sound currency" and in the next
that its volume should be regulated by the
necessities Of business-''that we are in fa-
''vor of such an increase Of the circulating
medium as the business interests Of the
country may from time to time require "
In Illinois there seems to be some difference
of opinion on the subject among the Democ-
racy. There certainly was in the convention.
At this writing we have not heard from the
PENNSYLVANIA and Missouri Democracy or the
New Jersey Republicans, but there Is little
doubt that they will occupy substantially
the same ground as their respective partie:
in other States. So far as the civil rights
bill is concerned, the Democracy is uni
against it everywhere; more especially In
the South, where they seem to have re-
enlisted the armies of the ConfederacY Il
resist it. In many Of the Republican con
ventiOns emphatic expression has been giver
ia favor Of its passage; in others it has beer
disposed Of in less positive way.
These two questions are really the only
ones Of q national character presented by
the politicians. The usual illusions are
made to economy and retrenchment; the
usual promise Of better performance in the
future is put upon the record; the usual
denunciation Of what has taken place in the