The weekly clarion., 1874-01-01
THE ORsTACLE IN THE WAY
OF, REFORTE.

OK Es EH0As "A.
The Nicksburg Herald don't agree
with us that the Democratic party has
outlived Its day, and ihat II ought, after
seventeen wears of ignominious failures
and defeats to give place to new organ
ization better adapted To the necessities Of
the times and the spirit and temper of
the masses. and better calculated to
achieve the reforms which the coun-
try needs. In evidence Of lis vigor, ii
SAYS that it has elected Governors in the
q following States; Connecticut, Della
ware, Georgia, Indiana Kentucky,
:. Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey,
. North Carolina. Ohio. Tennessee, Tex
.. a., Virginia and Wisconsin, and the
q Legislatures in fifteen States.
As these States do not poll on fourth
of the electoral college, they present
rather slim chance 10 build hope of
a Presidential victory upon But what
are the facts ? Four OF them Connect
cut. Deleware. Indiana and New Jersey
elected their Democratic Governors bv a
scratch and all Of these gave majorities
for the Radical Presidential ticket Mis-
souri,, Maryland, Kentucky, Virginia,
| Georgia. Tennessee and Texas have been
secured against Radicalism by their over
whelming white majorities and the ope-
ration OF influences that dent exist else
where Having these maiorities at their
backs, the Democratic leaders drew the
Race line, and thus established prece-
dent for Radical imitation fatal to Dem
ocratic ascendency in the Southern States,
where the blacks have the numbers.
Ohio has Z" Democratic Governor, who
i was elected by a plurality vote, and whose
chief electioneeriag stock was his abuse
of Gen Grant for conferring Office on
''Rebel leaders, like Longstreet, "whose
hands were imbued with loyal blood. y
North Caroljna has Radical, and not a
+" Democratic Governor and Wiscon-
sin has Just elected a Governor who was
nominated as the candidate Of the Anti
MonopoIists, and whose success is due to
the disappearance of the Democratic par
ty from the arena in that State, and nc
longer remaining an obstacle in the way
Of the new party OF progress and reform.
The late elections in Iowa, Wisconsin,
Illinois, Kansas, and other Western
States, incInding California, show that
the people are ripe for dismissing the Re
publican party from power, provided
they are not forced to a choice between it
and the Democratic party, which they
have again and again and again repudia-
ted. The people DO not we'll understand
how they can successfully carry on q cru
SADIE against corruption by selecting as
an instrumentaIitv for the work an or
ganization which is as deep in the filth
and mire of Tammany frauds, Credit
Mobilier infamies. and Back Salary
Grabbing, as its antagonist. W hen asked
to do so, what more natural than that
they should point to the recent nomina-
IlOl OF Il efllaIuo w pDd, Ddck-~aIlfY
Grabber, and an apostle of Tammany,
for Speaker Of the House of Representa-
tives; and to the championship of the
Grab by A. H. Stephens, who boasts
that the mantle of Jeffersonian Democ-
racy has fallen from Polk, Buchanan,
Pierce and others, upon his shoulders.
In addition to the debauchey of the
Democratic organization, we concede that
the Herald is right in saying that the
trouble with the party are the ''old party
hacks, though we might not agree in the
application of the remark. The old
worn-out political haridans of the Fuss
AND FEArHERs tribe-insoivent walters
on insolvency-cas hunkers, and
what not-a majority of whom were in
terlopers into the " Democratic" party,
when It's decadence commenced, are the
class who insist on keeping it before the
| people, in preference to new party,
adapted to the times, and capable of
achieving the necessary reforms in the
government. These fogies never knew
anything of its principles, and want to
keep it alive for the purpose Of rejuve-
mating themselves.