The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-10-03
Stage Tricks.

No wonder that the life long Democracy in
the more remote rural sections of nearly eve
ny state stolidly believe that, at every election
for thirty-five years, they have voted for
Gen. Andrew jackson; no wonderlthat many
of them became bitter Southern partisans
during the late war by confounding the name
of the hero of New Orleans with that Of the
rebel chieftain, Stonewall jackson; no won
der that these andscores of other errors have
been made by these people when Democrat
ic platform is not considered complete with
out introducing the name of Old Hickory
in the most irrelevant and contradictory man
ner, and no Democratic orator would think
that he had made a speech worth hear
ingif he had not invoked the shades of both
Jefferson and Jackson. Indeed, il makes no
manner of difference what the issue may be,
Democratic papers and orators invoke the
names and principles OF these men. Mr..
Pendleton in his speeches in favor of his rag
money scheme, invokes the name of hard
money Andrew Jackson with as much unc-
ton as does the New York World for specie
payment. Indeed, we cannot see that our
Maine Democratic papers and platforms more
solemnly and feelingly "invoke" the shades
of those great men now for hard money than
they all did in 1868 for Mr.. Pendleton's extern
siye imitation platform. Further, we think that
we have right to complain that the invoke"
is not as deep and earnest in recognizing the re-
cent constitutional amendments as "accom-
plshed facts" as they were few years before
in using these names to declare them "revolu-
tionary, null and void" Just now all Of those
Democratic leaders who denounce the action
of President Grant to protect defenceless citi-
zens in the South from assassiDs, invoke both
Jefferson and Jackson as though, if they &C.
cupied the chief magistrates chair, they would
allow that outrageous business to go on.
Tweed, in the days of his glory, when Demo-
cratic newspapers of Maine simultaneously
published long and lattering notices of him,
lsped the name of those worthless. Jefferson
Davis invoked" few years ago, and An
drew johnson would if be ever invoked any
thing but himself and the Constitution.
That the democratic party in the days of
Jackson was powerful organization, with
principles, there is no doubt; but, at the same
tirae, it should be remembered the present
organization has only its name, and when it
uses the name of Jackson under its present
auspices and leadership, it is attempting to
impose stage tricks upon he public. In fact,
but very few men living at Jackson's time
and fighting under his banner, are to be und
in the Democratic party now. Many of the
active leaders now were then pro-slayery
Wings or have grown up to mans estate since
the death of Jackson and the desertion of all
principles that survived him.
The present Organization boasts of an ex.
istence of seventy years, during fifty of which
AMI down to 1861, its leaders managed the
affairs of the nation. If this is true, why dc
they invoke the names of men who died in
the earlier days of its existence, or when the
land was full of Democratic statesmen
Pierce, Buchanan, Slidell, A. II. Stephens,
Jefferson Davis and many others have been
conspicuous and potent leaders within the re.
membrance of the most of us. Why not Sc
lect one or two of these to invoke? There is
every reason why this course should be pur.
sued, for any of these last named men were
later oracles of the Dem ocratic party and
were potent in seducing it from the whole.
= soma truths-of Jsffsssor ond jackson L ~
1t the average Democratic orator cannot
find name in the above list to ''invoke," lei
him run over the list of those within his re
collection, but no longer rattle the bones o.
dead men only to mock them. a fisia