The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-12-03
The AIrred Opposition TO Radical.
fsm.


There is so much sound reasoning and
wise counsel in the following article from
the St. Louis Republican, the oldest and
probably ablest Conservative journal IN
the West, that we have transferred 1t to
our columns with editorial display:
The Republican element at present So
iournipc in the Democratic party is very
interesting factor in our politics. How Is
IL to be treated? Its presence in the camp
of the victors may be permanent, or not,
according to circumstances; it is for the
victors themselves to say, and they must de-
eide at their peril. If they conciliate the
new element. it will remain. become part
of them, and assist to complete their expert
mental victory; if they repel it with harsh
conditions, it will go out as it came IN, ana
assist to defeat the Democracy in future
contests.
Nothing is more absurd, and nothing will
be more Injurious than the idea that the re-
suit of the recent elections Is pure Demo-
cratic triumph, indicating that the country,
so long Republican, has suddenly become
Democratic. The Democracy owes It's sue
cess, not to Democrats, who always vote
the Democratic ticket, but TO those Re
publicans who voted for ii, this lime. There
has been no increase OF Democrats in the
country; there has simply been q tempo
rarv transfer of a considerable number of
RepublcSos to the Democratic side They
owe no allegiance TO the party; they are
under no obligations to it; the obligations
are on the other side. They can leave the
Democracy as easily as they came to 1t. II
they should not be satisfied with the Demo-
cratic policy, they can and surely will leave
the party. and assist to defeat it. 1t is the
transferable element that goes from one
party to another that really holds the bal
ance in power in our politics; and this ele-
ment at present is Republican, or at
least, OF Republican inclinatioas. There
has been no marked increase OF Democratic
maiorities in the Democratic States, snow
ing general growth of Democratic "pin-
ion; the Democratic vote in Missouri Is less
than it was two years ago, and it Is no
greater in Kentucky, Georgia and other such
States. The changes that nave taken place
are in the States that have been Republican,
and that need no great provocation to be-
come Republican again.
The Democracy is really indebted to the
Republicans who voted with it for its vic
tory; and it holds its present high, but pre-
carious position at the pleasure of those
auxiliaries. They are not Democrats, and
do not pretend 10 be. 1t would therefore,
be both unwise and unjust for the Democ-
racy to present policy 50 exactly partisan
as to estrange them. They are entitled to
be heard in the turning TO account of the
success to which they have so largely con-
tributed; they have right to expect that
no severe creed of faith and no rigorous
policy of recognition and action shall be
adopted by the vctors; and if the more in
tolerant partisans among the victors shall
drown their suggestions with cries for vio-
lent and reactionary measures, it is certain
that this sojourning element, which has
brought the Democracy to the threshold OF
power, will as decsively thrust it back, and
remit it to its minority position. The real
pre- bIem for Democratic statesmen is to de-
wise a policy that shall attach these auxilia-
ries to the party. IC is a delicate task, and
calls for the most prudent and patriotic ac-
ton, for a gross disregard for the feelings
and views of the auxiliaries would destroy
the very foundations on which the present
incomplete Democratic ascendancy rests.