The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1874-06-26
Correspondence.
Old Parties and New Parties.

downfall of the first Napoleon, and he
was banished to the Island of Elbe,
great many of his devoted followers
continued in the service OF the Kingdom,
some Of whom held important Offices
in the army. Among these was Mar
shall Ney, "the bravest of the brave"
an honest and true man. He had the
confidence of the Government, and it
was no doubt his intention to be faithful
even after Napoleon's return to the
soil of France. But, at the sight OF his
old leader, and the banner under which
he had so often marched to victory, in
the face of death, and at the sight of his
old comrades, who SO enthusiastically raj
lied to the support of their old leader,
his resolution failed him, and he joined
himself to the fortunes of the Emperor,
without taking time to resign his COM
mission. And shortly afterward-to
the shame of the allies-he paid the PEN
alty of his rashness with his life. HUI
man nature is the same today.
Old associations, and old names, still
have their charms. There is many IN
honest, well-meaning man, that. after his
old party has been defeated and demor-
allied, joins 4 new party with good
faith with that party but when his old
party, recruited and invigorated, again
enters the field, and unfurls the old
banner and proclaims itself the cham
pion of the peoples will; and he sees
his old generals marshaling his old COM
rades to combat the same old foe they
have contended with for years; then il
is that his feelings get the better of him,
and he joins his old party. 1t is one of
the most natural and generous impulses
of nature. and he should not be con-
demned for it, As Ney was.
We have all seen examples Of this
kind. In Oregon, the independents"
have been taught q dear lesson by eXpe-
rience. There were three tickets in
the efield-Democratic, Republican and
Independent Cor the farmers tickcO,
and it is quite amusing TO see how the
old parties check-mated the "lndepend-
ents." They adopted resolutions in
their platforms, favoring the farmers
movement" like the following Q copy
from the Democrats PLATFORM: That
we disapprove all measures in the in
terests OF capitalists and monOpolies
against labor, believing that dis
tinctions, if distinctions be made, should
be in favor of the laboring class, who
constitute the mass of our citizens, the
producers of the wealth and prosperity
of our country. We therefore approve
of the declared principles, and sympa-
thize with the avowed objects, OF the or
ganizarion known as the Patrons Of
IIusbandry- ard with those of all other
orders having for their object retrench
ment and reform in public affairs, AID
the social advancement Of the people"
The Democrats were in power, and
they nominated the present incumbent
for Governor; and the whole ticket was
made up Of political bummers, COM
| plctely ignoring the farmers, thinking,
as matter OF course, that it was honor
enough for the farmers to be recoc cnized
in their platform. The Republicans
were the ''oIas" and in the minority,
and it was necessary that they should
do something more than recognize them
in their platform: SO they nominated
few farmers on their ticket. Then the
Democrats and Republicans commenced
to abuse one another terribly, not even
deigning to notice the Independents"
or if they did, il was only to pat him
on the shoulder and call him good fel-
low, and tell hia to just keep dark
until he gave that other scamp 4 good
drubbing. The "Independent'' soon
found that if he took part in the free
fight, he would have to join one of the
belligerent parties. 1t Is the nature Of
the Western man to want to take part
in any contest that is going on; and he
would sooner come out second best
than to not have q hand in it at all
The consequence was that the Inde-
pendents were bamboozled out OF all but
a few county officers, which they man
aged to secure, here and there, by
uniting with one or the other of the
parties. Now they have but very little
influence, because they have but very
little unity of purpose, gaining what
they did by bargain and SALE, Or swap"
as the Western man has it.
1t is poor policy to make any compro-
mise with political tricksters. They
will out-wit US and cheat us out of all.
We must adopt Hannibal's tactics; in
wade their own country, overrun it, and
cut off their supplies. If we want to
fight the devil successfully, 1t will not
always do to turn our back to him. He
can turn Is fast as we can, and will
out-wit us and head US off, letus take
what direction we may; unless we first
give him q good drubbing at home,
which can only be done by superior
numbers. The politicians are just now
urging us to run an "Independent"
ticket, because we have no plans ma
tured, and there are not enough of US
initial ON INV ona fhinnr 70 cnr,,, q.