New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-02
where Thurman Made Hi, Mistake,

l. We have seen so many surprising political
resuscitations and resnrrectiOns of late that
it nay be as well to postpone the obseguies
in this case until it is quite clear they are in
order. Premature interment as the philO-
sophical old shoemaker pointed out to
Alton Locke, is very disagreeable busi-
ness, and the Ohio Senator comes of tough
stock that can stand a good deal OF kill
ing. The obstinate vitality. aided by favor
able conditions, n az yet pull him through.
The issues Of day are not theissues of to-
morrow, and the American people, espe-
cially those of the West, have short memo
ries and large capacities for forgiveness
Witness the case of Stephen A. Douglas:
the same Chicago mob that refuse him
even a hearing, drowning his voice with
their yells, are presently found fighting for
the privilege of dragging his carriage
through the streets. Mr.. Thurman lacks
the personal magnetism of Douglas, and in
that respect is at a disadvantage: but he is
good deal Of a man, ss men go in our poll
tics, and in spite of this appearance of rigor
morts may vet achieve green old age.
But, with the most favorable. conditions,
conyalescence will be work of time. Mr..
Thurman has lost his chance for the Dem
ocratic nomination next year, and, in doing
this. has probably host his only chance for
reaching the White House. 1t was not
bad chance, either. The sectional argument
was'in his favor. What more proper, rea-
sonable and polite, in. the event of Eastern
ideas prevailing i'll the construction of the
platform, than the selection of Western
Democrat, personally acceptable to the
East, to stand upon itI And what Western
Democrat so available. all things considered
as Allen G. Thurman, of Ohio! 1t was not
bad chance. But it has been efeGtually
dissipated. .
1t needn't have been. There was no ne
cessity for Mr. Thnrman's making a candi
datorial felo de Sc Of himself OF course
the role for patriotic statesman of the
ideal type supremely devoted to duty sni
Indifferent to personal considerations, was
to trample the Columbus platform and
ticket under foot, eummon all honest Demo-
Gratis to follow the example, raise the old
Democratic flag, and save the party at the
cost of the organization. But Mr. Thur
man, Presidential candidate, and not at all
an ideal statesman, could have stopped a
long way short of this political martyrdom
and still have extricated himself from
his serspe in comparatively good condition.
The hard money men of his party saw that
he was under heavy bonds to keep the
peace; they appreciated his situation: they
were prepared TO make generous allow
aBces for him. What he should have done,
what he would have done if he had been a
wise man and candidate in his generation,
was to say on the sp0t to the delegates
| and the Outstanding Democrats: This is
| great blunder. ! have tried my best
to prevent it. / have been overruled and
| outvoted. These men will find out pres
| emily that was right and they were wrong.
/ stand lust where have stood in the past.
/ say now, as l have said hundred
times before, that initiation is bad finance
and bad Democracy l utterly repudiate
these planks and wash my hands of all re-
| spOnsibility for them, now or hereafter.
But am Democrat. / find the Repub-
| lican platform little better than our own.
| give my party the benefit of the doubt.
| In this local election, and for the sake of
the other issues involved, l am going to
waive my scruples, roll up my sleeves and
| work for Uncle Bill, taking my chances of
being able to save the party next year from
a repetition Of this miserable folly. And
am going to do this without in the least dis
sembling my honest convictions in the
premises. or batting iot OF my earnestness
in the advocacy OF sound Democratic prin-
ciples."
If Mr.. Thurman had said this, or the
equivalent Of it, at the time on the spot,
before the delegates left COlumbus-hsd
said it frankly and earnestly, he would
stand in very different position before the
country to-day. He has, indeed, at last
said it in substance. But the waiting. the
hesitancy, the deliberation, the quibbling
and qualifying and special pleading, have
quite frittercd and refined away all the
moral effect of it, He has only succeeded
in disappointing anew the hard money SEN
tina ant of the country and in giving fresh
offense to the lnflationists. Attempting to
adjust himself gracefully to the two stOols,
he comes, bump to the ground-a spectacle
to goes, men and politicians. Poor Seua-
tor!-Spriaafeld iMassaclasetts) Republi.