The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-11-19


enough material upon which an aggressive
organization of the Democratic party could
have been established for immediate action.
But Mr. Miller evidently thought that the
organization of the Democratic party, for
the campaign, should mainly depend upon
the nature of the platform aud the character
of the candidates adopted by the Erie con-
vention, and, therefore, patiently awaited
the action of that convention. When that
convention did meet at the eleventh hour, it
split into two fierce factions in the discus
sion of monetary plank with which it
really. had nothing to do, and, finally, by
the adoption of fragrant heresy committed
as great political blunder as signalzed the
action of the Baltimore Democratic national
convention in 1872 when they nominated
Horace Greeley as their candidate for the
Presidency The latter nomination was
made by men who were ruled by considera-
tions of EXPEDIENCY, regardless of tn e
pulsations of the Democratic heart, and re-
suited in the decentralization and defeat of
the Democratic party. The adoption of the
soft money plank in the Erie platform was
also dictated by the advocates of erpediency,
regardless either of principle or the record
of the Democratic partyl EXPEDIENCY!
that prostitute mother of apostacy!
Thus, on the very threshold of the cleo
ton, the Erie convention gratuitously threw
the apple of discord in the midst of It's own
party, that had, the year before, marched to
victory under the banner of hard money !;
and while the Democracy of the State was
violently disturbed by this sudden change
of front and subsequently paralysed by the
rout of the soft money Democracy of Ohio,
the Patriot gravely asserts that the hundr red
thousand disgusted voters who staid at home
on the I'd of November could have been
rallied and marched to the rescue of the
Democratic party by "a rigorous organiz ga
ton Of the party strength" This assertion is
simply ridiculous. Under such adverse cir
cumstances, no living man, neither the Hon.
Hendrick b. Wright, nor even the Hon.
VIM. A. Wallace, with all his experience,
could, in the limited space of two or three
weeks, have rallied and organized the Demo
cratic party of Pennsylvania 70 the support
of a platform which had just been smashed
to atoms in Ohio, Notwithstanding the in
comparable organization of the Democratic
party In that State, under the guidance of
the veteran and experienced chairman of
their State Central Committee! The Patriot
does not seem to have profited by its expert
ence Of 1872. Let us hope that its expert
ence of 1S75will teach it that the Democracy
of Pennsylvania cannot be united in the
support eitherof false gods or false doctrines;
all the organized machinery in the world
cannot do it, Principle alone will unite
them in determined and concerted action.
In the article under consideration the
Patriot goes on to say: "One of the prom
inent blunders Of the campaign consisted in de-
posing the chairman Of the State con,nnttee
cho had so prudently and successfully con-
aacted the canvass Of last year." We are not
disposed to deny to Mr.. John Miller any
praise he may desire for his management of
the campaign of 1874; but we do not hesi-
tate to assert that the greatest blunder of the
was committed by him, when he
and his committee determined to drag the
Democratic state convention to the remotest
corner of the State, in little town without
accommodations, and that, too, at so late a
period of time in the campaign that under
the most favorable circumstances there was
not sufficient time left for party organization.
Whatever may have been Mr.. Millers mo-
tives for convening the Democratic conven-
ton at the furthest extremity of the State
and at so very late a period as the 9Th of
September, he, by so doing, displayed want
of judgment. The Republican convention
having met in May and made their nomina-
tions, every consideration of sound policy
should have induced the summoning of the
Democratic convention to meet at the latest
in July last and, from the fact that Harris
burg is the seat OF government and the
central railroad point Of the State, amply
supplied with the best accommodation, both
for the convention and its individual mem
bers, more cheaply reached from all parts of
the commonwealth than any other city in the
State, the convention should have been con-
vened at Harrisburg in the interest of the
party and of its individual members, The
practice which has lately obtained of ped
ding the Democratic state convention from
town to town, in remote, out Of the way
places, void of proper accommodations,
without regard to the comfort of the dele
gates or the enormous expenses to which
they are gratuitously exposed, clashes with
the dictates of common fairness and of com
mmon sense, and is calculated to excite
among the people suspicious of dark in
rigues which should not attach to the
leaders of great party.
We agree with the Patriot that the chair
man of the Democratic State Central Com
mittee should be appointed by the conven-
ton, not by the candidates, and that his
headquarters should be at Harrisburg.
As regards organization for the campaign
Of 1876, 1t should commence imusediateiy, on
The basis OF opposition TO the reelection OF
U. 8. Grant TO third term and take in at once
every Republican sincerely opposed to
third term. The first step towards this Or
ganisation should be immediate prosecution,
under the direction of the Democratic State
Central Committee, Of the individuals con-
cerned in the election frauds perpetrated at
the late election in Philadelphia, Luzerne
and other localities 1t is the impunity al
lowed every year by the Democratic party to
the avowed Republican perpetrators of cleo
ton frauds, which is the main cause of the
and Encouragement of thous-
ands of Democrats who have become dis
,usted With the bare-faced eftrontery with
ghch their political opponents are per-
nitted year after year to cheat them out of
heir votes,