Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-06-03

cratic party or turn to the forlern
hope of third candidate, not with
any hope of immediate success, but
to save his conscience, and to leave a
nucleus for future action. The the
ory that if the Republican party is
hopeless, the Democratic party must
be hopeful, is worthy of the wisdom
which thinks that the rump of the
old party Of slavery must needs be
the party of liberty, and that the
perfection of political sagacity and
constitutional duty is. to allow the
White league to do as it chooses. II
patriotic man honestly thinks that
the amendments will not be proper
ly interpreted, nor the just rights of
the States faithfully observed, nor
the restored Union governed upon
truly constitutional principles by the
Republican party, what reason has
he to suppose that the Democratic
party, while 1t would do differ
emily, would necessarily act more
wisely or honestly" We do not ask
this, of course, in justification of any
failures of the Republicans, but ms
against those who profess to see bet
ter reason of hope for the future In
the Democratic than in the Republi-
can party.
Take the Democratic leaders of the
best repute, and why should IL be
supposed that party controlled by
such men rs Mr.. Tilden, Mr.. Thur
man, and General Gordon, cherishes
II traer regard for personal right,
and the just rights Of the Union aud
Of the States, than one controlled by
such men as Mr.. Bristow, Mr.. Fish,
Mr.. Blaine, Mr.. Wheeler, or Judge
Hoarp Assuming that Messrs. TIL
den, Thurman and Gordon are hon
est and patriotic men, as they cer-
tainly Ay~, are the others less so?
and are the traditions, tendencies,
passions, convictions, purposes,
which are organized in the party be-
hind Mr. Tilden more trustworthy
or encouraging than those of the
party behind Mr.. Fish and Mr..
| Hoar? Ii the whole vote Of the coun.
try should be divided into the intel
ligent and the ignorant, which
would sustain the former party, and
which the latter? If IL should be
divided by sympathy with the prin-
ciples which prevailed in the war,
by moral character. and industry. hy
fidelity to the existing public school
system, by sincere and intelligent
faith In free institutions, how would
| ii stand? The friends OF reform are
invited To admire Gov. Tilden's as.
sault upon the Canal Ring. We bid
him godspeed. But how does 1t
show that the Democratic party Is
more alive TO reform than Secretary
| Bristow's war upon the Whisky
Ring shows the same Of the Repub-
llcan? Is the rejection OF Mr.. Schurz
for Mr.. Cochrell by the Democrats
a more re-assuring evidence of polit-
ical and party health than that OF
| Mr.. Chandler for Mr.. Christiancy by
the Republicans? And although the
last Congress, which did many good
things, also dishOnored the Republi-
can pledge Of reform In the system
of appointments, 1t was in the Re-
publican party that the reform
movement began, and In which 1t
has still its truest and most numer-
Gus friends.
If to these good signs and consider
tions we add the general Republican
protest against the proposition for
third term, and the evident determi-
nation Of the party that 1t will not
suffer itself 10 be embarrassed in the
campaign by any doubt upon the
subject, the most desponding, who
thought only little while since that
Democratic restoration was only
too probable, will now sec that the
Republican party needs for success
only to show that IL deserves To sue
ceed. To do this, its conventions
have only to say what its trnest sup
porter5 think, and to nominate can
didates who prove that the best,
which, as we believe, is also by far
the most general, sentiment OF the
party controls 1t.