The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-09-21
STAUNTON VIRGINIA. SEPTEMBER 81, 1876
The Democracy Defensive.

The Democracy Defensive.
The ssTilflen and Reform party started
out in this campaign with great cXultatlon
over the prospect that they were to be az
gressive. They were to carry war into the
Republican camp. and fight their battles an
north OF the political Mason and Dixon $
line. They had only to attack Repubiicah
corruption, as they believed, when they
would have an easy victory, with then oppo-
nents constantly on the defensive. me SUD-
Ject reform was to be the only Issue, liiaetl $
name was to be associated with that reform
to specify its yigor and thoroughness. NOW,
instead of this, what do we see? So far lrom
the Democrats advancing, they are retreat
ing all along the line, and instead OF crush
ing out the Republicans on the charge OF cor
ruption, they are il a defensive battle LOT
their own life, glad if they can only reserve
something Of the prestige with Which tliey
set out. The great subjects which are prom
inent IN the canvass are the charges maue,
not against the Republicans, but by them,
while the Democrats are merely defending
themselves, and now and then shooting bach,
like fast retreating army at the pursuing
enemy. They are defending first of all III
den and his record. The name that was TO
add lustre to the word reform almost neutral
ICES it entirely. The word ''Tilden,'' in the
phase '''Tilden and Reform is found to DC
privative instead of strengthening. They
are defending ridden for his connection with
Tweed and the Tammany Ring; they are de-
Tending him for his fraudulent conduct in the
Missouri, Alton and Terre Haute Railroad
transaction: they are defending him for his
false returns under the income tax law; they
are defending him for his unpatriotic war
record; They are defending him, in short,
against the charges of corruption, fraud,
dishonest, perjury and disloyaltY-very Sc
we're charges. certainly, to be made against
an aspirant for the Presidency of the United
States; and in this Defense it must be adj
mitled, they are not making q very success
full fight.
They are defending, in the next place, the
corruptions Of the Democratic party. They
are defending them wherever the Democrat
ic party has been or is in power-in the Ma
tional Administration which preceded the
present Republican tenure, and in New York,
Maryland and other States which they are
now or have recently been ruling so corrupt
~. They are defending them from the obi
UNI which these administrations naturally
cast upon the Democratic professions of re-
form, and which give rise to the general ex-
preston Of honest men, IF this be reform.
God save lis from reform" They are de-
Tending the Democratic principles, platform
and letters OF acceptance They are defend
ing the Democratic principles from the
charge of State sovereignty, the right OF Sc
cession, hostility to the amendments, opposi-
ton to civil rights, and, in fact, everything
that is peculiarly Democratic. They are de-
Tending themselves for being Democrats,
even, and trying to show that in principle
they arc in no respect different from Repub-
licans. They are defending the platform
against the charges of indetiniteness, disin-
genuousness and Inconsistency. They are
defending it against the interpretations put
on one clause in the East, and against the
interpretations put on another clause in the
West. They are defending the letters of
Tilden and Hendricks against the charges of
delay and compromising concessions. They
are defending the conflict between Tilden
and Hendricks and explaining away their
differences. They are defending the Demo-
cratic financial policy against the charge of
imitation, of opposition to resumption, of
postponement of resumption, Of uncertainty
about resumption, and in general Of dishon-
esty on the whole question; being, in all that
they have to say on this subject, exclusively
on the defensive. They are defending the
rebellion record of the Democratic party,
asking in piteous tones that the Republicans
do not torment them any more on this SUBJ
ject; for they know that it is better for them
on this, as on every other subject that it be
not discussed, and that their true position
and conduct be not brought to light Or re-
membrance. They want forgetfulress of
everything that is past and everything that
is Democratic. They are defending the
present outrages in the South; denying them
when they can, denying that they have any
political Importance when they must admit
them, and charging them ON the conduct OF
the negroes or ''carpet- baggers'' in other
cases. They are. defending their conduct. in
fact, whenever they are in position to do any,
thing, seeing that everything they produce
of political character is such that, if it is
known by the people, it will be repudiated.
And, finally, now that the reports of the
State election are coming in, they are defend
ing themselves against their significance
They are trying to explain away their mean
ing and defend themselves against the lnevi-
table result Of which these elections are
harbingers. They are defending themselves
particularly just now, against the influences
OF the Vermont election and in few DAYS
they will, no doubt, be defending themselves
against the Maine election. In short, the
Democratic party is on the defensive alto
gcther, and the brilliant aggressive which
they promised has not begun yet. They are
making desperate effort to save themselves
and will be more than satisfied if they keep the
position they had when they made the nomi-
nations. Instead of advancing on any of the
Republican positions, they are trying to keep
to one single subject which the
Republicans are fully agreed with them.
Touching all political questions they ask an
and want to make the public be-
lieve that there is nothing hostile in their
purposes. They do not attack the Republ-
can position on finances, but pretend to take
the same position. They do not attack them
on the amendments, but pretend to take the
same position. They do not attack them on
the civil rights bill, but pretend to take the
same position. In short, all their strength
consists III making the people believe that
they adopt, and do not mean to overthrow,
any OF the principles OF the Republican par
ty; in other words they are at peace with the
Republican party, and that there is no polit-
ical war whatever. They have got so far
along in the brilliant aggressive campaign
that they deny that they are in battle at all.
The only signs of hostility are the feeble and
scattering shots from the Reform gun, which
kicks most nightly in the breecf, and does
more damage to the marksnan than to the
mark.-Baltimore american.
A Word with Honest Democrats.
There are honest Democrats s,,pportinu