New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-09-01
The Folly Of tho Democratic Campaign.
The campaign of the Democrats is more

the election of Pierce and King. The ad
ministration of General Pierce was wrecked
on the Ksnsas-Nebraska bill, and although
Mr.. Buchanan succeeded him, the fight Il
elect that statesman was really battle FOL
OrganiZati on the part of the Republicans
1t was their Bull Ran which led to Apo
mattox. Anti-elavery, strong enough to
menace the Democrats under Fremont, wat
atle to conquer them under Lincoln. The
war and the tremendous Issues arising out
of the war have given the Republicans theil
continued existence. 1t was the war which
reelected Lincoln and ave Grant his two
terms. 1t is the war which will elect Hayes,
if he should succeed. The Republican,
may add as many planks to their platform
as they please-about currency, civil ser
vice and the Pope-the living thought IN
DERIVING their party is the war. Once with.
draw that question from our politics, once
unite the North and the South on basis OF
peace, fraternity, the acceptance of the
war amendments and conceded political
equality, and the Republican party will be
as dead as the Wing party after the com.
promise measures in the administration of
Fillmore. Outside of the fancied necessity
for q government that will protect the
negroes, there is no pretext for the Repub-
lican organization. Its leaders have never
dared to take new ground, to adapt it to any
one Of those vital problems, the considera-
ton of which must absorb the attention of
parties in the future.
The reason why the Republican leaders
have never dared to identify their party
with questions of free trade, finance, the
constitutional relations of the States to the
government, and SO on, is that on every
possible question that now attracts the at
tention OF thinkers the Republicans are as
hOpelessly divided as the Democrats. For
this reason the elimination of the war from
the politics of the day would destroy the
Republican party. That is the bond Of its
existence. 1t is bond which grows weaker
as time heals the wounds of the war and
brings the sections into closer union.
Every new cotton crop is q step toward re-
Cancellation. Consequently the Democrats
have grown by the weakness of their Op
ponents. They have an almost united South
in their favor, as they had before the wal; ;
or, rather, they will have it, unless. as
the Democrats profess to believe, Don
CameIOn's 5000 soldiers should trample all
lite out of dozen sovereign States. In
addition to this steadily growing strength
strength based on passion-there is
deep-seated craving for "reform." The
eight years are long enoug h to wear out
the patience of any people with Presi-
dent. especially of people as mercurial as
the Americans, who fretted over Washing
ton long before they were through with
him. This craving arises also from the
blunders of the President and the crimes
of many OF the men upon whom he be-
slowed his confidence. There is feeling
that the government will be improved by
the admission of new men into office, and,
and, in answer to this feeling, the Demo-
Gratis have named candidate whose high
est claim to the presidency is that he is
represen Cative refOrmer.
No party could enter upon a canvass
with brighter prospects than the Demo-
Gratis had three months ago. All the augu-
ries pointed to tho success of Tilden, or to
whoever the Democrats would nominate.
Why is it that these augurles fail the
friends of Tilden now 1t is because the
Republicans since the beginning of the
campaign have. with all their obstacles to
success made no mistakes, and fought to
win. The Democrats, with all their hopes
and promises OF success, have made blum
der after blunder, and fought to lose. The
treatment of the financial question, of
civil service, of the one term in Tilden's
tion of the surrender of the It sumption act
by Governor Tilden. IL was the violation
of a pledge, which must run more than
three years before fultllment, Of one of
the pledges upon which our national
credit rests. at time when we are trying
to borrow $300,0OO,0OO at four and half |
per cent. This pledge did not bind Gov
ernor Tilden, because he goes into Office |
upon the assurance, triumphantlv repeated
by his friends, that in very short time,
much less time than the resumption act |
comedies, he would be ready to resume.
Now, If Mr.. Tilden as President is certain
that he can resume in less than two years, |
why is 1t that he throws away the pledge |
now For ne other reason than to Oblige |
Mr.. Hendricks, Mr.. Pendleton and the in |
tiatiOnists. In other words, this paramount |
and ostentatiOus reformer, who would 20
into office to war upon wickedness, makes |
terms in the outset OF his campaign with
the worst feature of wickedness in the
party of reputation and in
tiatiOn. Cautious conservative Democrats
who remember how Buchanan was bullied
ilt0 secession, even at a time when his
heart was loyal to every star in the flag of |
The Union, ask if it is possible that Tilden
ian he another Buchanan, with Hendricks
md Ewing to drive him into initiation as |
Davis and Slidell drove Buchanan into the
,ivil war.
While the country is making this terrible,
his disastrous comparison, the State rises
n protest against the manner in which
rilden and his friends are making their can
ms for the governOrship, and more es-
,ecially the reform measures Of Congress.
The insincerity of this cry for retrenchment
, shown by the fact that the Democratic
Iouse, which reduced the government to
q present beggsrly situation, passed the
q ualizstion of bOunties bill, and the act for
be Improvement of rivers and harbors.
'hese measures were of the most iniquitous
ha racter. No House can claim to be honest
! in favor of reform that approved them.
he ..retrenchment" of the House IS humili-
inc Instead of a calm, philosophical ar
vi service-instead of reductions that
ould not injure the government-there has