Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-05-31
The Two Parties.


parties of the country for the purpo-
ses of Presidential nomination con-
trast as sharply as their positions. If
reform is met BY repression, 50 are
Democratic statesmen by Republican
schemers and contrivers One has
but to look over the names Of the list
of distinguished Democrats who are
mentioned in connection with the
Presidency to beassured of the rich re-
sources of the party Of the Constltu-
tion, in point of its able, pure and
worthy men. They are men, too, who,
represent, not in any demagogical
sense, a party that is never opposed
by its rival save with taunts of its be,
ing the organization of popular lgnor-
ance, and answered with complacent
professions of a selfestimated moral
superiority of its own. This sort of
conceit, in fact, Is the staple element
Of the party still in power. Were the
statesmen of the Democratic party on
" theorists, sentimen.alists and dilet-
tante on the one side, and unmitiigated
demagogues and tratfickers on the
other, there would be much greater
reason for apprehension as to the
country's political future than there is
now, But being. on the contrary, as
they always have been, a class of per
sons who knew the art Of managing
men as thoroughly as they understand
the workings of the Federal Constltu
ton, their massive sense, their wise
patience, their tried sagacity, and
their ever clear apprehension Of the
character of the supreme law all com
bine to endow them as mere closet
men, professed culturists, doctrinaireS
aud rhapsodical rhetoricians were nev,
er endowned in the world And just
so long as what is solid and enduring
continues to put aside what is concelt
ed and ephemeral, just so long will
the strong common sense method Of
Democratic craftsmanship in this
country continue to wear out anc
brush away the glitteriug theories, the
emotional outbreaks and the didactic
assumptions Of every party that may
rise to announce that at least one-hal1
of the people have not the native sense
to govern themselves. Whenever
men in any party are capable of rising
to higher level of intellectual ability
moral purity and public virtue than
men like Thurman, Tilden, Bayard
Hendricks and Hancock. all OF whom
are currently named in connection
with the Presidency, that party VIII
have an undoubted right to claim su
periority in the Government and the
enjoyment of all the responsibilities
and privileges which it implies,
On the Democratic side at this time
list of distinguished men, any OF
of whom possesses rare qualifications
for discharging the duties Of the Elk
ecutive office even in times Of excep
tional responsibility. Upon the char
acter of not one of them rests a stain
or an imputation that would raise
doubt in the minds of his fellow-citl
zens. To ability they all add integrl
ty, and to large attainments an un
questioned purity of character. Wher'
is the party to be found that respond
to the popular demand for reform will
the presentation of n nobler or worth
ier array of candidates. 1fit IS tn
man, rather than the platform, that l
to win the majority of sufrages this
year, there is no need of going outsld
the Democratic party to find the wan
completely satisfied. How is the out
look for the Republican party! l
! the people search through its ranks I
discover man in all points, or /
D most points, fit to be clothed with th'
e dignity of the Executive office, the
r find only scene Of elimination an
recrimination, of charges and counter
charges, in which the leading men
: the Republican party are mutually er
t gagged. All are prominent chiefly
e defendants 50 far as they are indlvi'