Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-03-31
THE PARTY OF Reform.

The democratic party fails to make any
favorable impression upon the country as
q party of reform. Throughout all It's acts
in the line of reform there appears under
meath evidence that its object is not to
purify the government, but to make polit-
ical capital for the democratic party. 1t
does not 60 to work with an honest intent
and the people know it. They say, and
say truly, that the republican party mani
tests more sincerity of purpose in reform
than the democratic party.
In the last number of Harper's Weekly,
Mr.. Curtis, in an editorial upon the New
Hampshire election, puts this matter in its
true light. "New Hampshire" he says,
"saw, with the rest of the world, that the
Republican party has in many directions
within the las. two years, and despite the
lamentable disclosures of the last few
months, shown spirit from which much
may be expected. While its Secretary of
the Treasury has been steadily and sue
cessfully Furnishing both Republican and
Democratic thieves, and the better senti-
ment of the party has prevented his re-
moyal from the cabinet, the Democratic
party. responsible in the House, has shown
total want of ability, resource and cour
ageous patriotism. and has interrupted its
blind housing Cor party advantage only
long enough to defend the crimes Of An
dersonville and show its sympathy for rag
money. Why should any sensible State
or person, however dissatisfied with the
existing situation or sincerely DESTROYS of
reform, suppose that it was to be expected
from the Democratic partyP Even in ex-
posing the crime of the Secretary of War,
it was SO intent upon the mere exposure
itself, as injurious TO the Republican party,
that it wholly neglected to provide for the
punishment of the offender. which was the
point in which the whole country is inter-
ested. So with the financial question.
Great efforts have been made by loud
vociferation to persuade the public that
hard money is what is humorousy called
a Democratic ''principle.' But the hard
money Democracy on principle" propose
to repeal the act providing for resumption
of specie payment as a compromise with
softmoney Democrats compromise
which cannot hold.
II the Democratic party had shown from
the autumn of 1874, when it made great
gains everywhere, that it was really par
ty of intelligence, patriotism, courage, sa-
gacity and reform; il it had elected Sena-
tors and other officers whose character and
careers were the evidence of those quail
ties and such purpose; if it had boldly
and ably and unitedly grappled with the
great questions before the country, and
appealed, by its policy and its measures
and spirit. to the approval Of the people,
showing that it had broken utterly with its
Copperhead and reactionary and dema-
gogical tradiions-New Hampshire would
not, in the very hour of the Belknap ex-
posure and of the whskey trials, have
largely increased its Republican majority.
That the Democratic party has not done
this is because it could not. The compo-
sition, the traditions, the inevitable ten
denotes, of the party cannot be changed
by the wishes Of few Democrats. New
Hampshire, with the whole country, wishes
reform, but it believes that real progress
is more probable under Republican than
under Democratic ascendency. and it has
voted accordingly"