The Daily clarion., 1877-01-09
The Northern Democracy.

dlu VI tuS OOutu III tuC cfCut VI q Wal
between the two sections, and then re-
fused to comply with their pledge. In
the first place, this is an unmanly
way OF evadng the Presidential issue,
with which the country is confronted, and
it does not relieve the South from bear
ing her share of the responsibilities that
may result from the threatened attempt |
Of the Radical leaders to nullify the elec-
ton and usurp the government The
attitude of the Nothern Democracy
neither before, nor during the
civil war has any relevancy to the existing |
controversy. The issues are different
The nature of the quarrel is different.
Its bearings upon the various sections
of the Union are different. There is no
similarity between the two; and the pub
lie agent who pretends to find in the con-
duct, or the asserted conduct Of the
Northern Democracy at any time, mo-
tive for abandoning his cause now, is
paving the way for selling out to the
usurpers.
But in point of fact, it is not true that
the Northern Democracy did make a
pledge to espouse the side of the South
with arms in their hands in the event of
war resulting from secession. A few
Jealous men in their opposition to the
abolition party, and to its obtaining con-
troll of the government, may have made
declarations which admitted of the in
terpretation, and two Of the number we
now remember, the late Daniel S. Dick
enson, of New York, and the late
Governor Willard of Indiana, but they
we're exceptional cases To the credit of
the Northern Democracy, it ought not
be forgotten that they did resist with rea
son and argument the encroachments of
fanaticism upon the Constitution, to the
last moment, after every other Northern
J organization had been absorbed by the
Radical party, but it is not true that they
ever advised the secession of the South
ern States as a remedy for the evils of the
party whose triumphant march to power
they had struggled to defeat, and much
less did they promise to take up arms In
behalf of such a movement ii 1T was
made. Common sense forbade such a
course on their part. The consummation
they least desired was separation from
the South, and to be left in Union
powerless in the presence of the over
shadowing abolition party which WAS
predominant in the Northern States. Ii
is a poor return from their constancy
and sacrifices in opposing the growth
and spread of abolition and its contraliz
ing tendencies, to charge them with
apostacy for not taking up arms against
e their own section after the discussion was
transferred from the forum to the field
So much for the truth of history. But
if the facts are precisely as designed tc
$ be conveyed by the ipert remark
e above quoted, about "invincibility, anC
r invisibility" they would not justify indif
$ ference on the part of the South te
e the grave issue now pending; nor render
t her people unmindful of the fact that the
e success of hesmeditated Radical usurpa
ton would mean the continuation ot
Grantism, the riveting of the chains up
= on Louisiana and South Carolina, and the
= overthrow of the governments in the
Southern States, which by superhumar
, efforts have wrought out their deliver
ance from carpet bag misrule. MOI
would it absolve them from the obligation
to stand firmly by their Northern allies il
the Presidential election and share with
them whatever sponsibilities may resul
from bold assertion Of the right to in
augurate the man who has been choser
a President by majority of the people.
The following is the act of 1871 under
which it is assumed that new election
for President will be held if vacancy
? should exist by reason of the failure O
!. the two Houses of Congress to agree il
- counting the votes before the 4th o
! March
!, Whenever the Office of President anC
Vice-Presdent shall both become vacan
It the Secretary of State shall forthwith caus,
notification thereof to be made to the Elk.
/ ecutive of every State, and shall also caus,
I the same To be DuhliShed in at least one o.