The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-11-15
Governor Tilden on the Situation.

In conversation at his house. Governor Tilden
expressed his qualification at the results of the
eiections; and appeared to be good deal amused
at the efforts of the republican papers to console
themselves with their victory in Massachusetts.
lie was entirely satisfied he said with the demo
cratic trlumphs which had in magnitude, fully
equaled his expectations. He spoke of the repub-
llcan party as demoralized by the methods emplov-
ed by its leaders to carry the last election. Tie
conscience OF the party, he felt sure, did not ap-
prove OF these methods, and had received d shock
| from when 1t cannot recover In discussing the
| cause OF the decline OF the republican party GOV
| llden spoke also of the effect of the o-called
southern policy Of the administration on the masses
| OF the republican voters, who have for twenty
| years been animated by feeling Of distrust and
| hostility toward the south-a feeling so ingrained
| that they cannot free themselves from it if they
would. The policy. which was nothing but a
| necessity of Mr. Hayes situation has he thinks
lost the north to the republicans without gaining
| the south.
! Governor Tilden has the dislike of talking for
the newspapers which most prominent public men
| feel III these times OF political uncertainty He
VIII hardly object, however, if to the above all-
| thonzed statement of his views on the result of
the election, some reference is made to his well
| known opinions on the interesting subject of the
future Of parties. No living statesman has studied
more thoroughly the history of parties in the nit
ed states, or has gone deeper into the philosophy
| OF political action. The visitor who is fortunate
| enough TO ind him i'll hum0r to talk on this
| theme, enjoys rare treat. The ex-governor when
he gets well into his subject has way of pacing
back and forth in the room with one hand behind
his back, and the other ready to emphasize an idea
HIS sentences are as clean cut and torcibe as any
thing IN Macaulay. his memory of men and events
III the past IS wonderfully accurate and he has
the whole political history Of the country at his
ingers-ends, TO draw upon for Illustrations and
examples While looking for the speedy disn-
tegratlon of the republican organization and the
certain advent of the democratic party to power in
1880 Governor Ilden by no means expects that
his party Will be without powerful antagonist
His idea is that successor to the republican party
VIII at once step into IFS shoes and that the new
organization will contain most of the men and
enbody the leading ideas of government of its
predecessor Without attempting in any case to
quote Mr. Illdens language the substance OF his
opinion may be roughly given III the following
condensed form, which loses of course. all the
elegance of the original expression
There has been succession OF parties running
IN two parallel lines down from the time the con
stltulon was framed. The two contending organi
cations have almost always been of nearly equal
strength. The main idea about which they differ
do not change with the change of names One has
ALWAYS been high government party and the
other has always resisted all Unnecessary interior
ence by the government with the affairs of the
citizen The strong passions Of the war confused
and partly blotted ont these distinctions but they
are reappearlng again and promise TO dominate the
politics of the future The republican party sue
ceeded to the ideas of the wings, as they did to
those OF the tederasts, and whatever party takes
the place of the republican organization will in
herlt the same views OF the proper functions OF
government. 1t will contain most of the men who
desire high tariff. all those who believe i'll regu
lating mems food and drink by law, the people who
want the United States to control the railroads |
and telegraphs, and TO furnish troops to put down
local riots-ln short, all those who think that the
power OF the general government ought to be |
brought to bear to accomplish all sorts OF results
in public affairs. On the other hand the central |
idea OF the democratic party is that mucn govern
ment Is an evil: that the power OF the general |
government must be exercised within the strict |
limits prescribed by the constitution: that the |
paired. nor their authority ntrenched upon and |
that the citizen should enjoy the largest liberty to
manage his own affairs, consistent with public or |
der These two antagonistlc ideas will not always
be plainly expressed in party Platforms, however |
for so closely balanced will be the cOntending or
carnations that each will compromise somewhat |
III public declarations with the opinions OF the |
other for the purpose Of gaining votes but they |
Will be the underlying principles of parties. as |
they used to be before the The questions |
iylng Oh the surface Of controversy will be mainly |
questions of administration. The mission of the
democratic party is TO resist the tendency to cen
tralization left by the war to educate the public
mind to a better understanding Of the essential |
principles OF our form OF COY ernment, and to a |
comprehension of the Importance of the checks |
and balances of the tederatiye system 4 genera |
hon has grown mp that never heard these subjects |
discussed, and that has but a vague idea Of the |
nature Of the foundations upon which popular |
liberties and rights rest. 1t will be fortunate for
the country, it, as now looks probable the politics OF
the future get back into the old channels and the
old questions about the powers and duties of the |
general and state governments come TO be care
fully considered again. y Y. Tribune correspond |
encc.