The daily gazette., 1878-03-15
The Democratic Party Not the
Only Party.
From the ". Y. Sun.

The country could exist without any
democratic party. When names lose
their significance, they are of but little
consequence in politics. A Democratic
party with no distinctive principles would
cease to be the handmaid of patriotism
and would become a mere sham. The
o-ca LED Democratic party in New
hampshire has just suffered defeat
when victory lay within its easy grasp
III mad but to stretch forth its hand and
ttke hold of power. Why was not this
done? Because in New Hampsbire tbe
Democratic party had become but anoth.
or name for cowardice and tho abandon
inent OF all principle. The platform
adopted by. the Democratic State Con.
Vention failed utterly to come ND to the
requirements of the occasion. and for
tins reason the defeat which it has sus.
tanned was deserved. Here is its reso.
lution on the subject of the Presidency
"2. That we denounce upon the Rep ,b-
llcan party stern retribution for the great
crime oy which the people were defrauded
oI tnelr rights TO be governed by rulers OF
theif choice, and hold IL up to universal
evecration, and we demand OF the present
congress the adoption or initiation OF such
measures OF legislative enactment or con-
sttutionaI amendment as shall render i'm
posslDln The consumaLion of another such
HOW could the people be expected to
feel satisfied with tawdry, indefinite stuff
IKE this? The resolution declares that
tne people have been defrauded of their
right to be governed by rulers of their
choice. Well, that is something pretty
grave for people to be defrauded of. It
Is simply all there is of the American
system of government, If the people
have been defrauded of that they have
been defrauded of everything. No won
der the Convention denounced the act
rs great crime. A great crime it is |;
there can be none greater. But what
remedy was proposed for the grevious
wrong? When it reached this vital
point the Convention suddenly became
tame and timid as a sheep. When a peo-
pie have been deprived of all they hold
most dear when the American people,
in the language of the resolution, have
been defrauded of their right to be gov
erned by rulers of their choice, it is
natural that they should be impatient
Tor some speedy and efficient means of
redress; But what was the proposition
OF the New Hampshire Convention? 1t
was that Congress should adopt or ini-
tiate some measures to render the recur-
renee OF such wrong impossiblel Why
provide only for the distant and uncer-
tam future? Why postpone redress
Why not apply the remedy at
once to the present wrong under which
the country is smarting? There is no
ground for belief in the sincerity of a
party which says only, at shall not be
done again" instead of saying, SIT shall
not be continued now"
What is the use of telling the people
they shall not have another Hayes?
What they want is to get rid of the
Hayes they have. Why tell them they
shall not be defrauded out of the right to
choose their own rulers again, when
those at present in power by fraud are
permitted to retain their offices?
Cowardice has led to defeat in New
Hampshire, as cowardice will lead to de-
feat everywhere.
The country can live without theDemo-
cratic party, but the country cannot live
without party that demands immediate
redress Of SO great wrong as defrauding
the people out of their choice of Presi-
dent. When the whole people, with one
accord, tamely acquiesces in one perpe-
tration of such a wrong, then the Nation
lies down to die