Smyrna times., 1878-09-18

The POLITICAL ASPECTS.-Several times in
the history of our Government the existing
political parties have been thrown into con-
fusion, sometimes dividing into fragments
and then again submerged by new i'm
pulse-a popular wave that has swept over
the country. The issues that had their
origin with the war and were born aloft on
the standard of the party that declared for
the integrity of the nation, are now the
tenets of all political parties. While these
questions were undecided it was not in the
nature of things for the parties to lay
down their arms, but for the past several
years the leading issues of both the Demo
cratic and Republican parties have been
the same-the chief bone of contention
being the spoils of Office. The contests in
the several states have been mainly with
tho view to the best mode of securing the
votes of that particular locality. In the
days of Clayton and Cass the party lines
were strongly drawn on the questions of
the tariff, finances, river and harhor i'm
provements, &C., but now scarcely two
state platforms in either of the parties
pronounce the same principles. In the
Republican party some declare for re-
sumption of specie money and an honest
redemption Of the national obligations
some are altogether silent on this important
point, and would purchase success by the
towards subterfuge of neutrality; some, as
+bo+ &c +ba PaDubl;oope 0f Kansas dao1aro
for an increased issue of Governments dis
honored obligations and the abolition oi
national banks. The Democratic party in
this particular is in torn up condition
and its different State platforms present the
same incongruous and contradictory decla
rations of principles. The two great lead
ers of the party, Senators Bayard anC
Thurman stand in antagonism to eacl
other from opposite sides of the fnancia
question, while the party, in its great de
sire to beat the Republicans, is ready fo
an alliance with the Greenbackers, Nation
ais or whatever promises this result. New
parties are generally welded together by
strong and controlling sentiment on SOM
fundamental principal, but there is per
feet Babel of tongues in the speeches O
the Labor reformers, Socialists, Greenbac1
and Nationals. They want relief from tn
"hard times :" each has its remedy. Il
only one thing are they united-to di:
place those in power so they can get thei
places. The people think it cannot b
worse; change possibly may bring relic
Every man with chronic ailment ha
thought the same thing about his doctc
and his medicine. An impatience ha
seized the people. If we can have hone;
statesmen instead of political demogogut
to lead and mould into rational though
the ideas, of these hosts of independer
thinking, it will be none the worse For l
as a nation. The mass of the people mea
right, and if this upheaval shall break IL
power of party discipline-the blind folloV
ing of name-it may be found to resu
in blessing. The party lash has mac
many a man stultify himself; has cause
those with 'little brief authority" to
what crowned head in Europe could n
do with safety-rob men of their fra
chise; and if this breaking loose from tt
traces that have made them wheel-hors
for certain men to ride into power snt
indeed set men free, it will have accol
plished great work. The result of ii
agitation may be the obliteration of Il
present political parties, but we have fai
in the American people that however mu,
they may stumble, they will eventual
stand strong and erect. Therefore, let Il
orators talk and the people listen, an
meanwhile, with all parties unsettled
their faith, let voters select for the
suffrage those men whose records al
lives, whose associations and attainmen
give the best pledge of wisdom and inte
rity,