The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1878-11-20
Democrntic Numbering.

ultNLNOtElAlAC
Some right good lecturing is being
administered to the Democratic par
sy by the press generally, onits much
laundering, inclusive of its unfortu-
nate attitude in the last campaign.
There is alwaysan attractive open.
ing for criticism of this character
when party has failed to meet its
full expectations, and the hind.sight
of the party sentinels becomes, all Of
a sudden, wonderfully lucid. They
are always on hand after the sum-
ming up with their "Ya, yal l told
you sol Look at thatl See what you
have done by running after false
leaders and demagogues without
principle, whose sole purpose was to
create dissentions in the Democratic
party and contribute to the success
of the Republicans. va, va, va!
Aren't you ashamed of yourselves"
To be just, however, we must say
that no party has given more occa-
sion for this kind of criticism than
the Democratic party. The wonder
to its friends, when we review the
history of the past few years, is, that
it has still maintained its organiza-
tion, and still more, obtained u su-
premacy in the national legislature.
Grant is reported to have said of the
Democratic party in effect that it
may always be depended on to blum
der just at the moment when within
reach of an important victory, and
no one had better reason for so say.
ing than Grant.
In this behalf, the New York san,
descants with its usual directness as
follows:
eve desire to do noinjustice to the
Democratic party. 1t is q party Of
great and noble traditions. Its orig.
inal principles are most emphatic
ally the principles of the American
Revolution and of the Incompatible
Constitution in which the supreme
law of the land is set forth. These
principles are Of, the very essence Of
liberty. Without them, a republic
in this country is an impossibility
and a republican form of government
is q farce.
But when from the past We turn
to the present the case is altered, and
we are transferred from an age Of
heroic men and lofty ideas into an
atmosphere Of pettinessi timidity,
and baseness. Indeed, it has passed
into a proyerb that for the last dozen
years the Republican party has liv.
ed through the imbecility and blum.
dering of the Democracy; that is to
say, through its lack of faithfulness
to principle on one hand, and Of
practical wisdom on the other.
Only two years ago the Democrats
elected the President of the United
States; but the Republicans conspir'
ed to cheat them out of the election
through certain vicious partisan ma
chinery which they had established
in some of the conquered common
wealths of the South. This conspir.
acy could only be consummated with
the assent of the House Of Represen'
tutives. Here the Democracy had
the majority; and had they stood
firm the conspiracy must have fail
ed. Bu: they were unused to succesI
and unfamiliar with the responsible
tiles of power. The Republicans
threatened violence. They Assem-
bled a contemplate force of a thou
sand soldiers at Washington and
loudly proclaimed that with these
they would shut the House of Repre-.
sentatives up in the old Capitol pris
on unless the Democratic majority
should prove itself submissive! This
wretched buster accomplished its
purpose. The Democratic House was
cowed, Forsaking the sure and safe
ground of the Constitution, and
turning their back in a panic upon
all our precedents, they agreed to Il
novel and illegal plan of determin,
ing the election, having in it n Ger.
tain vague element of chance upon
which they counted, Thus through
their weakness and their folly the
conspiracy carried its point, a fraud,
ulent President was inaugurated,"
Tn viaw nf Lhn fnck tboL ofiar Inn,