New-York tribune., 1879-05-06
LEARNING SOMETHING.

friends do learn. We have to congratulate
them upon the progress they have made, and
are apparently still making, in the art-for 1t
really is an art--Of gracefully backing down.
1t isn't an easy thing to do. once III Whiie'
but only mt very long intervals, we come
across an individual in public life who, when
sorely pushed, can be brought to acknowl-
edge his fallibilty, confess that he Is III
error. and gracefully abandon an untenable
position. But if individuals who can do
this are rare. parties are still rarer
almost unknown, indeed 1t Is an awk-
ward and ungaceful movement, ana they
never like 10 undertake it, The organization
called the Democratic party--for the same
reason that the boy called his knife with
new blade and different handle the same old
knife-has had first and last great deal OF
backing down to do, but with all its expert
icnce has never succeeded in doing it In
graceful and becoming manner. 1t has al
ways either twisted and turned and wrenched
itself, or made great 0utcry ana
show of violent resistance, and been
finally forced to it. But they are get
ting used to it, and are doing 1t
nowadays, if not more willingly, at least
gether better way, of course, would be to
cease clustering and bullying, and putting
themselves in positions which necesstate
backing down but that Is too much to expect.
For they pride themselves on beng Jack
"sonian Democrats, and they can never live
long enough to get over the example OF " Old
Hickory Because the old gentleman was III
the habit Of stamping his foot and saying
he would do this and that "By the Eter-
"nal," they not only think they can do it, but
look upon it rather as an inherited duty. They
keep forgetting that General Jackson is dead.
And they keep up his habit of prOfanely pro-
claiming purposes as unalterable, which after
q little they find themselves obliged to sur
render. But if they must go on bullying 1t
is well that they should learn the most grace
full mode of retreat.
II is always well to consider before Issuing
unconditional threats of the "Never, never" +"
sort whether there is not upon the whole just
a bare possibility of an emergency arising
in which it will be necessary to withdraw or
modify them. If there is, then it is wiser to
sacrifice something of the present effect of
defiant attitude, in order to save the depress-
ing influence upon the mind and spirits Of
being obliged later to sneak out with tucked
tail. General Jackson put his foot down once
or twice, and swOre "By the Eternal to do
things. and did them. The example was a
calamitous legacy to his party, who have
ever since been swearing by great variety
of appeals to the Deity that they would do
things. and then not doing them. 1t makes
q world of difference whether yOu bully
q big fellow or little one, but these people
have too often failed to discriminate. The
consequence has been they have sometimes
been obliged to explain and sometimes to pull
themselves together after little tussle and
dust their coats. 1t was because so many OF
them had said, with prOfuse OratOry that
I" the South would never submit to the cleo
"hon of Black Republican President"
that they went into rebellion in 1861. They
bullied the country just as they did their
plantation hands, and when a Republican
President was elected they had gone so far and
threatened so loudly and SO much that there
was nothing left them to do but carry out
in secession and rebellion their refusal to
submit. They had not learned then to back
down. To do them justice they did not back
down they made the fight they threatened,
rebelled against the Government they had
bulled and dehed, and were worsted in the
encounter. One would think so uncomfortable
an experience would have cured them of
bullying 1t apparently has not What 1t has
cured them of is the notion Of undertaking to
carry out their thyeats. Their buster is the
same as ever their bullying ways the same.
With their first taste of power they
began to dictate and threaten, and tell
what they would and would not submit
to, in the old way. The close of the XLIVth
Congress found them in the midst of high
talk about refusing to submit to the decision
of a tribunal of their own choosing upon the
question of the Presidency. They danced on
the desks, they filibustcred and threatened,
and called for hundred thousand men, and
carried on in the old fashion. But even then
they had learned something. They stopped
with threatening revolution. They did not
undertake it.
The close Of the XLVth Congress found
them still clustering and bullying. Unless
the Senate, which was then Republican, and
the Executive would give way to the demands
Of Democratic House, they would withhold
the supplies. They issued their ultlmatum.
Senate and Executive must surrender TO them
or there would be no appropriations.
And for that session they carried out
the threat. They left the Government
nprovided for and went home. Still
at the old business of bullying and
threatening. For a few days they kept stiff
upper lip in the present called session they
talked still of bringing the President to terms
or starving him into submission; and there
was much of the old-tlme slangwhanging
which used to frighten timid souls. But
within a few days there has been q noticeable
change of tune. The men who were going to
sit out the whole term before yielding a point
in thn cnntrnrorsv and would hnve thn whnnls