The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1879-03-11
''THE TROJAN HORSE"
A Significant Article from a Leading
"National."
The Hon. George willard Rcpudi-
ates the Coalition.

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The following significant article in
relation to the Greenback and Demo
cratic parties, is from the Battle Greek
Journal, edited by George Willard, a
prominent Greenback orator in last
falls campaign. He points out the
hand writing on the wall in so plain a
manner that all who read can under
stand:
Everybody knows the adroit plan
conceived and executed by the Greeks
for the capture and destruction of Troy.
The credulous Trojans, deceived by
the pretext OF a victim offered 10 th sm
for sacrifice, introduced the cohorts OF
the treacherous foe into their midst,
and while rejoicing over the felicity Of
their triumph, found their city taken
aud its final doom pronounced. IL
gained a wooden horse but lost its own
existence.
The fatal policy which resulted so
disastrously in that instance. has often
been repeated, but scarcely ever in
American politics with more noticeable
strategy than that practiced at Lans-
ing, Friday, by which the Democratic
party Of Michigan, by an apparen. sur
render to the National party. in reality
captured the latter aud put an end TO
its independent career. Ii is true that
by this movement the Democracy sub
mitted to a still further loss of what
little credit for consistency was lett TO
il, IN our State, but the end sought
was evidently regarded sufficient
compensation for the step taken by the
great majority OF its representatives
The Nationals exposed themselves to a
tempting opportunity for final absorp-
tion, and il is perhaps not strange that
the Democrats should lay aside all
scruples to win what appeared to be a
tempting prize.
No man should be so blind as not TO
see that the coalition OF the Democrat
ic and National conventions Of Michi-
gan in the spring OF 1879, on the same
platform and with the same candidates,
has no other object, on the part of the
managers of the coalition, than the
complete union of the two parties in
1880, under rhe Democratic banner. III
IT Is not the purpose TO prepare the
way for such a result, why should
there have been such persistent effort
to now bring both organizations to-
gether on the same declaration of prin-
ciples? Why put in the mouth OF both
precicely the same creed? The Coun-
Gil of Nice, in the establishment of a
common declaration OF faith. did so
with n view TO permanently unite
Christendom, as it would be absurd to
suppose that it was the intention to
have two opposing churches stand on
one platform. 1t is equally absurd to
suppose that those who controlled the
machinery OF coalition at Lansing had
any other aim than TO virtually make
one party out Of two for the Presiden-
tial campaign. The State election in
April is for offices that are wholly non-
political, and it would be the heighth
of nonsense TO build up a National
platform for the mere purpose of plac-
ing upon it candidates for Judge and
Regents of the University, unless IN
der the expectation Of an ulterior at
tainment. This is nothing more nor
less than that the parties which took
part in its construction are TO be ANAL
magated for future political action. -
We would not presume to impute to
the managers OF the coalition the ex-
treme folly which Nould be implied in
a different conclusion.
But il the two parties cooperate
hereafter, which is to control? The
answer is plain. The Democratic par
ty of Michigan does not intend to go
out OF existence in 1880. Nor do the
Nationals who are now joined with il
suppose that ID will do so. A party
which has a majority IN both branches
of the national legislature is not exact
ly in the mood for voluntary self-anni-
bilation, or the loss Of its identity by
absorption. In the great political bat
tie of next year, the Michigan Dem
ocracy with all the allies which they
can muster, intend 10 range themselves
in an earnest fight against the Republi
cans. Those of TIE rank and file OF
the present National party, who have
no stomach for this fight, should be
warned IN time, and take their meas
ures accordingly; for nothing is surer
than that the men who manufactured
the Lansing combination are simply
making an effort 10 range the united
Democrats and Nationals of Michigan
in exact line with the Thurman Hen
bricks Democracy.
Were the Nationals who participated
in the coalition really desirous OF the
perpetuation Of the National party as
an Independent movement, they would
not have joined in Fridays act OF sui
ci6e. IL is easy 10 see that the new
amalgam cannot be carried away from
the national Democratic organization.
The Nationals. OF course, hope 10 exert
an influence upon the universal Dem
ocracy, by their cooperation, but in
the effort. not only their future inde-
pendence, but even their existence, "a
a party, is absolutely surrendered.
The poor joke of having swallowed the
Democrats, will be a sad equivalent for
the ruin caused to the party when the
swallowed Democrats shall be discov-
cred to be armed foes seeking its con-
troll, and welding it for the simple
purpose OF Democratic ascendancy in
our national politics
One Of the worst features of the new
alliance is the agency which il will
exert in supporting the pretensiohs OF
the "solid south" The year 1880 is
aura 10 ha a unomantoua ona in our no