The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-31
The Strange situation Of Both the Great
Parties.

Parties.
Our two political parties, the Republicans
and the Democrats. are both OF them in
situation OF exceptional difficulty and I'M
certainty.
OF tho two, the Republican party Is the
worse of. After sixteen years Of uninter-
rupted power. IL was emphatcally repud-
ated bya majority Of the country in 1874,
when Democratic House Of Representa-
tlves was elected, and again In 1876, when
Democratic candidate for President was
elected; and this reputation was renewed
for third time in 1873, when the present
Democratic Majority Of the House Of Repre-
sentatives was returned. Thus the Repaid
licans have been condemned in three success
sive general elections and nothing has since
occurred to Indicate any great change in the
ointment of the country.
But worse than this, the Republican party
bears upon its shoulders the burden of
tho Electoral Fraud of 1876. and Of the UNI
constitutional Tribunal which made that
Fraud successful. BY such means II put into
the Office Of President man who was not
chosen; and this greatest Of political crimes.
this offence without precedent in our his
tory weighs upon the conscience OF the
party with a sense OF punishment merlted,
menace OF inevitable justice. Thus
there Is no Republican, however honest
or however devoted TO his party, who
does not perceive before him, as it were,
the darkness Of approaching doom; and
there Is no Republican politician, however
depraved or INSCRIPTIONS, who in all his
calculations, does not dwell upon this ele-
ment OF the future Hence serious de-
preston has settled upon the party; and
this is SO deeply felt, and the results which
1t involves are SO clearly apprehended, that
the foremost managers Of the party have con-
ceived the plan OF taking for their candidate
n man who has already served two terms as
President, and who, after a fruitless effort
TO be renominated for third term, finally
went out of Office three years ago sadly
disgraced from his intimate and confldcn-
tial associations with crowd Of sharpers
and plunderers such as had never surround
ell any other public man In the politics OF
any civilized country
The situation Of the Democracy, though
less critical than that Of the Republicans.
Is still crowded with embarrassments and
dangers. The immense majority which in
1876 elected the Democratic candidate for
lTtSlucuI-u majority Oh II Hllllou OF NOlelS,
counting the white electors olono, and of n
quarter of million, putting whites and
blacks together-ths majority has been
chilled and alienated by the fact that the
candidate they elected failed TO take his
Office, while the most eminent Democratic
leaders, terrified and deludcd, Joined in vio-
lating the Constitution and setting up a
new tribunal to determine a controversy
which the people had already determined
beyond appeal. Another cause which has
intensified this alienation is the want Of
proper wisdom and reserve among
conspicuous body Of Democratic states
men, respected, many OF them, for their
private qualities, and popularity known a.
the Confederate Brigadicrs. II there is any
thing that is conclusively settled in the mind
OF this people, il Is that the issues of the civil
war shall not again be put at stake, even
In parliamentary sense. This determine
ton these gentlemen have not always suf-
GENTLY respected; and the party with which
they have identified themselves has, conse-
quently, had TO suffer in the public esteem
and in the public apprehensons.
Moreover, the Democracy is peculiarly
lmpcrllled by the mutual animosity of vari-
Gus factions. These appear in every politi-
cal organization, but they are uncommonly
lively and mischevous in the Democratic
party MS now constituted. Hence there IS
no hearty unity in IT, while it is almost
destitute Of that political wisdom which IS
gained from experience in administration.
Unfamiliar with power and long accus-
lomcd TO defeat, II has no leader whom IL
follows with enthusiasm no sage able to give
Il peace and concentration, no candidate to
whose nomination year hence il looks con-
quarrels and distracted by intrgucs, 1t for
gets alike It's successes i'm the recent past
and its aspirations for the future. Whore ii
ought to be full Of courage and hope it trcm-
bles with groundless alarms, and hestates
and draws back as if some dreaded disaster
were close at hand What it means to do it
knows not. Having recently entered upon
conflict with the Executive in defence Of
principles essential TO any kind OF a rcpub-
lcan government, it now seems probable
that its representatives will at an early
day forswcar these principles and abandon
tho contest through sheer imbecilty and
pusllanimous tcrrorsl
Such is the situation Of each OF these two
historical parties. One Of them is desperate
the other divided, cowardly, and doubling.
Yet as we have said the prospects Of the
Democracy are, after all, better than those
Of tho Republicans.