National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-09-18
THE CRY OF DESPAIR.

Inc Lexington lhy.) GdSCtt, an ancient
Democratic Journal of long experience, has
taken recent survey of the political field,
and in view of its aspects sends forth a
doleful cry of despair. 1t thinks that the
elections in California and Maine indicate
that there is no Democratic party in either
State. The truth is, it remarks the Demo-
Gratis have permitted few malcontents
and croakers to start false issues, and the
naughty Republicans, with sagacity and
tenacity worthy better cause hold them
to it, and the result is defeat and almost
dsintegration of the party. The mistake
that the Gazette makes is in confounding
the authors of the false issues which have
proved SO disastrous, and having but poor
appreciation of the issues referred to of
themselves This is evidenced in the fact
J that the dismal fOrebodings of the Gazette
are supplemented with a most erroneous
conception of the character Of the issues
which have brought disaster to the Demo-
cratic camp 1t says
The issues which the extra session of Con.
gress furnished were the most splendid that
| any party ever set out on in any campaign,
and if they had been pressed and closely
| stuck to they would have swept the country.
| But the party lacks leadership, and those
| who aspire to be leaders are the vcriest dun.
derheads that ever thrust themselves into
conspicuous places since PhaetOn made such
| an ass of himself.
The characterization of the leadership is
no doubt correct, but the bunder made here
is that the Gazette gets the cart before the
horse-inasmuch rs it lauds the issues
made by the extra session Of Congress- and
denounces the Democratic leaders, when
the issues are so outrageous that they would
have brought disaster to the wisest leaders
and the strongest party known to history.
The issues so loudly extolled have sounded
the death llnell of Democracy. The Gazette
does not seem to see this but it is neverthe-
less true. 1t next complains that the fraud
in the Presidential title, the corruptions
and deficits in the Treasury, the vetoes ol
appropriation bills, have all been lost sight
OF, and the impracticable aud absurd green
back theory has been made to take prece-
dence in the campaign. And it continues
As any sane man might have predicted, the
Democratic party has all gone to pot in the
States where elections have been held and IL
looks as if the October States were going tC
follow suit This Is the meanest aud mcager-
est showing that any party, with such tremen
dous advantages over made. The party il
rotten somewhere, and there Is not only one
but 100 Achaus in the camp who must be STONED
out of it before victory will perch again upor
its banners.
In this lamentation our Democratic JERE
MIAH is mainly correct, but it seems TO bC
oblyious to the fact that there was nothing
in the cry of fraud in the Presidential title
and corruption and deficits in the Treasury
and hence the Democratic party was forced
| to abandon them, and catch at Greenbacll
T ism or some other silly eXpedient to keel
itself aloat, otherwise it would have sunk ou
of sight months ago 1t is n little strang
that a private in the Democratic rank
should have discovered so clearly the rea
character and motives of that party, for il
the following paragraph the gazette hits th'
nail squarey on the head. photographer
f however skilled and accomplished in his art
ever produced more faithful counterpart
than is here presented. 1t is true to tn
life when it says of the Democratic party
The very worst elements of the party rusl
in TO get places, and bring the party into dis
repute, aud the people say If this is what i
done in the green tree, what In the name 0
God are wo 10 expect when tho whole patron
age of the Federal Government Is put into th
7 control Of the Democracy?
! This fear, which has planted itself will
t so much force upon the mind Of Demo
f crat, is what has aroused the whole cOun
| try to sense Of danger under prospeoty
| Democratic domination. Thishas had mucl
- to do with the turn that has marked tn
| political tide and which is rapidly sendin
= tho Democratic party down instead of u
the stream that leads to success, The peo
pie are alarmed, rs is our cotemporary, an,
, have determined that party which is i'm
PEELED by no higher motive Of action tha
/, to put its very worst elements into oiicia