New-York tribune., 1879-01-02
little of his subject may learn much. ana
those who know much may still be prohted'
THE DEMOCRATS AND THE CIPHERS.

THE DEMOCRATS and THE CIPHERS.
| The fatal error of the Democratic party IS
that it has never paid attention 10 puphc
opinion. Popular whims and preJudlceS
| it has consulted far too often ioi
its own success. The meanest passions
of the meanest rabble-passlons OF wmch
| the rabble itself is ashamed when III
gets co,l--the Democratic party has often
stooped TO fatter, feed and obey. But
| il has never had any comprehension
of that steady, intelligent conscientious
slowly-growing public opinion, which rules
| everything in tins free country, and
! before which even the passions of the widest
! moh cover and cool. In truth, the Demo-
cratic party is not an organization fit for any
service whatever in free government IL Is
incompctcnt to lead or TO rule. lacks the
| sincerity and conscience for useful crlticls'n'
and embOdiCs so much of all that Is most
dangerous and knavish that instead OF re-
str.luing and correcting party III power py
It's opposition, il only gives TO that party
a greater and more miSchieyOuS sense oi Sc
culity. The Democratic party is just such a
narty rs serves. by its senSeless and conscience
less forms of opposition, to keep alive some OF
the worst dcspotisms in Europe. The high
est praise that philoSophic history VIII
accord to the Republican party in this country
| is that il has SO rarely abused Its power
| though tempted continually by such an oppo-
sitOn.
Ii is not possible FOR the Democrats to un-
derstana, for example, that sober and consci-
cntious public opnion, in respect to all charges
of fraud in elections, and more broadly and
1 L.,
of the Democratic party that 1t has
reformed or Will reform anything, mas
been very firmly set by the conduct OF that
party in regard to the attempts to buy
electoral votes. The rabble cares nothing
for proof that political leader has
hoep ouiltv of crime. 1t only
calls him smart and 1lippanily
sneers at the Excessive virtue" Of men who
would expose misdeeds by their own party
associates This is the moral level of the
mob. and the Democratic party thinks
onlv of that mob and its sweet
| voices. Yet there are thousands OF
| Democrats who have very different
feeling. To them, it has been matter OF
shame and glief that conspicuous leaders OF
Their party have been unable to reply, when
| charged with most infamous CRIME
| To them, the first day that was suffered
to pass without swift and conclusive
answer to the indictment contained III trans
| lated ciphers was day of shame. and worse
than n great defeat. Yet they hopefully pre-
| sumed that the party itself would strictly
| investigate, as soon as Congress assembled,
aud punish without mercy, If any one acting
for the Democratic party had been guilty OF
such a crime.
These sober and conscientious voters have
waited. To their amazement Democratic
Congressmcn are dumb. Democratic leaders
upOn whom the brand of dishOnOr has been
fixed make no effort to remove It, The
Democrats in Congress, with one accord, shirk
the whole subject, as if publicly contessiDg
that no man can Sse standing or influence
in that party by perpetrating any crime,
however Infamous. The more decent men
of the party are forming an opinion OF their
associates-an opinion which will last for
lifetime. They will know what hypOc-
risy ii is, when next. some defender
of ciphering cOparceners makes great
outcry about "Fraud." They will share
Republican disgust and contempt, the
next time the Democratic party lifts up its
voice for "Reform.'' Quietly but surely, this
change goes on. Men who never despised the
Democratic party before, despise 1t now. Men
who never voted any other ticket before will
go to the polls at the next election with feel
inc that they do not want to vote III the com
pany of confessed scoundTes.
Shirk the matter as long as You like, Messrs.
Democrats! The Republicans can wait, if you
can.