Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-03-20
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

The meeting, q lew uay sluCe, VI
tho local political association called
"The Democratic Union," was the
irst decided symptom of returning
sense aud Ganity i'll the democratic
party of Now York. The moral ad-
dress and the speeches in support OF
it betokeued a sincere desire 10 re-
unite The party on a basis OF principle
regardless of personal jealousies aud
hostililiss. The democrats who have
embarked In this movement are ot
sufficient standing to command the
attention aud respect OF the party.
Among them are some OF the most
prominent supporters of the boiling
candidate for Governor i'll the last
election, including Lieutenant Gov
srnor Dorsheimer, the most effective
of the demo cratic orators who EN-
cournged the bolt. THIS looks hope
full, or it is u glealn of hope If not q
dawn.
Tue chances are greatly in favor of
the democratic party III this state
il it can hush up its Intestine feuds.
and success i'll NV York would al
most insure the election of q demo-
cratic president. Even last fall, when
the party was weakened and demor-
allied by a formidable split in its W
ranks, its regular Candidate for
Governor received 1851 votes, the
boiltiug candidate a, 1866, making all
aggregate of 45S $50. whereas the re-
publican received only Alb, 567-put-
ting him IN all actual minority OF
81, 7S9. If all the democratic votes of
the .tate can this year be concen-
s..e- -, ~r. .aI-at shArn Vunp11 hn
a strong probability of its election,
even if II relative strength OF the
two parties remained i'll other re-
spects about the same as it al in the
last state contest.
But the political situation has
changed since the meeting of the
legislature, aud the change is calcu-
lated to inspire democratic cou6-
deuce. Powerful elements Of disin-
tegration have sprung up in the re-
publican party of the state. The
Saratoga convention in September,
by which the nomination Of Mr..
Cornell was forced upon the party,
provoked no vigorous revolt, and the
machine dictation was submitted to
in D spirit of sullen obedience. But
the Utica convention in February pre-
sented q marked contrast to that
whipt spaniel aspect Of the opponents
of the machine. They were again
%overruled, but they raised . protest
ing cry which was re-echoed through
the st ,te. The reverberstiug dissent
still fills the air, aud is not likely to
subside into silence. 1t is felt to
have been q gross affront to the
liberty aud manhood Of the party to
instruct delegates to vote in the
natioual convention against the de-
clared wishes of their immediate
constituents. The machine despot-
ism, which suppresses and stiles the
real choice OF the people and assumes
to compel delegatss to vete contrary
to the wishes and instruction of the
congressional districts which they
r appointed to represent, would
naturally raise \ breeze, even it un-
accompanied with other circum-
stances OF despotic bravado. But
the straw which has broken the pa
tient cameps back Is the nomination
of Mr.. SmytE. The republican party
Of the state is in opeu revolt against
it. 1t was this fragrant defiance of
public sentiment which Infused bold
ness into the minority OF Utica, and
the imputed intention OF Keeping
Smyth in Office in spite of the refusal
OF the seuate to confirm him will dis
rupt the party unless Gov. Cornell
retreats from his untenable position.
At the beginning of the session the
desire of the seuate TO Oblige and
please the governor went TO the ex-
of complaisauce. But now
both branches of a republican legis-
iature are ready to condemn and
humiliate the governor by removing
Smyth from Office by concurrent res
olution aud appointing his successor.
Whether the governor retreats before
this menace or is overbOrue by the
hostile action Of the legislature Il
state OF feeling will be produced
which bodies no good to the republic
u party of the state.
The dem )crats are demeuted or in
sane if they fail to take advantage OF
SO inviting AL opportunity. They
nave Ohly to unite in order 10 win al
easy triumph in the state, which is
theirs by the figures of the last cleo
ton, aud more securely theirs by the
blunders and divisions, the folly and
resentments of their political op-
pouents. Everybody concedes that
if the democratic party csrries New
York it will probably elect the next
president. 1t would he political
ldiocy or lunacy to let 80 great an
opportunity pass unimproved by
sonnl quarrel.
The fact that MI. Dorsheimer aud
other prominent democrats who
participated i'll last years bolt have
come forward as leaders in the effort
for union is favorable TO success. 1t
cannot be expected that the boiling
candidate for governor will take ali
active part in this movement ; if he
makes no strenuous opposition to it
that is all that can be expected of a
politician in his peculiar position.
The support of some of his chief
lieutenants and abettors in the boil
sutRces to show where he will be
found if the effort succeeds. The
position of the democratic union is
that neither be nor Mr.. TiIden mus,
stand III the way of democratic har.
mony. Without mentioning the
name Of either, notice Vas served Oh
both that they must not obstruct the
consolidation of the party.
There is only IL point OH which
the standard of union eau be success.
fully raised, and that is the submis.
sion Of all factions to the action oil
the democratic national convention
Whatever candidate it nomiuates the
whole party must declare its inten.
ton to support. In other words
neither of the local factions i'll New
York must u to dictate, and
least of all to veto, the action of the
democratic party at large as respre.
ssnted by its assembled delegates a,
Cincinnati. A pledge to this effect
will be no abdication of the right t.
support or oppose particular caudi,
dates before the convention meets OF
in the convention. Mr.. Tiiden OF
Mr.. Bayard OF Mr.. Thurman can bt
defeated either by the choice of op.
posing candidates, or by exposure OF
their weakness in particular states
or by active electioneering agains,
them at Cincinnati. There are legiti
mate forms Of opposition so long AT
| thav do ner uO tho oyfanf nj r.f,,;,,