New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-19
7UO yygWS or THE yW0 PARTIES.

Two noteworthy political papers appear IN
the january number of The North american
Ke,qe,c; one by Senator Edmunds, entitled,
Inc Controlling Forces in American Politics.
and the other by Senator Wallace. entitled,
"The Mission of the Democratic Party" Both
treat of the same subject the attitude and re-
latlons to each other Of the two great political
organizations in the United STATES Neither
contains any vely fresh contributions to the
fund of material for current political discus
sion, or gives any clear glimpse Of probable
party action in the future but each is valuable
as q statement of the writer's idea of the motives
and beliefs of the party to which he belongs,
and his view OF the pu poses OF its opponents.
Senator Edmunds finds the best way of show
ing the reason for the existence Of TIE Republic
can party and of describing its aims and work
TO be in giving an 9ccOunt of the Democratic
party, which ne does with a somewhat caustIc
pen, yet with rigid adherence to historic facts.
The prepODderatmg infiu noes within the
Democratic party, up to 1861, he says, were
devoted first to the protection and extension OF
slavery second, to the propagation of The dogma
OF free trade; third, to restricting the National
jurisdiction and the National laws within the
narrOwest limits with respect to elections of
Representatives,. the privileges of citizens, and
internal Improvements; fourth to REFRESHING
the jurisdiction OF the National Courts ;and. fifth,
to the propagation of the doctrine Of the right of
secession. The overthrow of the Rebellion has
removed the first of these objects from the arena
OF practical politics, but whether the last has
received its guetus remains for the future to
determine. The Others are still cherished
except that concerning internal Improvements.
Toward this the attitude of the party has I'M
dergOne change, and its members of Congress
generally favor expenditures for such works on
a scale that is liberal to the point of reckless
ness The present doctrine of the Democracy
in regard to the constitutional amendments,
Mr.. Edmunds SAYS, is that he duties they de-
vove ale the duties of States in their character
such, and that no legislation OF Congress
operating upon the persons of citizens is ap-
pr0prate" SO, too III regard TO the laws of
Congress for securing fair elections of members
of the House. The attitude and policy of the
Republican party can, he thinks, be understood
from the statement OF the position Of its an
tagOnist He does not admit that The Demo-
Gratis are genuine and consistent defenders of
the real constitutional Zig ITS of the States pc
cause in the important matter of electirg q
President the records of Congress show that
they have voted against laws proposed by
the Republicans binding Congress to recognize
and obey the decision of such States in regard
to all questions OF the choice of its electors,
and have sought to draw Into the two houses
an unlimited jurisdiction over The subject
This is strictly correct presentation OF the
consti utional point at issue In the electoral con-
tr0versy OF 1877.
Senator Edmunds holds it TO he n grave mis-
take to suppose that the present opposition of
parties is in any correct sense sectional. The
division, he says, is essentially Institutional
and not geographical. Every State in which
slavery recently existed voted at the recent
election for the Democratic candidate and every
Northern and Western State, with three ex-
cepuions, produced, il Is believed, by the crime
of the forged Morey letter, voted for the Re
publican candidate. The Democratic party, he
considers, in every effective sense is, as 1t
"was before the Rebellion, nothing else than
party founded AMI existing upon the ideas
"of q siavehOiding system. which has always
"been corner stone OF aIistOcIatlcal govern
"menrs." Of such a party, he says, we may
repeat the phrase applied to one Of the earliest
of Democratic parties: And OF all the
"enemles they had they were themselves the
"mOst fatal"
Senator Wallaccs paper is very short, hardly
exceeding the compass Of an ordinary news
paper editorial article. The mission OF the
Democratic party, he claims. is docenlrali-