The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-02-05
Democratic Folly.
From the st. Louis Post Dispatch


The Republican party came origin
Ally into power Ivy Democratic folly. |
rhc raiuilv for Democratic hlundcrs
commenced in 1860, when the party |
was rent aSundcr and put up three
pre- ,ilen,ial candidates AGAINST Lincoln
who Was elected by minority. Ev, RI
sihcc that time the Republican party
has largely lived on the folly of Demo
,ralic leaders. The Democracy uu-
qucstiop-bly always had a clear maj n
ity Of the people in fa!or of thei: rra
principles But divided mnj ,rity is
worse than united minority. Aud
some diolic hlunder like the craze on
the money question was certain 20 pc.
vent a united and harmonious party
AZ the very time when nothing else
could prevent i,s accession 10 power.
These may be unI leasaut Irulls, IN,
truths lhcv are. The sooner they are
recognized by Democrats themselves,
Tie better for them. The sci!-adms
siou Of an error or fuily is lhc FIRST
.t"p to It's tcorr'ction, Democracy
means majority, Lut, unfortunately. ;hc
Il inorily can rule under the laws OF
Ills country, d ,mocrary mean, true,
popular s-l'-goverdment, hut the most
correct principles and vital traditions
may prove weak Il encountered hF too
heavy load of bIunIrrs Giant >
rlc, ,lon may prove II terrible bow to
lrrc Institutions, yet Il is IN entirely
possible event, ami one that can lac
matte probable, if not absolutely ccl
lnln wv Democratic mistakes,
in 1860 Democratic division alone
allowed tie election Of Mr., Lincoln by
ii minority.
In 1864 Democratic llunlcis on the
war issue alone made Linc0n's re-
election inevitable, though, of course,
also only by minority.
In 1868 IIor,tDo seymour was pul
upon IN ldiVtic Revolutionary platform
which alarmed the whole country
In 1872 the suicidal nomination OF
Greeley vas prlpclrate't, keeping hun
d.c'ls OF Thousands Of Democrats from
the polls altogether, and actually r.
cleclins Grant 10y Il Smaller vote thal
he rec, ivcd in 1868
In 1876 Mr., Tl,lrn was legally
elected toy the largest aggregate and
the largcs, mnjprily Of the White vol,
even received 10y any President. Bul
large as the majority was, it vas moi
equal to the enormous capacity iol
Democratic blundcrs which cummenceI
after the election by an iAio,ic su5mjs
sion Of the case to set Of already
con, ittcl villains called Returning
Boards, and found its climax by vrrst.
ing the final count from Congress
the only Constitutional authority.
which had exercised hat duty, without
a solitary exception, since the days Of
Washington, and vesiing it in Il body
Il e majority or which consisted oI
such notorious and vcnal parlisan1 ano
pcrjnrers as Garfield, Morton, Hoar
Strong, Miller and B.adicy.
How about 1880? The Republicans
are clearly The minority party. The
Democrats rs clearly have n mai ,rl,y
|! Grant Is nominated it will only in
crease the Il publican minority, The
Democrats have it in their hands /"
elect their candidate, All that is need,
ed 10 elect. Grant IS grave Democrats
ic blundcr All that IL needed for
Democratic victory is a little sense
aud--Grant We believe Grant to be-
the very weakest candidate the Rrpub,
leans can put up Win lin they lur>
nlsh the Democrats IA great issue, an
appeal 10 the history. the traditions
and the conscience OF this country, and
make the cause Of the party that Of the
whole country, that o, popular self
government itself With Grant moth
ing short Of extraordinary hundcrs
can prevent Democrat success next
fall.
Will they lie committed? We cm
phatically think not We believe tina,
the laluilv If Democratic bIundrrs has
about run its course. We have great
faith in the logic OF events and the
irony OF fate We believe that the re
cent re.erses have made the Demos
Gratis rs c.lcful as they male the Re,
publicans defiant. Whom the Gods
wish to destroy they first make mad
Grant. in spite OF al the noise, h'uster,
and some real popularity, will he de
Icatcd US Van Barren WAS in 1870 Hen.
" Clay in 1871, or Genera! Scott in
1882, who had all tie noise and cnihu.
slasm aud seemed even more certain Of
defeating their obscure opponents
Harrison, Polk and Picrce-,han Gen.
Gran, is to-day.
Let rs hope that Grant ll.be nom
mated
a. I,,I