The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-05-30

rer should be.
"T1e right Of trial Jyjmy, he habeas corpus,
he liberty Of the press, he freedom Of speech, The
natural rights otpersons, and he rights of prop
sry, must be preserved. ~ Extract from Order
Of Gen. Hancock of Nov. 30, 1867.
THE DElOCRA TIC OPPORTUNITY |
AT the close of President Polk's term the |
of the Wings seemed very low.
Their great leader, Henry Clay, had been
defeated four years before, and their opposi-
ton to the war with Mexico and the annexa-
tion of territory in the Southwest had still
further weakened them. But by nominating
one of the heroes of the war they escaped
from the odum which hung over their
leaders in political life, and which would
doubtless have defeated any civilian in their
ranks. If General Zachary Taylor was a
necessity 10 the Wings of ls4s, does not the
fact teach most fruitful lesson to the Dem
ocrats of lSS0i All the important conditions
are similar. There is not single reason
that dictated the nomination by the Wings
of General Taylor that does not with double
force dictate the nomination by the Demo
soldier at their disposal. The Wings being
the Opposition party had been doomed to the
ungrateful role of opposing a popular war.
The Democracy, owing to the same position,
were doomed to the role of opposition during
the great war for the Union. 1t is therefore
self-preservation within its reach that the
Democracy should escape from its disabili-
ties by some such nomination as that of Gen
eral Hancock. If Grant is the Republican
candidate it will be doubly essential that
the candidate of the Democracy should be
one about whose position during the civil
war there can be neither doubt nor misrep-
resentation-one who fought on the Union
side from the beginning to the end of that
great conflict.
Those who imagine the sectional ques-
ton is laid at rest will find out their
mistake before this summer is past. Since
1863 there has not been the opportunity fol
desperate politicians to array section against
section that is now afforded, because there
has never been Il Solid South with which Il
point an argument The Northern election.
since 1876 have without exception revealed
Democratic losses, showing that neither thu
fraud issue nor proofs of Republican mis-
government suffice to counteract the influence
of the sectional argument furnished by th
Solid South. The talk that the country nov
"wants statesman - is the sheerest folly
That cry could be afforded by the Republi
cans, but not by the Democracy while tn
majority of its representatives i'll Office ar
ex-Confederates. But there is no man win
can Justly be called a statesman in the rank
of the Opposition who does not rest unde
some of the disabilities which an active pub
lie life in America entails. Seymour, Hen
bricks, Thurman, and Bayard are the fore
most statesmen in the party. Few imparta
observers will claim that either of ther
unites the elements of an available cand
date for the present year. They do not eve
occupy toward the Democracy the positio
pied toward the Wings. Questions of con
paratively recent origin have racke
the Opposition with intestine feuds an
almost rent it asunder, and they al
still agitated with enough bitterness
impair the strength of all candidates WI
have been actively engaged in the contr
yersies over them. The tariff, it is true
an old question, but the currency and ban
question is an oulSIoNth VI lHt war
combine the Opposition vote the candidat
ought TO be one who has not been identfe
with the currency conflict. Then, the railroa
question, az raised by the Thurman acts,
a new and an enormous one. 1t is one Q
which the fortunes of the Democratic part
can easily be wrecked, AT a tin
when, owing to such causes as have be,
indicated, its choice is restricted, the Dem
cratic party is fortunate in having at han
soldier whose military renOwn is OF Il
most splendid order, soldier OF the soldier
who has been seen amidst the smoke al
leaden hail of battle by more Of the vetera
OF the Civil War than any other living Uni
general, whose popularity with the soldi
liant officers who fought with that Army
the Potomac which left far larger percei
age of its number upon its numerous bloc
battle-felds than any of the other Uni
armies, general who is endeared To I
survivors Of that army by the dangers a
wounds he shared with them, when oti
generals who We're placed higher shal
neither the one nor the other, and vi
moreover, unites with these rare excell'
ces the still rarer one Of proved fitness
civil administration and knowledge of
principles of the civil liberty which he p
claimed upon memorable occasion -
"stll and ever should be the lawful inhe
stance Of this people" The Democra
party is therefore at this time most for
nate in possessing candidate in whose ci
secord are embodied the vital issues of