National Republican., 1880-09-14
THr nEMoCtArIC MIsrAKE,

cratic readers that the party has made n
great mistake in relying upon 13S votes
from the solid south and not going into the
north-Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois and New
York-and contcsting with the republicans
in the field Of argument and reason for the
votes Of those and other northern states.
The statement of the case by the Herald
is lucid one, and we hardly know which
most to admire, its judicial clearness or the
subtle irony which pervades it in every
part The democratic managers have made
mistakes, though not precisely of the kind
which the Herald makes the ground of ac-
cusation against them. The northern states
have not been neglected, and they could
not help the reliance they placed in solid
south. They have sent the chivalrous
southern speakers like CHALMERS and
HOOKER into some of the waste places of
the north to contest on the field of reason
for the mastery-sent them in good faith to
plead for those principles which lie at the
foundation Of the democratic party; and
with the warming eloquence ofgreat orators
they have tried TO impress upon the people
addressed the convictions that animate their
patriotic breasts. Now, this was found to
be Il mistake Wherever these men went
the republicans gained in vigor and mum.
bers. They had The unfortunate faculty of
waking up the wrong passengers, and
continuance of that policy forewarncd the
certainty Of Overwhelming disaster. 1t had
to be abandoned. They also made the mis-
take ofallowlng their leading men to mako
speeches in the south and have them re-
ported in the newspapers. A single honest
utterance Of WADE HAMProN--a single
sentence Of true southern fire, which might
naturally stir the hearts of an impassioned
and earnest peOple-has done more for the
republicans than hundred tons of docu-
ments on paper money and official defalca-
tions such as are frequently scattered over
the land.
These are seen to be grave mistakes,
but in looking it over there seems no
way by which they could have been avoided
under the circumstances that existed. Let
MS examine: The republican party was in
power 1t had framed a policy for itself on
certain very substantial foundnton.stones,
prominently liberty, union of the states,
nationality, civil rights, honest money, re.
ducton Of debt, reduction of interest, econ
omy, education, protection to labor, nom
payment of rebel claims honest elections
and an honest count. These were not mere
paper fulminatious of principles, but prin.
ciples vitalizcd into measures designed to
give them force and effect and known and
read by all men for many consecutive years,
and which had secured to the country peace
and unexampled prosperity. II the repub.
licans were right in their principles and
true in carrying them out, the democratic
party has no reason for existing save to get
the government patronage, and this is not
an issue that alone will justify the creation
of party. Other issues must be chosen
and joined.
In selecting other issues the democrats
have been at n tremendous disadvantage.
All the live questions were already appro-
priated. The large majority of the party
were not strongly nor historically on the
side Of liberty, union, nationality, honest
money, protection or the other things which
the republicans advocated and yet so many
were that it would not do TO openly oppose
them rs a whole. They did get up
courage to oppose protection TO industry in
the platform, and this bunder has taxed
the time and ingenuity of SAMUEL j.
RANDALL ever since to explain as meaning
exactly the opposite, obliging him to take
the ground practically that the convention
lied and said what they did not believe;
and this 10 wearing work even for RANDALL,
because no one believes him. The majority
not being at heart in favor Of any one OF
the republican principles, and the large ma
jortY Of the people being in favor of them,
II would not do to oppose them; to adopt
them would yield the whole contest, and
there was nothing outside capable of Gre
Rting boom. The predicament was bad,
but they tried to get out Of it by nominate
ing a man whose military reputation it
was hoped would render any we'll defined
open issues unnecessary, trusting TO man
aging and manipulating him after he
should be elected. This was not mistake
III WAS lhe ohIJ thlhs lHey NOUlu 40 Uhu
the man pitched upon was as good as any
one they could have found. But HANCOCK
is not large enough to hide the solid south.
You might as well try to hide the full
moon with a pins head, The south must
be solid, or all is gone up with democracy,
1t must manifest itself in the way IL does
in order TO DO solid; aud hence, while bull.
doing, ballot-box stuiIing, disunion, rebel
claims, etc, had to be kept from the plat
form, they are all in the CANVASS, cannot be
concealed, and the orators Of the party are
obliged 10 spend ten days in