The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1880-03-19
TnE sncaEr OF rnr onANr movEmrsT.

THE sECReT or THE GRANT movEMENT.
What is the key to the Grant move-
ment asks the Boston Post, and pro-
ceeds as follows Three years ago the
the idea Of re-electing him would not
have been tolerated in respectable Re
publican circles, especially in Massachu.
sets. The editor of the 1deertiser,
writing from Washington, says its
strength lies in the popular regard for
him. "Perley,e Of the Jo,pnel, more
truly bases it upon military necessity, !"
from pretended apprehensisns that the
Democrats propose to count in their
candidate and inaugurate him next time
at all events. With Grants personal
popularity the latter Is not very much
impressed. Indeed, in this particular,
he awards the palm to Senator Blaine.
He offsets Blaine's popularity against
Grant as n military necessity" II Is
no matter for wonder that this tYrant's
plea is so effectual. II was successful
in 1876, for without Grants military
prestige and his massing of troops at
Washington, with batteries turned up
on the Capitol, the Electoral Commits
sion never would have been creates, and
Tilden would have been inaugurated in
the Office to which he was elected The
idea at the bottom of the Grant move
ment is perpetuation of Republican rule
by force Call il Cesarism, or what
you please, there is no escaping this
conclusion. This results in presenting
an issue never before involved in u
Presidential contest. Tho fundamental
idea of popular sovereignty exercised by
the people with peaceful and free bal.
lot is to be overslaughed, and Grant is
the man to be employed for its accom-
plishment. 1t is unquestionably true
that the idea of force as against the
popular viii he's mado strong headway
during the last few years. But we are
unwilling to believe that it is the dom.
inant one in the American people.
The Democratic party has always
built it's faith, and its triumphs have
always been achieved upon the theory
of free ballot in the hands of free
people. If in any instance there has
been an attempt to diverge from it,
this has been an unwise departure, and
and offset to the frequent examples set
by their opponents, whose motto has
been, Success is a duty" We protest
against interpolating into the Demo
cratic creed, any notion, either in.theo-
ry or practice, that force and fraud are
ever to be employed as party agencies.
The popular viii, freely and fairly ex-
pressed, must be allowed 10 control our
elections. When this doctrine cannot
secure a triumph Of the Democratic
party the experiment of selfgovernment
viii have failed. According to the
present outlook, Grant and the bayonet,
or Democracy and free ballot, are the
two prime contestants for popular favor
at the ensuing election. The issue is
distinct and sharply defined, and what.
ever collateral questions may enter into
the canvass, this is the one, and the
overpowering one, on which parties are
to be ranged for the conflict. Grant as
a military necessity tells the whole sto-
~, and challenges every mans atten-
tion. There is no other possible ex-
PLANTATION of the success thus far of the
Grant movement, and no better evil
dence is needed to establish the truth
fulness of the view herein presented
than the constant cropping out of .he
Republican demand for "a strong Gov
ernment."