Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-08-05

their candidates. he kepubilcan party,
with James A. Garfield at Its head. and the
Democratic party, with General Hancock. |
do not deem it necessary to discuss the pos
sihilty o! the victory of the Greenback
party and their nominees, for the simple rea-
son that their chances of success are not
percep,ible to the ordinary eve. and that
their organization NAV be looked upon as a
mere tender to the Democracy.
THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE AND THE
PARTY BEHIND HIN.
Now | desire to put before your minds
with impartial candor the question whether
the Democratic candidate and the party be-
hind him can BE- best depended upon TO pre-
serve that which is good in the present con-
diiion Of things, and develop it in the direc-
tion of improvement. | wish To state the
question mildly. for am not partisan
enough-indeed, my orthodoxy in that re
spect has now and then been ques,ioaed-to
deal in Wholesale and indiscriminate denun-
oiation Of our opponents. do not mean TO
inciie your preIudices and ln.iame your pas
,ions, but to discuss facts. and to draw from
them Legitimate conclusions. do not want
the party TO which belong 20 depend for
success upon the failings Of It's opponents.
and am. therefore, not inclined tn exaggcr-
ate the latter. While adherng 10 one party /,
! desire the other 10 be As good as possible
so as to compel my own 10 do its best In
this respect, therefore. ! sincerely declare
that wish well TO the Democratic party. |
once participated in an attempt, which at
tempt miscsrried, 10 move It up 10 the pro-
grrssiSe requirements Of the times. The
coniending political parties in republic
should be such IN point OF mental aud moral
constitution and oapahilty that the Govern
mcnt NAV DC intrusted to either without
serious apprehension FOR the safety Of the
public interest. hope II will bc 40 some
day. and wish /; we're so nov. Let Us see
whether Il is 81 nov.
To speak IN all oandor, 1t appears 10 me
that the Democratic party labors under hls
tore As veil as constitutional difficulties
Since the downfall and disappearance of the
slave power as a compact po.s.eal interest,
from which the Democratic party. more than
twenty wear. ago. derived ii. morals. IT.
logic. it, political skill and .laiesmanship.
that party has been houndcring about. on,
Of logical connection with the question, Of
the dan never knowing the time OF DAY ;
alwavs looking for something 10 turn up
Ats Nis'H NHliifAlitit- NV tAiA UP Nif'tA4lt-
j, lamcly Tagging IN the rear of the events
and requirements Of the dat always be-
hind dcnouncing ~ impossible things that
we're already accomplished facts; with a
strange lncapaci;y 70 understand the prescn;
and 10 measure the future. making ltscli the
recipient and rallNIng point for all danger
ou, and obstructive ndcnoles and rlcmcais
and thu, committing h.uudrT after blundrr
hlch II the moment OF their birth It uni
furnlN gloried in a. grca; strokes Of policy
from the secession movement IN lN6l down
to the nomination of General Hancock in
iNND.
There are many good and clear headed
men IN the Democratic party men whom !
personally esteem and Who~c friendship
value. sho dcplore this condition OF thing,
a. much As do but are unable 10 control
the obstTcpcrous elements and tendencies Of
the organization. and 10 fit !, for the tasks
and responsibilities of government.
KEvIEw or pENoCEArIc KEEoR~.
/, i no, my habit to rake up the enber.
Of past di,cord, and 10 substitute for the
living questions Of the present issue. which
lie behind Us; but If We want 10 ascertain
the prev ailing tendencies and the present
capabilty for good government Of the Dem
ocraiio party IN accordance with the spirit
and requirements of the prr>en, dhv. ii l.
not unfair to review some striking eXper-
fences as illustrations.
Looking back 10 the wear 1861, the fourth
year of the oivil war. when the southern
Confedcracy Vas near the total exhaustion
Of H. resources, ~e find the Democratic
party IN national convention solemn, de
Claring tha, the war was a failure and must
be- abandoned. 4 few months aftcrward the
triumph of our arms vas decided. and the
Confederacy collapsed. the restoration Of our
| mon Was assured, and the democracy wa,
forced 10 acknowledge that the sar had
been u success. The Democracy had pro-
claimed il despair Of the Republic ju,, al
the time when the triumph of the Republic
VAS ripe. IL became evident 10 every one
tina, had the Democratic policy been then
adopted. the war would have indeed become
a failure and the Union have gone TO wreck
and ruin.
When slavery brrathed is last. and il,
abolition had become an evident logical
necessity, requiring nothing more than the
form of law, the Democratic party declared
that the abolition of slavery would be the
ruin Of the country and must by all means
be a,erted. Who is there 10 DENY now that
the abolition of slavery was an absolute
necessity, and has turned out a blessing
The Democrats are compelled TO admi, il
themselves.
When as measures of settlement the thir-
teenih. fourteenth and fifteenth amendments
we're passed, the Democratic party declared
them void and entitled TO no respect, and
ai,,as. ,,,,,alfa,ai,- aft.rv,arI Sound
compelled TO admit that for the peace of the
country. and a. basis for future develop
ment, these Constitutional amendments had
to be maintained.
Coming down TO more recent history
when the Republicans in Congress had
passed the Resumption act in 1875, and the
fruit Of the restoration of specie payments
Vas almost ripe 10 be plucked. the Demo
cratic party in lis national convention OF
1876 thought il a smart thing 10 declare that
the very act passed for bringing specie pay
ments Vas an impediment in its way and
must be repealed. And who is there to deny
now tina, had the act been repealed under
the pressure of all the imitation elements in
the country, the confusion of our financial
policy necessarily ensuing would have pro-
longed the evils of an irredeemable paper
currency under which We were then suffer
ing? ! need not accumulate further ex-
amples TO show how incapable the Demo
cratic party proved itself to understand and
appreciate not only the immediate require
ments of the times but facts that had been
virtually accomplished. and how its greatest
efforts were directed to the end of obstruc-
ting things that had become inevitable, and
which it afterward found itself compelled to
admit as good.
And now in this year of 1880, when the
war issues are fairly behind us when by its
eonciliatory spirit and its strict observance Of
constitutional principles the Government has
removed all the elements Of diseord between
the two sections which it was in its own
power to remove; when, aided BY wise and
successful financial policy, general prosperity
is again blessing the land, and when the
people look above all things for enlightened
practical craftsmanship that well under
stands the questions it has to deal with to
foster and develop that prosperity now the
Democratic party knows nothing better to
do than to sst aside all its statesmen af
known and settled opinions. political sxper-
fence and training, and to nominate for the
Presidency Major General Of the regular
army, professional soldier, who has never