Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-02-05
Msisffllaneous. q
rom y. ! Tribune
Things to be RENE embered

Has everybody forgotten what trust ~e
| put In the majesty OF the law, the peace
loving disposition OF the people, and the
| universal loyalty TO the Government and
| affection for the Union up 10 the very out
| break Of hosiilities In 1861: We could
not bring ourselves to believe that the
! Democratic party would actually under
take to break up the Union because they
| had lost absolute control of the Govern
| ment. We thought their threats were
vaporings, and that fears OF any serious
| disturbance were idle. There were rot
| few who thought that to take precautions
against violence, or make preparations to
repress disorder or resist any possible at
tack upon Government property, was un-
manly and cowardly; they opposed the
adoption of measures such as ordinary
prudence might have dictated, upon the
ground that to exhibit distrust OF any por-
ton OF the people would only provoke an
outbreak which II would be wiser TO avoid
than attempt to quell. We had not known
till 1861 how desperate party this was.
how absolutely bent on having It's own
way, and what . wicked and determined
purpose there was in it either to rule or
ruin the country. II was soue time dawn
ing on Us. The contemplated crime was
so inexcusable and so vast that it stag
gered credulity. Nothing but the thunder
Of the guns iu Charleston Harbor could
awaken US to a comprehension Of it.
Let US bear In mind that the lapse OF
twenty years has made no change in
human nature. and very little In the nature,
the habits and the disposition of the Dem
ocratic party. 1t is but little wiser for its
experience of reverses, while IL Is all the
hungfier for its long and enforced Austen
ton from official flesh pots, and the more
eager from its apparent nearness to the
prize. One purpose dominates the coun.
ellis Of the party to-day as it did In 1861:
the purpose either to rule this country or
destroy it. At odds among themselves
upon all other points, upon all the issues
| OF current political discussion. they rally
here, aud are as one. Through all their
blunderiD. and their folly. their ignorance
| and iDcapacity, their personal feuds and
! quarrels. their jealousies and rivalres and
| intrigues, there Is the CLEAN OF this CON-
| slant purpose: to get by some means, no
matter what, the offices, the power and
| the absolute control. And we have not the
excuse We had in 1861 for being caught
| unprepared: that We did not know how
| desperately 10 earnest they were, and
hoped to disarm their hostility by cur con-
| fidence. We know now what manner of
men they are, what spirit actuates the
i
to go to carry out their plans.
| The Maine conspiracy is not an isolated
undertaking. 1t is not local in its scope
nor merely temporary In its character and
its results. Ii is part Of q larger plan; of
plan that was openly discussed in 1876,
and that failed then only because OF the
feebleness, or, as they themselves call it,
the cowardice OF their leader, to take
either by fraud or force-by whatever
means may be necessary-possession Of
the Federal Government. This Is the OBJ
jective poin: Of all the Democratic policy
and tactics Of the past three years. All
the political legislation that has been &C.
complished or attempted by Congress has
had this sole end In view. The attack ON
the Election laws and the attempts to Grip
pie the Executive arm in the preservation
of peace and the enforcement Of an honest
ballot are marked instances OF this. They
have illustrated It still further 10 the
shameless partissnship they have shown in
unsesting Republicans honestly elected
and seating their own men In their places
while in the States where accidental power
has given them opportunity they have
made gerrymandering sppor.ionments that
had no foundation in reason, nor any ex-
cuse except the partisan Decessity to keep
control Of Congress. The one thing they