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

nave, Dut IL II not unjust 10 tutun 10 say tnat
many of them are undoubtedly not without
their misgivings as TO the latter. and are held
where they are by the strength Of lifelong
associations. by the traditions Of circles and
constituencies within which they move and
from which they have derived their position
and power and also by the opinions grown
from long struggles against what they
considered and what in some cases may have
been abuses on the other side; men OF good
intentions, laboring under the disadvantage
of seeing their aspirations and endeavors
hemmed in and batFled by followers and BY
circumstances which they cannot control
There is the Southern element, of which
shall certainly not be inclined to DENY that
a marked improvement has taken place in the
temper and aspirations of many Of its lead
ing men. who have cast the old ambitions of
the war period behind them and are now
with patriotic spirit endeavofing TO serve
the country, and to whom. therefore, our
esteem is due. II is also true that they
begin TO be supported by a class of orderly
aud well-meaning citizens; but it is no less
true that they find themselves hampered and
clogged by noisy factions in their con
stitueneies. Tho whether they are a majority
instances successfully, To impress their tenn
per upon the character of fSouthern politics :;
still smarting under the defeats of the war
and the losses which those defeats had
brought upon them; some of them with
sullcn feeling iha, those defeats were an in
suit as well as wrong to them, for which
in some way, they must have satisfaction:
with vague desire 10 retrieve Of the old
condition OF things something they do not
know exactly what; and witha insisting
that something is due to them as Southern
men in politics, as well as in society, and in
their worldly fortunes as compared with the
rest Of mankind; rather reckless OF the rights
of others with inancia! ideas destitute Of a
due regard for the good faith of the country
inclined TO fly TO any money system which
they vaguely think can be manipulated so as
to make them rich again by legcrdemain +;
decming IL due to them that large appropri-
ations should be- made for their particular
benefit. for all imaginable purposes. good
bad and Indifferent. merely TO pour money
into that section Of the country; with
scarcely any traditions in government, eN-
ocpt such as existed in their States before
the war, and the rcactiOnary desires and at
with appetites sharpened by long exclusion
from power and the sweets OF office, and
greedy 10 make the most of that If they can
obtain H.
There j. the Northern Democracy. also
wlth men Of statesman-hke instincts in it
and excellent intentions, but behind the m
large number Of restless and ambitious poll
uclans who. for twenty wears. have been
boxing the compass TO ind some principle
or some policy, To avail themselves Of some
passion. or some prejudice By which thev
might win an election and regain the pos
session OF power Such an element how
ever sili be found, more or less. represented
in all parties But the Democracy has had
the misfortune Of exercising 4 remark able
power of attraction for the adventurous and
even the dangerous. elements of our popu-
latIon; and lts attempts To regain power by
all sorts Of devices, and the advocacy Of all
sorts Of principles and po!IcIe. has gathered
under II. banner so manS divergent tendcn-
cIes and InCongruOu~ elements, held to-
gcther by the only deSIre to regain the
spoil, OF government, that when the party
comes INTO power nobody can tell which
element wall be uppcrmo.t in strength and
determine the current OF It's policy.
Thus We lind there the hardest Of hard
money mea hand IN hand with the widest
of intiationists. the frcest of free traders
and the stiiiest Of protectionists We find
them in their platforms declaring for the
restoration OF specie payments to satisfy one
part and the repeal of the resumption law
IN the same sentence tO satisfy the other
part Of the organization. We lind men who
would scorn the idea of faithlessness To our
national obligations in the closest alliance
and cooperation with those who repudiated
their debts IN their own States, and who
would not hesitate a moment 10 repudiate
the debts of the Republic We find men
sincerely desirous of cultivaiing among the
Southern people the heartiest sentiments OF
loyalty to the Republic and respect for the
rights of all, irrespective Of color. and bv
their side men who still think that their own
rights are worth nothing unless they are
permitted 10 oppreSs the rights of others
And It must not be forgotten that upon
these different elements the official deClara-
tions Of platforms have not the least effect.
" htle the party IN It's national conventions
declares for specie payments, that does not
hinder a moment Democratic Congrcs~men
from opposing resumption in Congress, or
the Democrats Of Ohio from nominating
their initiation leader, General Ewing, or the
Democrats in Indiana from nominating the
fiat money MAJ, Landers. for the Governor
ship Of those States ; nor does II prevent the
Democrats in many Of the Western and
Southern States from pursuing their green
back agitation as Justify as before.
TIE wAggiNG ELEMENTS TO WHICH HAN
COCK WOULD OWE SUCCESS.
While they declare for an observance of
our national obligations. that does not him
der the Democrats III many OF the Southern
States from going on in their work Of local
Reputation, and declaring that local repudi-
alton Is good d thing that il ought to be
made general. But all these factions, these
incongruous elements are held together by
one great lmpulse-that l., the appetite for
public plunder, which the exclusion from
power for twenty wears has stimulated to
degree of keenness scarcely ever seen before.
Now consider that if General Hancock ever
can be elected, II must be hearty cooper
alton of all these elements-the Greenback-
Democrats in Ohio, Maine and Indiana and
the West and South, with the hard-money
men in New York, New Jersey and other
States; the protectlonlsts IN one quarter and
the free-traders in another the war Demo
Gratis in the North and the reactionary ele-
meats elsewhere +; and to all those elements,
if the successful party is to be maintained in
its strength and continued in power, must
be satisfied in order TO hold them together.
That will be the situation and such the
problem which the soldier, to whom political
science and management so far have heen a