Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1880-07-22
Another Democratic Blunder.

From the Chicago Sentinel.
Once more has the Democratic party
turned itself wrong side out and upside
down! Inconsistent in everything, con-
sstent in nothingl
For years it has been bowling like dog
with q sore head about military die.
tators," and yet selects Hancock, purely
military man for president!
Immediately after the war, VIXEN shoul-
der-strap candidates were winning cards,
it persisted in nominating civilians and
denouncing soldiers, but fifteen years after
the war, when the title general" falls
fiat and meaningless upon the public ear
when the people have grown nauseated
with Soldier statesmanshir," the Demo
Gratis rush into the arena with man
whose whole life has been spent in camp
and barracks.
After the Republican party has threshed
all the glory and goodness out Of the mill
tary bundle, the Democrats pitch into the
old straw with all the force and fury Of
original inventors.
The fact that the people had become I'M
patient with military rule was demon
strated in the defeat of Grant in the Chi
cngo convention, yet the Democratic party
was tco thick.headed to understand it.
Tens Of thousands of old Republicans
voted for TiIden in 1876 because he was
civilian, and because they wanted a change
from the incapaCitles and shortcomings
of West Point craftsmanship.
Had Grant been nominated at Chicago,
Hancock s nomination at Cincinnati would
have been all right.
What the Democratic party ought to
have done IN 1868 it is dong in 1880, and
what it is doing in 1880 it ought to have
done in 1868. Hancock III 1868 and Sey.
mour in 1880 would have been winning
cards.
Four years ago "civiian" Tilden
was over-awed by the man.On- horseback
who then occupied the White House;
therefore, with that astuteness with which
a man locks his stable after the horse j.
stolen, the countcd.out party puts up a
man who would not have been counted
out four years ago, stupdly imagining
that this year there is to be an exact repe'
tition OF the political situation at the close
of November election in lS76-a thing as
impossible to occur as a reproduction Of a
scene in the kaleidoscope.
The Democratic party needed Hancock
in 1876 instead of an electoral commission,
but, like the political dot that it iS, it
watts until there is no need OF Hancock,
and tben dominates him.
Tue trouble with the Democracy is that
its face is always turned towards the past,
1t is constantly mourning over what
might-havc. "lf had, ," or, "Oh,
had J." is the burden OF the Boutbonlc
song.
In looking over the pat it has the eye
Of hawk, Int in looking at the future it
is blind as a bat. Its hlnlsight is excel
lent, but its foresight is aboninablc. Its
dish is eternaliy bottom-lle up when it
rains political porridgc
In only one thing is the Democratic
parry pre-emirent, and that is its capaCly
for committing blundcrs, and before the
clmpaign is hai' over 1t vii! find that the
greatest blunder it ever made was the
nomination of Hancock at Cincinnati. IN
tuslng to nominate Tildcn it abandoned
the cnly Issue on which it stood any show
of winning. Iicncetorth the cry of fraud" "
is smothercd in the reflection that the
man who was counted out was ignored
by the party at Cincinnati. Tilden and
"Fraud" would have EGcn batte-cry at
the sound OF which every Democrat would
have rallied. But Hancock and Fraud" "
falls fiat and liieless.
In its platform it claims great credit for
having submitted to a false count in order
to avert the horrors of civil war, yet
nominates man whose strong character.
iStic, as stated by the gentleman who put
him in nomination, is the fact that "if
elected he will take his seat"
1t claims credit for having avoided
bloodshed in 1876, but, in its nomination
it proc'aims itself ready to march into the
White House if need be, at the point Of
the bayonet.
Hancock is a brave and gallant soldier,
and one of the most brilliant generals OF
the late war. There is not stain upon
his name. His record is spotless. The
weak and sickly effort of the Republican
press TO bnsmirch his record with the Sur.
ratt-hanging excites nothing but disgust
If he hung Mrs. Surratt he did it as a
soldier obeying orders from his superiors
Republicans at that.
The whole country does honorto the mill
tary genius Of Gen Hancock, and in the
case Of the death of Gems. Sherman and
Sheridan, it would feel proud that so
great y general as he would become the
great chieftan of the American amy.
But as a statesman, as u diplomat, as
u financier, as a president, he is nothing
more nor less than an experiment-wlth
every influence and probability against
him.
Standing upon the Democratic platform,
supported by the record OF the Demo,
cratic party, depending upon the sagacity
.(P) Of the Bourbonic leaders, compelled to
explain the political blunders of the past
and to reconcile the inconsistencies Of the
present, Gen. Hancock will find lack of
votes greater obstacle in his approach to
the White lIou'e than an electoral COM
mission.