The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-10-20
No Mincing Matters.
What Mr.. Charles "a Dana Says to the
Democrats.

From the New York Sun.of Oct. 49,
The Democrats have sustained an unexpect.
ed and mortifying defeat in Indiana and Ohio
1t is disastrous, and may prove fatal 1t is sill.
ly to make light of it, and idle to try TO whit.
tie it away by cunning calculations and adroit
figuring The Democrats are beaten badly
beaten; whether beaten to death or not is the
only question. 1t has seemed to us that the
whole Democratic campaign was SERIES of
blunders. The party had one man--only one
whose immense strength Nbad been demon
strated ON a national field-Samuel j. Tiden
1t is the one great pre-eminent name in the
Democratic party. He was reformer indeed
as his record in the office of Governor has prov
en-. He was statesman, as all his public pa
pers, especially his letter declining to compete
for sthe nomination, had emphatically shown.
Childless, like Washington, he had only his
country to love; and even the ties of kindred
were ruthlessly sundered by his stern and un-
relenting hand if the faintest blush of an i'm
proper practice rested upon them. So patriot
ic, so lofty, SO convincing was his great letter
to the convention which made the nomination
that the most adrot and ablest Of all his ere
mics, after reading it, avowed his disposition
to support him. This illustrous man the Dor,
ocratic party thought it. could afford TO dispense
with as a candidate! There is word of Cne
syllable with two os in it which might be not
inappropriately inserted here. The party nom.
mated General Hancock, a good man weigh
ing 250 pounds. But Hancock is not Tilden.
Then, as crowning act of folly, the party
went into the State of Thomas A. Hendricks,
and took another man for Vice President
Amy name other than that of Hendricks would
have DaGn RI cta
further, they had to take man with the most
odious reputation as skinf1int to overcome!
There used to be fellow who made all occupa-
ton Of butting his head against a rough-stone
New England wall for 25 CO IS. The Democrat
ic party in making this nomination resembled
him; only, If report be true, they did not get the
% cents. Now we are for looking the actual facts
squarely in the face. Who cannot do this
without blinking, in defeat and disaster as
we'll as in victory, has no manhood in his
soul. We are beaten, we are overthrown; but
we are not destroyed. The disaster we have
experienced may yet be retrieved. Hancock
is not Tilden in ability but he is a good true,
patriotic man, OF strong common sense. He has
signed and written in the form of orders, as is
believed, some of the most admirable essays ON
civil and military authority ever issued; or
composed by mortal man. He never took
bribe. Pure, patriotic and good, he is fit
man for President, As for English, though he
may be stingy, he is a firm believer in the
rights of man, and in the equal rights of all.
If he has not given much money to the can
vass-which is the chief charge against him
has he not generously given his name to the
ticket? Besdes,what do Democrats and patri-
OTIS want of money? For ourselves, we are
utterly opposed to the unnecessary use
of money. We would rather lose the election,
than to carry it by one bribed vote. If that
vote giving us majority could be bought for
1929, we should be opposed 10 the payment of
even that petty sum. We sail with colors fly
ing or not at all. No back-stairs entrance to
the White House for our candidates. As to
Mr.. English's pecuniary practices. one of the
brightest, wisest purest, best of all our Presi-
dents-John Quincy Adanss-used to shave
notes in the White House. Our candidates,
then, will answer; Now rally, boys, and elect
them. You can do it. Will you? 1t is said
the Democrats were beaten in Indiana by the
importation into that State of Southern ne
groes to vote the Republican ticket! This is
puerie, baby plea. Are not the Indiana
Democrats men capable of lawfully maintain
ing their rights? Beaten by negroes! 1t is
the last thing they ought to own, and they
should be ashamed to concede it. Now, men
Democrats and conquer!