New-York tribune., 1880-01-08
TILE MINE nENOCRACT.

The capacity of the Democratic party for
committing suicide is really wonderful Either
by talk, votes, or acts, that party has posi-
tive genus for doing itself mischief. When
Ioud-mouthed and wild-eyed members were
uttering their threats at the last regular scs-
sion of Congress, every sober leader saw that
it was necessary for the party TO bottle them
up. At the extra session the gag was applied
to the mouths of talkative members. A party
caucus. in almost perpetual session, taught men
what they should say and how they should vote.
Measures were maturcd in secret caucus, and
vet the party did itself more harm by voting
at the extra session than it had at the regu-
lar session by reckless talking. Sober MEM
bers saw the extra session adjourned with in
expressible relief. During the recess, they
hoped, since the party could in no way be
tested except by official acts OF Democratic
Executives Of States, the country might he
shared new illustrations of Democratic stupid
ity or disloyalty. But now comes the per-
Torrance in Maine.
In two ways this dISSraceful Performance
will have serious effect upon the party pros
poets. First there Is the open alliance be-
tween the Democrats and the meanest and
most unscrupulOus Greenbackers. The race Of
hard-mOney Democrats has not absolutely
ceased to exist in the land. Democrats in
every State there are who believe sincerely
in public faith, in the old traditions of their
Darfy and in the necessity of sound financial
legislation to secure the prosperity OF the
country. To these men, the alliance of
the Democrats of Maine with all that
is worst in the Grcenbacl party was sore
I 10 Of af oil ha1 hp N
honest, still it would have cost the party many
votes in other States, and would have tended
strongly to prevent the union of that party
upon any Presidential platform whatever
But the worst of the business is that the al
lance has not chosen honest methods. Those
whose financial scheme is TO rob public credi-
tors have begun political operations by
irving to rob the voters of Maine. For the
infamous fraud which has been attempted. an
honest difference of opinion can no longer be
pleaded as excuse. Democrats ought not to
have needed the decision of the Supreme
Court to convince them of the indecency and
dishonesty of pretexts which that Court so
forcibly, emphatically and Indignantly re-
Dukes Yet they try to break the force OF a
decision so manifestly just, by asserting that all
the Judges are Republicans. Both parties have
for years recognized the non-partisan character
of the Court, and the truth is that several OF its
members, prior to their appointment, were
active and well-known Democrats The opin-
ion unanimously expressed by this Court had
been previously avowed by many respectable
Democratic journals and leaders throughout
the land. While Republicans were entirely
united in denouncing the fraud, most in
telIIgent and decent portion of the Democratic
party fatty refused to excuse or defend it. In
truth the Democratic party had put its worst
end foremost in action, as it had previously IN
talking and in voting.
If the party had any sort of excuse prior TO
the delivery of the opinion asked by the DEM
ocratic Governor, it has none now. Until very
lately Garcelon and his conspirators were
considered mistaken but honest men by
many. Now everybody sees that, if they had
been honest, they would have yielded to the
decision of the Court. There Is no longer a