Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-06-28
From the New York Times.
The Democratic Ticket.


The Democratic Ticket.
kis peculiarly constituted party which
sends rebel brigadiers TO Congress because
d their rebellion, and which nominstes
Union general As its candidate for Pres1denf
Of the United States because Of his loyalty
TildeA might have said with Louis Napoleon !;
ssIrepresent principle, . cause, and de-
feat for ne hal at least copiousiy protested
against rehabilitation and militarism, he had
done something TO purify the public service,
and he was the only possible representative
of the claims of a ''defrauded'' party. But
Hancock-what potency Is there IN his name
to awaken proud memories, what Suggestions
are there in his career to quicken the nag
ging energies of moribund party. Does
ANYBODY know what Gen. Hancock thinks
about the principles of finance, about the
tariff. civil service reform. interstate COM
merce. or free ships! Does anybody care
whether he be a competent judge OF men, one
fairly equipped to give the country pure
Administration, and to stand between II and
corrupt or hasty legislation! Is there man
who knows Gen. Hancock, even specifically,
who can think, without a scornful smile, OF
the possibility of his becoming the President
of the United States? His godfathers in bap-
tism may not have dreamed when they gave
him his name that the child would grow to
be indeed Winfield Scott, very much dilut-
ed, and it probably did not occur to the South
ern delegates who brought about his nomi-
nation that they were stalking all
their hopes of power upon an inflated
Franklin Pierce. Already we are asked to
credit with san accurate knowledge of the
principles of constitutional government"
a soldier who had in him enough of the poll
tician to forget that he was sent to govern
Louisiana, not to echo the palaver of the
crafty intriguers who had quickly taken the
Intellectual measure of the Majer-General.
We shall be next invited to have faith in the
latent capacity for craftsmanship of man
whom the managers of his campaign must
keep under lock and key if they would pre-
vent him from making an ass of himself, and
the admiration of trustful community will.
ere long, be directed to the chastened elo-
quence of the letter of acceptance of cam
didate who could not have talked for ten
minutes to the convention which nominated
him without convincing even them that they
had placed at the head of their ticket pre-
tentious blockhead.
1t was entirely fitting that a convention
which nominated Northern General to res
urrect Confederate Government should Sc
lect millionaire banker with hard money
record to help his party to carry in October
a state which has been and is the hot-bed of
imitation and reputation. William H. Eng
lish is Just as certainly a man of decided
ability as his associate on the ticket is the
very essence of commonplace. Were it a
question of his election as President, it
might be profitable task to compare his
training and achievements in civil lite with
those of James A. Garfield. But it would
be more than ridiculous to mention in the
same category man whose reputation for
craftsmanship rests on a few ''popp, cock
phrases" and one of the foremost of Ameri-
can legislators. Everybody remembers how
the democratic ticket of 1872 was depicted
by Mast. This year the fiuttering incense
quential addition to Greeley's coat-tails will
have to be replaced by the massive solidity
of Vice-Presidential candidate who will
have to make believe very hard that he is
the tail of ticket of which Hancock is the
head.
The fearful and wonderful oratory which
marked the close of the convention was
worthy Of the cause of the elect of the fire.
eaters-the BOmbastes of the latest demo-
cratic attempt to bridge the ''bloody chasm."
The sudden elevation of John Kelley. who
tempt and contumely, into the position of
dictator of the policy of the national democ-
racy was a thoroughly appropriate climax to
the Inconsistencies of a body which regarded
neither principle nor precedent. The men
who went to Cincinnati "o-er the slaught-
cred body of the democratic party" who
stabbed Robinson to the heart" and went
''with hands still bloody" to claim the places
of those who had stood faithful have been
recognised as controlling the disposal of the
Presidency Of the United States. "Bolting''
has been crowned with applause in demo-
cratic convention, and the fortunes of the party
have been staked on the solidity of the Irish
Catholic vote of the North and the fraudulent
Bourbon vote Of the South. But the wire
pullers of Cincinnati have reckoned without
their host. Though "CoP Fellows and
John Kelley clasp hands before democratic
convention, though the cause of the Briga-
diers be once more the cause of Tammany,
there is no political cement strong enough
to unite the party factions of this city and
state. Tilden is not yet ready to become
the ThurlOw Weed of the local Democracy,
full of superannuated wisdom and garrulous
memories, and Tilden's friends are still less
ready to share place and power with Tam
many Hall. The democratic s'love- feast"
was doubtless most encouraging spectacle
to hordes of Office seekers, but the very
causes that brought it about will prevent the
realization of the hopes it awakened. Bitter
discussions are not healed by shaking of
hands, personal injuries are not wiped out
by a flow Of turgid oratory, and lucrative
patronage is not surrendered on a hurrah.
New York is as far from being won as i. was
on the day the convention met, and every
day that makes the significance of the Gin
cinnati nominations clearer to the appre-
hension of the American people will render
their triumph more difficult in this or any
other doubtful State.
A Democratic View Of 1t.
from tho Naw YorL yUo-ld I