Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-02-12
The Outlook.

now bI0wo away, aud the field significantly open |
to view at gauc, the practical lessons taught. |
Ooe thing is csrtsiu, tho republican party will
control tho machinery Of government for four
years from the 4.h Of March next, and the 10.
happy democrats mus content themselves with
repairing their weapons. laying 10 new stock
OF ammunition aud recruiting their shattered
columns, while tho fat nnd saucy republican
politicians salt down" tho fruits of victorious
C campaign.
It you'd appear ct a casual glance that the
Democratic party was completely dismcmbercd.
| and itE inuro shrouded 10 gloom; but q careful
review Ct tho situation, however, will disclose
the !ac', tina. out of defeat. lasting and useful
Lessons may te learned, and such new life. en-
crgY ard courage Infused into it that will in
sure successful contest 10 1854
Ii Is easy enough alter q campaign to see
!aus in liz management that could 60! 50
readily be disorrncd during its progress. or, if
seco, were difficult to remedy 1t would be
insnlea!ly unjust, therefore. 10 lay them at tho
door Of shy Individual member of tho manage.
mcnt.
| Oao serious trouble with the democracy 10
| tho last campaign was tho ovcrweening corfi.
demo, with which tho contest was entered. The
platform WAS not explicit as it might have beou,
but was the onuucialion fright principles. The
candidates wero the bts', possibly, that could
have been scltc:ed, and this fact seems to have
been source Of weakness rather than strength.
Mr. Gar[eld's record vas bad. tho record of his
party worse, if possible; and had tho election
occurred thirty days alter tho Cincinnati cor-
vcntlon Gen. liar clck would have swept tho
/ ~, ~ Il
cnthused the party beyond precedent, and,
character Of their candidate, the leaders pro
c!edcd 10 Hssa the character OF Gcu. Garfield,
and madc it about tho only issue Of the CAM
palgn, trusting to tho sousc of houor ard ma
tioual pride Of the pecplc 10 condemn nd frowa
upon tho tttoIt Of tho republican party to plaza
q man 10 tho chair OF Washington, whose record
was besmlrchcd and tainted.
Discontited ct frat by tho avalanche of CO
| thuslasm following tho tciou of the Cincinoat
convention. the republican leaders ct once set
| to work to prop up their candidate. and, 10 ad.
dltion to usiTg tho powerful machinery 10 their
hsrdJ, they applied themselves vigorously to
such thugs Ia the record Of tho democratic
party and its platform as wore in the least
valuable CT susceptible ct misUonstruction or
mlsrt presentation.
The tariff plank vas Numerically handed
10 scctlou5 whore it would avail, and thus, by
false representation, thousands of votcEs wero
| rnado to believe that the SUCCESS of tho demo-
cratic psrIy meant ruin and destruction to the
manufacturing interests of tho country; and
thus, ct later period in tho campaign, tho
democrats Were put upon tho deic0GiYo upou
tho very issue that should havo icon oseres
sively pushed from the frs. Tho masses did
not understand tariff fer roveuue only, AID
tho defensive attitude Of tho party only added
to their bewlldermcnt. The party, 10 word
lacked backbone on one OF tho most vital issues
OF the campaign, aud tho ono they should havo
boon prepared to advocate and to have pres cd
to c3nVic.ion in tho very teeth Of tho protcc
tlonlSt5 NO party 10 this country c,n 10 peace,
long survive with high prole Give polic;. The
tate OF tho old Whlg party was seslld By it, and
only the war, with its resultant causes, hiss CO
abled the republican party 10 1urVive thus long,
That tho tariff will bo one Of tho vital Issues
10 1854. there is no doubt. and it bcicoVcs
tho party that hopes Tor SUCCESS, to ptcpare to
meet II. Tho interests Of tho people, sud tho
interests OF the prolectionists arc auagonislic,
and when tho impOsitions and ouIIages OF tho
present system arc properly understood. the
people will speak in ihuodor tones, for redress,
and it will coms.
Ii The democratic party desires SUCCESS, it
must meet tho issue boldly and prepare to fac,
the ;untry, 10 advocacy, not 10 defence OF q
general and complete revision OF tic thrift.
Again, tho democratic party must remember
that candidate, although stronger than his
party, will not Oh tfat scc)un. be sGcaosS!ul
Tho parry must DO aliva, it must deal With live
issues; it must carry tho candidate not let tho
candidate have TO carry il; it must throw eff oil
sentimental rubbish. and bury past triumphs in
tho grave with past defeats, and march abreast
the times.
Our constitution ns it stands like cur Bible.
ID equal TO escTY lmmcrgcnoy, md in al lunda.
mental rrit cil,cs will bo ahc I'd oil progress for
contuFy, without tho least danger Of suhvar-
sion, or having viorrco doro tho purposes oil
its gacst tOundcrl. 1t 10 tho height OF folly to
live on tho past. or cling 10 tho fossils Of the
present. The young mcu CT The natiAn c91o
anthng for tho traditions OF tho ia hcrs,
eXcept az suah. aud han they nro Incapable OF
| subs rVing present ends they must pass into
history. and g;va plaoo 10 tho needs Of tho hour
Religious sentiment the civilized wllll over,
has long slGca reaiiz:d thia facS, and hhvo ud.
vanced their lGcaa 10 moet tic eplghtcnm, Mt
and progress Of this era. Why should sntcs-
Iusuship slumbe,? Tho kollcys, MclIaughtens
Il Co., must take back sont 10 tho political
| s}HssVSu@i (aiICIicEoO Having SHOWN tUs!r
c2unseis uuWisu and their friendship almost as
disastrous MS thcir enuity. There are plenty
otmeu Of first class ability, whose services mus
be SECURED as leaders. whose vinws and txpe
rierc, aIo national and broad. end whose states
mspship ard patriotism atc guarantee OF j1di.
cious cours,l and polilcsl sagacty.
Tho late election has demonstrated tho fac,
that the ask of sectional pacicstion, will never
30 accomplished by tho party in power. The
spectre, &c Solid South" was exhibited TO
| brighten Northsrn voters. willis the ely Of
Southern intolerance was as vociforously utter.
cd as st apy perid Immediately succeeding tho
war. Thousands of men who road tho false
and txtraVagant u!eraDces of tho Northern
press and slump orators firmly believed that
there was the Same intolerance at the South as
existed at auy Period 10 the history of the
worst days of carpet bag rule; and asaouiatng, as
they always have done. the democratic party
With the causes Of the war; it vas but natural
they should hesitate to vote for so pure pa