Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-02-09
The Reason Why.
Chicago Times.

g. own that there IS an lnVluclOie EeasOb
why the Democratic party can never
win a National victory. 1t is that the
youth OF this repablc is not Democratic
The sons OF Democratic fathers have
grown up Republicans.
So long as slayesy and The war linger
within the memory OF Americans. the
youth Of the republic will continue to
grow up Republicans; and slcrsry and
the ,rar will be remembered as long as
tie public school system exists. The
public schools hare slain the Democratic
party ,eith their tert books.
is vain for statesmen to declare
Il al there were as many Democrats as
Republicans in tie Union army. 1t Is
vain tO'assert that the war for the pres
ervation Of the Union could not have
been carried 10 successiul close with
out tie assistance Of the Democratic
party. It Is idle tor philanthropy 10
suggest that lie attitude Of that party
toward the war in the beginning was a
humane one; that it was inspired By
the higher and better wish that the
cause of the conflict should be peace
ably removed, and the spilling of BROTH
ers' blood BY brothers hands avoided.
The Democratic party has been ideally
identified with slavery and slaveholding.
The Republican party is ideally idsnti-
fed with emancipation and the war.
Therefore is the youth Of the country
incapable Of being Democratic. There
fore the Democratic party can never
via a National victory. Its old men
are dying away. The boys who catch
the ballots that fall fiom their stitfenod
hands are Republicans.
The fact cannot be denied. 1t will
DO DO good to quarrel about it. All
other causes which have operated TO
diminish the nuube of Democrats and
increase the number of Republicans are
insignificant besides this one tremen
dous and inyincible fact. The curse of
slorsry has poisoned the blood aud rot
ted the bone of the Democratic party.
The maledlclion OF war has paisied its
hraln.
The children 90 TO school. There is
not Democrat on It's benches. The
first reader contains the portrait Of
Abraham Lincoln, that kind and stur-
dy face never made a Democrat. On
its simple pages, in words of one or two
syllables, is told the story Of his birth
and death. Tie story never made
Democrat. In the pictures that light
up the geography are the firing Oh,
Fort Sumpter and the death OF Ellss
worth. Those pictures make no Demo
Gratis. Tie first page OF the history
contains repre- sentation Of the surren-
DER OF Lee at APpomattox. No boy
gazes on that and ever after ayOws him
stIf Democrat.
In the higher grades The same subtle
and Vnr (sisttd il fusnce is at work.
The text books contain extracts from
patriots speeches during the war.
Those speeches made no democrats.
The great laitles are britf fly described:
the narrative has 10 Democratic listen
ers. The strain of martial music runs
through the readers, and that music
makes 10 Democrats. Sketches Of the
great ererals are given their brave
deeds arouse The enthusiasm of the lads
but there Is no Democrat among them.
Tie horrors and sufferngs of the slaves
are told; the maddening blood that
mounts the boys cheeks in not
Democratic blood. Tie curse of slarery
has pursued the Democratic party, and
has bounded IL 10 IFS death. Therefore.
let it die, and 10 lip Will be found to
say a prayer over the grass on its
grave
The late defeat eed not be attiitut>
ed to any other cause. Olher causes
were at workout they were only in
cidental. The tariG was one. Section
alIsm was a second. "Let well enough
Alone" was a third. The October
failure in Indiana was a fourth. But
all these we're trivial and together could
Lot have accomplished the result. The
result was accomplished because the
youth ofthe Republic is not Democratic.
The party is, therefore, without iu-
inre and without hope, The male
diclion Of tie war has palsied It's brain.
The curse Of slayery has poisoned its
blood"
Now willie We do not fear martyred
faces With Syllibic lessons thereon con-
uected with the rebellion, nor EXTRACTS
from patriotic speeches made during the
war" illustrating or embellishlng our
readers, or Biographies 10 teach our
youth by insidous lessons that only the
humanity Of the Republican party saves
IRON the gol'ous or ostracisn the mcn
who dared 10 IRE on the flag they see
sopling from the staff hat surmOunts
the ramparIs Of Fourt Sumptor in The
1ietare they see in the book, when they
advance as tar as South Carolina, o.
beioie that. in I.yewiug their lesson on
Irginia lLe3 zee The picture Of "rLe
Rebel JACKSON staying Col. EIlsw orth"
The, ere taught The arfrlhsss Of defend