Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-09-22
The Decline of BourboniSu1.

Bourbonism is evidently on the
decline. The South is not as solid
as it was It will never again cast
its entire vote for the nominee Of
the Democratic National Convention.
1t never did so cast it but once, since
the Bourbon party was organized.
It's people were never given to one
way of thinking on political ques-
tions, except upon the subject of
slavery, even before the war, and
the last Presidential campaign that
the Democracy waged before its
final defeat by the Republicans
with Mr.. Lincoln, in 1860, was
fought out under two candidates
Breckenridge and Douglas. In old
Wing times many of the Southern
States were reliably anti-Democratic,
Notwithstanding the protection ten
denotes of the Wing party, and the
popularity of the free-trade heresy
in the South.
Evidences of the waue of Bour-
bonism in that section of the coun-
try are daily multiplying. The
young Democrats, who have grown
to manhood since the war closed,
and who are not tainted, as their
fathers we're, with the secession
virus, are seeking and finding pre-.
texts for opposing the old regime.
In Virginia the question of the State
debt is the plausible and ostensible
issue, but that really cuts a very
small figure in the controversy.
Other questions are more important
and more prominent. The Readjus
Ter party offers a chance for pro
gressive men to unite in opposition
to the old Bourbon organization
that is dying of the dry rot of seces-
sion and State rights. The true
secret of the prosperity of the Ma
hone movement is a dislike for the
old methods and desire to be lid |
of them. In other States other
issues are invented to serve as an
excuse for refusing to support De-
mocracy. The Democratic Legisla
ture of North Carolina recently sub
mitted constitutional amendment
to the people which they trampled
under their feet by over 100000 |
majority. No matter how benefi
cent the amendment was the result
showed that the people could act
independently and vote as they
pleased. Having voted as they
pleased once, they will be likely to do
it again, when more important ques-
tions are at stake. In many of the
other Southern States the Greenback
party furnishes a nucleus for the
Of Bourbonism to "rally
round the flag" not that the people
care a fig about the decisions of the
paper money fiatists, but because 1t
offers a chance to deal a blow at the
head of the Democratic hydra. In
Mississippi, Gen. Chalmers. of "the
shoe string district" who has been
sitting in another man s seat In Con.
gress for some years, and who holds
the certificate to q seat in the next
Congress thai ought to be given to
Mr.. Lynch, has declared himself
Greenbacker, probably with an eye
to getting the support of the Green
hackers in the contest that is sure
to come. Democratic papers admit
that the coalition party IN Missls-
sippi is almost certain to succeed.
In some of the Northern States
also Bourbonism is acknowledged to
be on the waue. Congressman
Bragg, of Wisconsin, advises that
the party disband and a new one be
organized, and ex-Congressman Cate,
of the same state, in recent inter-
view, said that the nomination. Of a
Democratic ticket for state offices
this fall would only contribute to
the perpetuation of party which !
has outlived its usefulness, without
the remotest possibility of carrying .
the day" Judge Cate agrees with
General Bragg that it would be bet
ter to bury the old Democratic car
cass out of sight, together with its
dead issues and fossilized leaders.
The advice is good, and ought to be
acted upon by the Democracy /
avarypbara - 1bjra0O .JO,y,1lul