Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-08-29
Campaign Letters.-No 6.

country, comparison Of the past and present
stains and attitude Of the two great parties
which have for 90 long faced each other in
political conflict. And in that comparison We
can see the general consistency of the one
and the almost Universal inconsistency Of the
other.
To 20 no farther back tIlan at the COM
mencemeEt Of the war. We see the republi-
can party taking bold stand in faver Of free
speech and free soil-in fact. taking up the
strong principles which the Northern, or At
least the better wing Of the democratic party
had previously advocated. but which the
party, - whole. had lain aside in subservi-
ency to Southern dictations and threats
These principles really gave birth TO, and
strengthened the growth Of the dominant
party. From that time on the democratic
party concentrated its whole energy in oppo-
sition to these principles; and although CIV
ing \ quasi-support to the war which imme-
diaieIy followed. partly through fear and
partly through local or pecuniary interests,
(the really loyal portion going off or fusing
into the other party its heart was not in it.
And when defeats and uncertainties made the
contest look doubtful, it pronounced the war
failure, and threw its influence in the direc-
ton of . compromise with the rebel hordes.
When President Lincoln called out Is. 900
troops to defend the National Capitol from
the grasp of the anticipated invaders, the
bunker portion (and that was the largest por-
ton Of the democracy bitterly opposed the
measure, and even sent letters of denuncia-
ton to the secessionists, who were already
taking possession of United States forts
arsensls and other property and depicting the
treasury OF its funds.
The proclamation of the President, liber-
ating the slaves, another necessary war
measure, was met in the same manner, with
a pronounced and bitter opposition, and in
some localities with threats of another seces-
sion.
The enlisting. arming and sending to the
front of liberated slaves was another terrible
crime of the republican party and had its run
of denunciation. The issuance of greenbacks
by Secretary Chase, another extraordinary
but necessary war measure, by which our
war could be maintained and our troops paid,
met with overwhelming denunciation and
censure. and the greenback dollar, which the
democracy, in curious harmony with the later
greenback party. has so lovingly cherished,
Was taken with scorn, derision and contempt,
and had their wishes and efforts been con-
.ummated, would have been destroyed at the
outset.
When the draft came, as 2 war measure, it
was boldly and openly opposed, in some
places with riot and bloodshed by the masses
composing this opposing party, and nothing
h.rf ha nd ~ Typifa1
troops saved it from being q failure, by rea-
son of this opposition. All the better recon-
struction policies, at the close of the war
were almost unanimously opposed by this
party, which desired and worked for an ad.
mission on an equality with the Union or
loyal States of those commonwealth which
had caused such destruction and bloodshed
The civil rights bill which, together with
the 18th amendment to the constitution, was
necessary to preserve and perpetuate the lib
erty and rights of those liberated by the war.
was at all times and under all circumstances
opposed by the democratic party, and. until
these two wise measures were fully and le-
gally established, nothing could exceed the
scorn and contempt with which they were met.
The payment of the public debt made
necessary by the war, in coin, met with the
unqualified disapproval of this same party,
have been decided scaling down of the pub
lie debt-a scaling which would have put the
later readjusters to the blush when compared
to theirs.
The internal revenue system, to which
this vast debt mainly owes its reduc-
ton, and extra tariff revenues MT with
the same opposition from this democratic
party, which now had no consistency in Op-
posing except in its oft repeated declaration
that it was republican measure. When the
republican Congress declared for resumption,
the same howl of denunciation and protest
was heard and the party which had so siren
uously and madly attacked the greenback
dollar, now joined in q demand for a large
reissue of them in place of resumption. The
protective tariff measures, which the republic
can party did not originate altogether, but
which, for the interests of the nation general
ly, and the laboring masses particularly, it
has perfected and protected, the democratic
party attempted to overthrow in its last pres.
idential efforts, and had it succeeded, would
have done so. The efforts of Congress to
crush polygamy have been from time to time
opposed by the democrats, and it was only
by means of s republican majority that the
recent bill became a law.
might continue to instance measures of
reformatory or progressive character, such as
the school system, temperance, internal i'm
provements, ETC., which this ever opposing
party has. more or less set its face against.
but what have written ought to suffice to
show its character. The only consistency it
has had during the last twenty years has been
that of opposing what the other party sup
ported. It first asked the question-is it
republican measure, or does the republican
party support it? If so. then we will oppose
- T. al. 4 "a - L.
everything else it has been inconsistent. 1t
has been for hard money, and then soft money
for tariff and against it, resumption and
against it, and so on to the end of the chap
ter. But, mark you. as the republican
went right on with its work and its progress.
this ever opposing party has been obliged,
year by year, to concede to it far sightedness,
good policy, wisdom. adaptation of means to
wise ends, and progress; and rs the former
has stepped into higher planes, the latter has
almost invaribly occupied the positions vaca-
ted. partly l am aware by compulsion, but
most generally because public opinion neces-
STATED this advance. And so the democrat
ic party Of to-day is on better plane than it
was twenty years ago by means Of the repub-
lican party dragging it up to its present stand
point. 1t is not by reason of any inherent
consistency. No no 1t has been forced
to take these strides; and to-day The demo
cratic party in Maine is supporting unani-
mously Governor who is trying to straddle
two platforms. And it has taken to its bosom