Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-11-21
An IndesiruciIhle Doctrine.

cauIay, in one of the most illuminatlve
chapters OF his historical studies, defines
the elements Of vitality in the Whig
marty. Tracing the vicissitudes of that
great society, In the development OF
English constitutionalism, he presents
It's varying phases from its birth under
the Stuart monarchs, until its final tri'
umphs under Lord John Russel--when
Catholic emancipation and the enlarge
ment of the suffrage had been added to
It's moral victories. He showed how In
power, or in a minority, the Whig party
impressed its broad principles and steady
tendency to liberty upon British institu-
tions. Its march forward forced me
Tories to keep pace in principle, IL not ID
creed, with the doctrines Of Liberalism
What the whig party advocated as vital
measures one year, the Tories were
driven into practicing ten years later,
until the Tories of one decade differed
from the Wings Of the previous years
merely in name. No more striking illus
tration of this irresistible growth need
be cited than the Tory" leap in the dark "
OF 1873, when Disraeli at the head of the
Tories, to retain power, gave England a
larger measure Of electoral reform than
the Wings, with great majority be-
hind them, had ventured, under leaders
so radical as Gladstone and Bright.
The histories Of the two great English
parties may be parallelled perfectly IN
this country. Democracy has been the
breath of this nations life, since the
adoption of the constitution. Democ-
racy is the only doctrine consistent with
the integrity of republican, parties
based upon any other doctrine must by
the very conditions of their growth prove
temporary-justa as schisms in the church
NAV be successful for a time and enforce
passing reform. The Republican party
In this country for time carried the ma
jority OF the people, because 1t embodied
purpose. Made up Of the foremost
thinkers of the day and, appealing to thu
instinct underlying the vital principles
of Democracy, human freedom, 1t car
rled the masses irresistibly with 1t. But
in the majestic sweep of its pristine
force, it was made up Of Democrats
who so soon as its purpose was achieved
returned to the inherent faith Of the
fathers of a republic. In the years
following the war there was hardly an
eminent man, identified with the move
ment resulting in emancipation, who
has not at one time or another teer
forced by the logic Of his creed
and teachings TO rejoin the Demo
cratic party. So soon as the war wa!
ended, the Republican party fell into the
condition that history shows to be inev
liable to parties made by mere passion
ate protest and personal ends. In 1865
the majority of the voters of the union
were nominally Republicans. In 1868
when the passion and prejudice OF the
civil conflict had begun, in a measure, tc
subside, the sOOeT millions OF the cOUn
try, recognizing the unsubstantial fabric
of the Republican party, fell away, and
in 1876, the Democratic majority at th'
polls exceeded IL quarter OF a million
The revival has been steady ever since
Republicanism as creed Is no longer
force. Thinking men no longer seek t
gain the public ear through that organ
zation. There are no longer men {
pronounced genius identified with Il
designs of the party. Its leaders are Il
longer men whose sayings have weigh
1t is no longer the refuge of the young
the ardent, the magnanimOus, the ur
selfish. The armies of young thinker
graduating from the great colleges G
the country ally themselves as naturall
and inevitably with the Democracy q
the cadets of the English aristOcrac,
with the Tories. Certainly young lnCu
glowing with patriotic fervor, instruC.e
in the doctrines Of the fathers, woul
hardly find congenial place among tn
men who have become the dominant ia;
tors of the party that was useful alOn,
when great and pure men made its pril
ciples respected. The forces Of eduCati0
would be siugularly incongruOus SUI
porting an Arthur, Dorsey, RObesoI
Chandler, a Logan, Malone An
what else is embodied in the Republica
party of to day
Admit that the Democracy has unde
gone temporary eclipse, in such lament;
BILE alterations as the divided counsels {
specie, economic policy and pateraalisI
admit, that sporadically the party b;
uuder temporary halluCination don
the things it should not have done an
lett undone the things it should hay
done all this is but the admission tha
being made up of human atoms, it IN
suffered the fate of all things human
and under blind leadership and mistake
judgment fallen into the ways of i
adversaries. But its doctrines har
never changed since it's first gre
exponent gave them immortal ute
ance. The Democracy is the party tn
embodies the intent and conscience
the whole people the Republican par
is schism, an Adullamite segmel
representing the caste, the inldelity, I
sham Of the country. 1t is the prototy
OF the Optimate that Cicero led in Ron
pretending to be the holy, the high
birth, the fortunate In war, the great
peace. Take the literature OF Repub
'can campaigns during the last ten yea
1t Is as exact a reproduction of t
Ill Il