New-York tribune., 1883-11-03
BFcOJLTYG FROM DEMOCR4CT

1nCTc HAS Detfl II great judiiSt III tli' plONpNbb
since the Ohio election. That is because there
has been a marked change in the public temper
1t is no longer taken for granted, even by the
Democrats themselves, that they re going to
sweep New York and Massachusetts, and New
Jersey, and other Northern States, with decisive
maioritieS. Every day Democrats are belabor-
ing each other with abuse because "New-Iork
is not safcr General Butler is fighting for life
in Massachusetts,, and has against him many of
the Democrats who contributed their votes and
their influence last year to the victory OF which
he has since made them ashamed. In New
Jersey, Mr.. Albeit and his baciors have
been going about like a travelling circus. to stir
I'D the crowd but the thoughtful and sober
citizens of the State detest his pot house style
of seeking position of high honor and grave
responsibility, and appreciate Judge Dixon's
dignified reserve. So it is elsewhere f; the pros
pect of Republican success is everywhere much
brighter than it was one month OF three weeks
ago.
WhyP No great thing has been done by
either party. Men and measures, candidates
and platforms and party tendencies, stand just
as they did But the people have stopped to
think The possibility of Democratic success
next year has been brought home to them. They
have asked themselves seriously whether they
dare trust the Democratic party with full control
of the National Government. That thought has
put an end to apathy and stopped foOlishnoSS in a
great many quarters. There is going to be
considerable serious and earnest voting and
working done next week. Every time the
people are brought face to face with the posi-
bility of Democratic control at Washington they
recOil.
At ordinary times voters think often of the
shortcomings of the Republican party. 1t has
been in power long time. Being human, it
has committed errors which increase in number
as the revolving years lengthen its record.
Men are apt to be impressed by recollection of
tho things it has done amiss, but when an
emergency comes they begin to remember all
the honorable and worthy things it has done.
In ordinary times, when the critical and fault
finding spirit is uppermOst, we all see things
that the Republican party ought to have done
and has not. Then we grumble, as becomes
free American citizens. If there seems to be no
danger, many Republicans stay at home, to
show their dissatisfaction. But presently we
hear the yells of Democratic triumph, and see
clntchng hands reached out toward the Treas
ury, and witness savage strife about division Of
expected spoil, and listen to the boast that this
or that bulwark for the defence of human rights
shall soon be torn dOwn-and then we begin to
think. Is it, on the whole safe to trust the
power in this land to the men who have made
the Democratic party what it has been, and who
make it what it is 2 Thinking of that, Repub-
lcans fall into line, and touch the elbow again,
and move forward with set teeth and fixed pur-
pose
This country does not specially object to the
Democratic party so long as it is pOwerless
Then, possibly, it serves to check Republican
errors. At all events, there is no profound
anxiety about anything so long as the power is
safe in other hands. But the country begins to
wake up whenever the yell of the gray backs
draws near the windows of the White House.
Then there come flashes of memory. Sumter
and Appomattox the dear ones who went from
us Southwark and what they went for; massa-
cres, and rile-clubs, and klans for assassina-
ton; raids on public credit and blows at public
honor; long struggles to make fraudulent cleo
tions still possible passionate efforts to break
down the tariff; and vindictive thrlists at the
banks because they helped to save the Nation
all these things come back on the instant.
When the country wakes up enough to remem-
Der what the Democratic party has been and to
think what it really is, the prospects change as
if by magic