Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-07-10
New Series-Vol. "a. No. 29
Figs from ThistIes.

L
at Chicago. Pitiable indeed must be the
condition of those who are reduced to a
solicitous dependence upon the old DEM
ocratic party. One might with some
reason despair Of self government, and
might regard the future of the Nation
as gloomy in the extreme.@if the only
chance Of good government were such
chance as the old Democratic party can
offer.
1t is worth while to remember that
stream cannot rise higher than its source
The very best that can possibly be ex-
pected of the Democratic party is that
the wishes and feelings of the average
of its voters may be represented in its
nomination and platform, aud in its
conduct of affairs if successful To ex-
pect more-to suppose that in some mi
raculous way the good men, who have
no chance In Democratic caucuses and
conventions, and who are smothered
under unit rules, two-third rules, and
the potent influence of barrels" will
nevertheless make the candidate and
platform is surely the height of folly.
If these Democratic good mel could ges
possession Of the Governmeat,they could
not keep it for an hour. The raging tor
rent of rayenous politicians which would
then burst upon the capital could be
resisted only by President of extraoI-
dinary power, sustained by Congress
in hearty sympathy with reform, and
conscious OF the support of the great
body of those who elected him. Who
imagines that the party which has put
the knife to Pendleton would encourage
and sustain a President in refOrm2
Who imagines that Democratic Con-
gress which deliberately steals the seats
of Republicans elected by the people.
would countenance reform President?
What are the wishes and feelings of
the active Democratic politicians? Let
any man who means to be conscientious
and patriotic ask himself that question.
He cannot deny that four-ffths of the
party supported the attempt to steal the
votes Of Oregon, and would have rejoiced
If the votes of Florida had been bought.
Can any reform grow in such soil?
Does any honest and conscientious man
imagine that it is possible? Consider
again; did not more than the average of
Democratic politicians in intelligence,
and far more than the half of them in
heartily welcome the Morey
forgery, and labor with great zeal to
make it foully effective, and conceal con-
tradictions of it as far as possible, and
stOop to lie about it wherever there was
a hope of success? Honest men know
what the fact was. They know whether
q party which stoOps to such things can
be expected to give the country god
government.
Within the past year there have been
several tests. The truth about political
murders in Mississippi and Virginia has
been published. Has the average Dem
ocratic voter felt any regret or uttered
any censure? Vile ISLANDERS Of Mr..
Blaine have been circulated Industrious
ly, and the truth about them has been
suppressed because it would
Justify him. Has the average Demo-
cratic voter refused to use what he
knew was foul calumny? Caucus and
have been bought in Ohio,
and a seat in the Senate secured by
means which ought to be Indignantly
condemned by every decent man. Have
the average Democrats, of Ohio or Of
other States, shown any aversion for the
Is there any maR OF
sense who seriously hopes for
honest government or any kind of re1
form from such a party?
The constituent elements of the Dem
oeratic party have not changed. No
art has transformed the
men who made the Democratic party
what it was in 1860, or 1864, or 1858, or
1872, or 1915, or 1850. No miracle has
been wrought upon the men who perpe-
trated all the shameful things that the
Democratic party has done within the
past twenty-five years. What they were,
they are. The worst that they ever have
done, infamous as it is, the Democratic
party would do again with absolute eer>
talnty, if it had the same motive and
Yet this is the party to which
some persons "look with extreme sOliei-
tude."
Republicans, do not look in that diree-
ton for virtue, purity, reform or patri-
otism. They are not so weak that they
can forget in an hour the whole record
of a century. They cannot stoOp so low
as to depend upon the Democratic party
for principles or candidstes.-New York
Tribune.