Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1884-08-07
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
. THURSDAY, AUGUST z. 1884.
"LETIT DIE!"

Chicago Times Dem.) November 1880:
The recent Presidential election has
shown that there is an inevincible reas-
on why the Democratic party can never
win national victory. 1t is that the
Youths Of this republic are not Demo-
cratic. The sons OF the Democratic
fathers have grown up Republicans.
So long as slavery and the war linger
within the memory of Americans the
youths of the Republic WILL continue to
grow up Republicans; and slavery and
war will be remembered as long as the
public-schoOl system exists. The pup
lie schools have
SLAIN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
with the textbooks. 1t is vain for
statesman to declare that there were as
many Democrats as Republicans in the
Union army. 1t is vain to affirm that
the war for the preservation of the
Union could not have been carried to
successful close without the aid Of the
Democratic party. 1t is idle for philan-
thrOpy to suggest that the attitude of
that party toward the war in the begin
ming was humane one; that 1t was in
spired by the higher and better wish
that the cause of the conflict should be
peaeeably removed, and spilling Of
brothers blood by brothers hand avoid
ed. The Democratic party has been
ideally identified with slavery and slave
holding. The Republican party is ideal
ly identified with emancipation and the
war. Therefore are the youths Of the
country incapable of being Democratic.
Therefore the Democratic patty can new
or win a National victory.
ITS OLD MEN ARE DYING AWAY.
h. h<x h. Af,.I hn hoI OF hot
fall from their stiffened hands are Re-
publicans. This fact cannot be denied.
1t will do no good to quarrel with it.
All other causes which have operated to
diminish the number of Democrats and
increase the number of Republicans are
Insignificant beside this one tremendous
and inyincible fact. The curse of slav-
cry has poisoned the blood and rOtted
the Democratic party. The maledictiOR
of the war has palsied its brain. The
young wife who held the babe up to kiss
the father as he hurried to the tap of
his departing regiment has not sucked
Democrat. The weary foot Of the gray
grandmother who watched the children
while the wife was busy has not rocked
the cradle of Democrats. The chair
that the soldier father never came back
to fill has not been climbed upon by
Democrats.
THE OLD BLUE COAT
That his comrades carried back was cut
up for little jackets, but not one covered
the heart of Democrat The ratified
musket that fell from him with his last
shot became the thoughtless toys of his
boys, but not hand that played with il
was the hand Of Democrat, The babe
he kissed crOwed and crOwed for his re-
turn, and its unwilling and unanswered
notes were not from the throat of DEM
Oerat. The tear-soiled camp letters
which the mother read aloud in the long
bitter evenings while the boys clustered
at her knees did not fall upon Demo-
cratic ears. The girls sObs blending
with the mothers weeping, did not make
Democrats OF their brothers. Perhaps
the father had been Democrat all his
life
THE CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL
There is not Democrat on Its list. The !
first reader contains the portrait Of |
Abraham LincOln-that kind and sturdy |
face never made a Democrat. On its |
simple pages, in words Of one or two |
syllabes,is told the story of his birth
and death. That story never made a
Democrat. In the pranks of the play
ground the name silenees the frOlicsome
and makes the jolliest grave.
The name never made
Democrat. In the pictures that light |
up the geography are the firing on Fort
Sumpter and the death of Ellsworth.
Those pictures make no Democrats.
The first page of the history contains
representation of the surrender of Lee
at AppOmattox. No boy gaZes on that |
and ever after avows himself Demo-
crat.
In the higher grades the same subtle |
and unresisted influence is at work. The |
text. book contains extracts from pa
tliots' speeches during the the war.
THOSE SPEECHES MAKE NO DEMOCRATS
The great battles are briefly described;
the narrative has no Democratic listnors |
The strain of martial music runs |
through the readers, and that music |
makes no Democrats. Sketches Of the |
great Generals are given; the brave |
deeds arouse the enthusiasm CT the lads |
but there is no Democrat among them. |
The horrors and suffering of the slaves
are told; the maddened blood that |
mounts the boys cheeks Is not Demo- |
cratic blood. The curse Of slavery has |
pursued the party, and has bounded 1t |
to its death. Therefore, let 1t die; and |
no lip will be found to say prayer over |
the grass ON its grave.
The late defeat need not be attributed |
to any other causes. Other causes were |
at work, but they were only incidental |
The tariff was one. SectiOnalism was a |
second. LET well enough alone" was q |
third. The October failure in Indiana |
was fourth. But all these were trivial |
and together could not have accomplish |
ed the result. Tho result was accom- |
plished because the youths of the Repub- |
lie are no. Democratic. That party |