The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-07-03
Tho Democratic Dilemma.

Tho Democratic Dilemma.
1t is amusing to an outsider to watch |
the various phases of the Democratic di- |
lemma. Never was a political party so
completely at sea. To a lack of principle
is added lack of courage that makes it
afraid Of its own shadow. 1t dares not
announce a policy OF assert a conviction.
1t shrinks from its own leadership and
eagerly embraces any scheme that promises
to draw attention from it's record. But
little more than two weeks ago it was
crystalizing around the sage OF Gray
stone in the hope that Tilden's barrel
and the cry of fraud in u.s. would be suf-
ficient to screen it from the issues it will
be forced to meet in the canvass. But the
sage was wise enough to see that with
such a competitor as Blaine the people
would not be likely to be deceived, and SO
he bowed to the will of God, - bunged
his barrel, and told the Democrats they
would have to look elsewhere for the rep
resentativeof an issue. with Tilden out
Of the way, the camp was thrown into the
utmost confusion. The army Of the great
unterrlied looked in vain to their old
leaders. Bayard was suggested as fitting
representative. but Bayard's record was
unearthed and Immediately he was laid
away. Randall was introduced, but the
CRY of protection was raised and he was
put back on the shelf. Then Morrison, of
Illinois, was named, but the record made
in Congress under Morrison leadership
was too linsavory to go before the public.
Carlisle, Payne, Mcdonald, Hendricks, and
all the old reserves were paraded out, but
each was too much tainted with somesI
specially obnoxious feature of Democratic
record to give him even possible chance
before the people. Finally, happy thought
occurred. They would take up some man
| that didn't have any record and make the
campaign on the cry of reform. Cleve-
land, of New York, was hailed as the
Moses, and Immediately State after State
instructed for him. When it was believed
that the wilderness had been passed, along
came Johnny Kelly with his little Ratchet,
aud the Cleveland bubble collapsed Johnny
declared that Cleveland would lose New
| York that Tammany's followers could
not be made to support him, and that his
nomination would mean an abandonment
of the Empire State to Blaine and con-
/ sequent Democratic defeat in the national
/ contest. True to its cowardly instincts,
| the Democracy trembled before the petty
ward boss, and forthwith it was proclaimed
| throughout the ranks of the faithful that
all talk of Cleveland must be hushed. In
despair they then turned back to the can
didate of cypher fame and entreated that
dead or alive he would consent to lead
them. And that is the situation to-day.
/ Afraid to go before the country on the
record they have made; afraid to put up any
man who has been prominently identified
with their organization; afraid to take a
position upon the great issues which are
| to be decided by the election in November
next +; afraid to say that their souls are
their own, they stand before the country
in the most humiliating attitude ever as
sumed by a party that pretended to call
itself national. The only man of any spirit
or pluck among them is Ben Butler, and
in the general Generalization at Chicago
next week, the Beast is going to put in a
lick for No. 1. He at least has courage
and brains, and his record is not more un-'
sayory than that Of the party itself. Ger
tain it is that he will never be found
cringing at the feet of a petty Boss like
John Kelly, against whom the Democratic
party dareS not raise q finger. But for
Kelly, Cleveland would have been nomi-
mated on the first ballot, and the trouble
would have been at an end. 1t is Kelly
and not the party that must name the
next candidate.
In the hope of bringing some order out
held conference in New 7 ork last week.
| The result of that conference, as told by
one who had an opportunity of knowing
whereof he wrote, is given in the follow
ing special to the Cincinnati Commercial
/ Gazette:
| been going on at the Fifth Avenue Hotel for
| two days, about completed its labOrs Thursday
! night It's origin was the discovery OF Inc 1acC
| by statesmen of the party outside of New York
| that Grover Cleveland could not carry New
York State This has been well known here for
! two weeks, but State Conventions governed
| entirely by sentiment, have been instructing
| for Cleveland up TO date. Connecticut and New
/ Jersey Democrats, who understand the situa-
/ ton, determined to move in the matter, and
| endeavor to discover the best way out of the
difficulty There were three ways out First,
! to support Cleveland and run the risk oil Tam
| many's bolt second to revive the old ticket;
| third, to discover some man who could carry
| New York.
! There present ex-senator Barnum, of
Connecticut, Senator Gorham, of Maryland,
DAVIS, of West Virginia, and others of less note.
1 1t was agreed very early that it would not do
/ was out of the question. Senator MCPHERSON,
| of New Jersey; ex-senator Davis. of West Vir-
| ginia, and Senator Gorham, of Maryland, de-
clared themselves openly for Bayard. Ex-Sen-
| ator VIM. III. Barnum, of Connecticut, still be-
| lieves 1ilden the man, and was for him first,
last and all the time, but did not favor the "old
| ticket in its entirety, Mcdonald now being
| the prime favorite of Indiana. General Pryor
| New York, while bosses Mclaughlin and King
| sey represented Brooklyn. Other gentlemen,
| among whom was Charles A. Cleveland, of New
Jersey, who favored Mcdonald and Mcpherson
as the ticket, were called in at different times
| for consultation. 1t is a fact on the authority
the person most interested in the result of
| the conference that several of the cOnferees
| We're strongly in favor of ex-senator Thurman,
| of Ohio and that the ticket of Butler and Thur
| man or Thurman and Butler was discussed and
! met with serious consideration. While the
headquarters OF The conference was on the
| upper floor of the Fifth Avenue Hotel, General
| Benjamin f. Butler, whose influence grew with
| the flight of the hours and strengthened with
| the weakness of the other candidates discussed
! during Wednesday and Thursday, kept closely
| to his room ON the ground floor, nor did Mr..
| John Kelly visit the headquarters. The head
| quarters visited him. however, down stairs
! several times, General Pryor acting as inter-
| prefer. Kelly, Pryor, Mclaughlin and King
sey were asked pointedly "Win Cleveland
do?" and the reply was very pointed "No."
| They were told that a supreme crisis In the
| affairs of the Democratic party had arrived.
/ and that the bottom facts of the situation in
| New York must come out. The conference
wanted to find out for itself and for the party
at large just what was the true inwardness of
| the inharmony of the Democratic State Con-
4 vention Ex-senator Barnum though the
| most ardent Iilden men of the party showed q
| proper regard for the emergency, and made it
| evident that he was 'all right" and would drop
| the old ticket talk when the time came to make
| a decisive coup. General Butler was not in
| conference with Mr.. John Kelly and General
| Pryor, Wednesday afternoon, but held the reins
i from high seat in the rear. looking on with
| satisfaction as the wearied and almost panic
| stricken Democratic leaders took up one can
didate after another and then dropped him in
| despair.
AS this process continued General Buffers
| smile grew broader and the twinkle of his eye
| brighter, and the red, red rose in his button
| hole blushed coyly as the prospect of his own