Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-01
THURSDAY............JULY l, 1886,
The New HAMPSHIRE Democrats.

The resolutions adopted on Tuesday
last by the Democrats Of New Hsmp'
shire, in State Convention assembled,
ninele the past and the present in q
uanper worthy Of note. The following
resolution carries one back to ante-bel-
lum times
Resoiped, That the Democratic Con-
vention Of New Hampshire offers its
cordial sympathy to Gladstone in his
mighty struggle for home-rule in Ire
land, for the double reason that 1t re.
leases the people from bondage and
practically asserts the Democratic doc
trine upon which our Union was found
ed-that States have the right to regu-
late their own domestic affairs"
This reads as if it we're part of a
Democratic platform Of some year prior
to 1861. 1t was such utterances upon
The part Of the northern Democrats that
led the people of the South to believe
that at least the Democrats in the north
ern States would concede their right to
manage their own domestic affairs in
their own way. 1t WAS q grieyous
blunder the South made when she
mEconstrued the language Of such reso-
lutions-lsnguage intended to teach
sound doctrine into an acknowledge
ment OF the right Of State to secede
from the Union. However, the blunder
resulted in the abolition Of the institu-
ton Of slavery, and thus indirectly
accomplished q great work, which, as
we'll as we can see, could not have been
accomplished in any other way.
The Democrats of New Hampshire
still stand upon their platform of ante
bellum days, so far as the rights of the
States are concerned. They thus prove
that they never understood that plat
form to teach the doctrine Of the right
OF q State to secede from the Union.
Nay, mora: They thus indicate that
they do not concede that the southern
people had any good reason for putting
upon the declarations Of their northern
allies Of the days before the war be-
tween the States the unfortunate con-
struction which undoubtedly led to that
war.
The resolution above quoted smscks
Of the days of old. Another resolution
was passed which shows that even the
Democrats in the North confess that the
voters Of that section are on one ques-
ton still twenty-odd years behind the
times. Why should it be necessary in
the year 1856 to pass resolution re-
cognizing the patriotism Of the SOL
dies and sailors of 1851? Why not
"recognize the patriotism" Of the SOL
diers and sailors Of 1912 and 1852
those who fought in the war with Mexico
and the last war with Great Britain
Ia IL not evident that the democrats Of
New Hampshire expect BLAINE and
his supporters to wave the bloody shirt
in the presidential campaign Of 1883
Il would seem as if it were next to im'
possible for the country to rid itself Of
the issues Of twenty years ago, or Of
the malignant Republican party. Else
Why should it De deemed necessary for
the Democrats of New Hampshire to
declare in favor Of securing q de-
served reward" to soldiers and sailors
to whou have already been paid pen
sions sggregating more than eight hun
bred millions Of dollarsg
As whole, the platform Of the New
Hampshire Democrats is . good one
Indeed, we do not censure them fol
adopting any feature in it. We merel,
call attention to it as illustrating tn,
remarl able condition Of things that ha
existed 10 this country for more thar
twenty years.