Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-05-15

Cunct'-B. j. Blackburn.
New Parties.
How often do we hear utopian talk
OF tn best men Of the country coming
together in one grand political party,
that will stand rs an invinoible barrier
against fraud, corruption and dishon-l
esty OF all kinds A great difficulty In
the formation OF such . party would be
to determine where the dividing line
should be drawn 10 separate the good
from the bad. II drawn too high mp In
the aesthetic regions Of goodness and
purity, the party would be diminutiye
and would lack the votes to bring
about the political and moral reforms
desired. II drawn too low down where |
the political air is tainted with the |
common every day methods OF political
life, the seeds of impurity would
already be sown In the new party that
would hasten Its own dissolution. For
the sake OF argument, suppose that
Messrs. BAyard, Pendleton, Thurman,
Mcdonald, Herman, Hewitt Lamar,
Randall and Carlisle represent the
best men Of the Democratic party. I'll
cannot be denied that they are all
scholars, all gentlemen, ell men Of
honor, moral uprlghtness and superior
intellect, and yet does anybody believe
for q moment that these hest men" do
not rs tervently believe that the per-
petuaton Of the Democratic party In
power Is essential to the nations per
mAnent political and commercial great
ness, rs the lower strata Of intellectual
beings that compose the Democratic
party and tAwl themselves hoarse a.
every recurring election for its success7
Would these gentlemen generally not
rs firmly believe that free trade WAS
rs much essential 10 the prosperity OF
the country in Q new party IS they dol
while mingling with the masses in the
old party?
Or suppose we grant that Messrs.
Hoar, HAwley, Frye, Dawes, Morrill,,
Sherman, Hiscock, Reed and Kelley
fairly represent the best men in the
Republican party; nevertheless we
cannot deny that on all the vital Is
sues that separate the two grea, parties
from each other, these best mem are
all Just rs resolute in the conviction
that protection is essential and Abso-
lutely rs necessary to develop the
greatness OF the country as the dullest
Republican dogmAtists in their belief
that the Republican party. the grand
old party OF their youth and prime,
must continue 10 enforce its idea in the
government Of the nation. or else the
nation will surely perish from the
earth. The "best men" so called
of both parties are no nearer
each other in all leading ques-
lions OF difference than are the
PArtisanship is not only the creed
of the crowd, but Of The TALES
leaders OF the crowd, and under thes'
circumstances how can party expec
to be formed to be called the "bes. mel
party" Men are driven together snC
consent to fuse old opinions into new
politics when some great purpose Q
passion warns them into action, bu
men cannot be detA shed from their re
spective allegiAnces to the two gres
hostile parties OF the hour because {
disagreement on some minor matters o
which magazine writer's and bandbo
statesmen write high toned articles o
the ethics OF government. All this tai
about the formation of q new part
arises from the supposition that th
Republican party has fulfilled It's mi
sion. Whenever that party has full
worked out its purposes, it will giS
place to the party that proves 70 be
more discerning, euergeu, aud faithfJ
defender Of human rights and popult
liberty.
But there Is no presen. sign OF Il
decay OF the Republican parry. Ev,
Ii 1t does mos stand for all that the
new party advocates say is good
politics, he is but . dreamer who tai
about q new party made up of the b,
elements OF both parties. It might
every now and then in municipal 20
ernment but 1t will not work
national affairs. As well during I
war might II have been proposed
form q new army OF the Potomac out
the best soldiers of Grant and LIS
armies as to talk now of gsnzipg
new party out OF the best men of
Republican and Democratic psrti
The best men will still follow the {
colors IS eagerly and confidently IS I
most com mon. place fellows in
ranks A political party that has a
force among mankind Is not tea par
{ Is not clothed In black cloth or m
ling silk, but Is . Democracy OF
kinds and classes Of sentiment and
telligenca A political party toru
on call out OF the best elements of b
parties Is utopian dream, because
best elements do no, agree about O.
thing that is OF vital con sequen ce TO
people any more readily than the W
elements Of both parties. Men do
come together in parties because t
expect that all the rich, the learr
the cultnred, the witty and the :
will be in one party, and all the p
the ignorant, the rude, the dull and
foolish will be In the other, Men q
rate into parties for democratic ress
because OF the spontaneous differel
of opinions upon questions of puuc
that move the passions OF men vario
without much reference 70 artit
distinction Of education and social
ture. Parties are born, not made;
are born ont Of the flame OF deep
yictions that sometimes sweep thrI
the land IS the Republican party
formed, and are not organised on
cold, formal call Of the mugwui