Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-03-04

oil field is the biggest developed field In
Western Ohio. The oil from the new
well is lighter and resembles the Penn
sylvania oil more than any yet found
here.
Democratic Retrospect of Twenty
Years.
The death of Ex-Governor Seymour
and General w. 8. Hancock following
so closely and within few months of
that of General Mcclellan and Vice
President Hendricks, calls to mind the
fact that one Presidential candidate of
the Democratic party during the score
of years, from 1850 to 1880is left. Doug
las and Breckinridge, Mcclellan, Sey-
-mour, Greeley and 0'Connor, Tilden,
Hancock, this is the list, and of the
eight men whose names are on it only
one, the retired Sage of GreystOne, who
cause of his physical weakness, Is living.
The retrospect is curious as showing the
phases through which the Democratic
party has passed In much less than the
average life of a generation. The divi-
sion in 1860 was the forerunner of the
events for the next quarter of a centu-
ry. Apart from the loss Of the South,
the party was not able during the war.
or SO long as the questions were impor-
tant that grew out of the war to COM
mand the support Of the American peo-
pie. The party made efforts to COM
Inand support and remove prejudices
growing out of the war, and the nearest
it came to success in these twenty years
was in 1876, when Mr.. TiIden was real
ly elected, but by desperate means was
kept out Of the Presidency. This sue
cess, or partial success, was attained by
the party placing itself on the high
ground of administrative reform, which
laid at rest much of the prejudice t0
which the party was exposed. But it was
not until 1854, when the campaign was
contested substantially on the issues
disassbciated entirely from the war,
that the Democratic party won an un-
questioned success. Il.
Retr0spectively we note the fact that
the nomination Of General Mcclellan
hin 1854 was one peculiar for the times.
IL was meant to demonstrate that the
party stood before the country, in its
true meaning, on the level. of pure
patriotism. But the prejudices and
niseOnstructions placed upon its atti-
tude by the opposing party, produced a
failure, and instead of raising the party
above the prejudices Of the times, drag
friendly channel. Later, when Mr..
Seymour, was nominated, the bitter
ness growing out of the revolutionary
reconstruction measures prevailed. AL
though the attitude of the Democratic
party was right, and the party occupied
= high position In its adherence to the
principle Of free government, yet it was
ut sea on other issues, mainly the finan-
cial question. The gifted and clear
sighted statesman, H0ratio Seymour,
who had much in his favor as q master
of statecraft and purity of purpose,
failed to attract public sentiment from
the prejudices and fears engendered by
the events of the period. The country
seemed not ready for the party, and his
defeat followed i'm the wake of an apollo
Igetic attitude the candidate and the
party assumed. instead Of taking an
aggressive position before the country.
The Greeley campaign seemed to be
an act of political desperation. While
1t represented to the American people
| n its endeavor to restore harmnnin,Is
rel ations between the sections. vet 10
the Marty It was an error which moth.
mo hnt The folly and wickedn.ss Of the
RenubIican noliticians during the sec-
ond term Of Grant nrevented from be-
inr irremediabie.
The nomination four vears aftewar,is
n M, Tilden nrese,,tei the Demncrat-
n marty at its Hest boid and agUres-
ii ye canpaipn nnon nrincinIe hr,1ght
r., tn. ranks scsras rf VOTES who Sad
~ot tire,i of the Renublicam corrnntion
which was fasteninr itseif nnon the
pa,,mhi;.an ! ,,,,I;,;is;ans n;sI, al az