New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-04
TUIRTY-TUO YEARS.

Thirty-two years. Yes, they d. constitute
an epoch. An epoch which no American ctI-
zen can fail to contemplate with honest pride ;
the NEST brilliant, most progressive. most pros
porous, most fruitful of good to the country
and to the whole world in the history of the
Republic. The party that suIrcnders power
to-day docs it not sullcnly, nor spteiully. nor
with any signs Of the modification of defeat.
II proudly turns over to lis successors Mon
it has restored a Nation it has d>cnthracd
and lccioated. a continent it has bound TO-
gether, populated and made prosperous,
great people at peace with each other ana all
the wcrld. 1t passes t. history record OF
great achievements OF treason overcome OF
rebellion put down, bankruptcy avcrtcd. dead
credit revived labor cmancirated the last
vestige of barbali>m swept away; OF great
trust faithfully. honolaby and honestly dis
charged Nothing in all this record will grow
dim every page OF it will brighten as the ages
pass. 1t is in this manner that the party which
thilty-two years ago assumed control OF the
Government expressing through the serious
utteranccs of Mr.. Lincolns inaugural address
its profound sense of solemn responsibility, TO-
day surrendcrS its trust and gives place 10 n,
SUCCESSORS. Wide contrast here between the
conditions in which the Democratic party went
out in 1861 and those in which it now returns.
Only one patty can review them with pride or
satisfaction.
beginning with the century. the formative
rcriod of WaShngtOns and John Adam>s adj
mnstraiions having closed it may be broadly
stated that political history has been divided
into three distinct epochS. Under Jefferson the
original Republican party took shape and or
ganizatioh, and FOR twenty eight years was with
brief interruptions dominant i'll the country.
The great achievement of that period. that
which the later Democracy claims as IFS special
heritage, was the Louisiana purchase. The
fact that Mr. Jefferson in conducting the
transaction deliberately abandoned his own
Fundamental doctrines, and from his own point
of view violated the Constitution, is seldom
adyerted TO by his Democratic wOr>hippcrs.
Except on the sea, the record Of the War OF
1912 which belongs 10 this period is not one
that Americans dwell on with pride. In 1929
the modern Democratic party may be said TO
have entered upon an epoch Of its own with
the Administration of Andrew Jackson, since
canonizcd by his party. Then followed thirty
two years in which that party, with Interrupt
the continuity Of It's power, governed the coun-
try. Let the thoughtful student Of history cas-.
his eve along the pages Of that cpcch the story
Of thilty-two years in which the Democratic
party had every opportunity TO develop Ma
tional policy. broaden and expand itself and
send out its roots deep and wide in the fruitful
soil of a prosperous land. What did it do?
In all the steady down dropping from Andrew
jackson, through Polk and Pierce TO Buchanan
and the edge Of ruin in 1861. what page Of
the history do we turn TO with anything but
shame? Was the Mexican War glorious?
The dishonor in which it began was hardly
relieved by the dear bought triumph over
weaker nechbor, and the final conslmmation
OF the disgraceful purpose with which it was
waged was only defeated at the end of a long
struggle and the cost of civil war
That was the epoch that ended in 1861.
Review it thoughtfully. set it over against
the epoch just ended. Compare the Govern
mcnt, the Treasury, the Army, the Navy, the
people, as they Weic when James Buchanan
after thirtytwo years of Democratic rule
turned them over to Abraham Lincoln and the
Republican party, with all these as Benjamin
Harrison after thiity-two years Of Republican
rule gives place to Grover Cleveland and the
triumphant Democracy. Who would consent
to the erasure or the burrng Of page of the
thirty-two years record from 1861 to 1893 ?
Who would not willingly forget the epoch
of thirty-two years between Jackson and
Buchanan?