Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-01

gans of the democratic party, but sim ply partiSans of the administration, right or wrong. To differ with these papers now; however good a democrat in other respects, the recalctrant Is denounced, arrested brought before their drumhead court and sentenced to expulsion from the party or "disciplined' by marching him around the camp at the point of the bayonet, to the medley of the "Rogues March" A few weeks ago the Adver- tiser chirped few "harmonizing" notes; the basis of said harmony to consist in abandoning individual views and uncon- ditional acceptance of it's pharisaic phillippics as to dogma and policy. See
 ing that few if any surrendered to its views in it's heartless criticism of Gov ernor Oates last letter to the Register, counseling harmony by manly conces- sionS on minor points, it raises the 'black flag" the Indian war-whoop. Tt is fight to the finish," "let the minority go to the d-lr'
 am amazed at the intolerance of these two old, and hitherto, valiant defenders of the party platforms. If the platform of 1892 is not bimetallic platform, what
 is it? If the administration has ever stood upon that platform I have never been able to see it; although if ever I was a man Worshipper" I was disposed to fall down and adore Grover Cleve- land. But am democrat and prefer
 to stand where the grand council of dem
 ocrats placed me in the line of battle to
 adopting the orders of a subaltern.
 revere Mr. Cleveland now. although I can see he has made fatal mistakes as party leader. In fact, as Governor Oates
 has discovered long ago, and has the courage to say He is @ poor party
 leader" l may differ with Governor Oates in some of his views, but in this estimate of our commander-in-chief he is
 eminently correct. The immortal Lee had the courage to tell his bleeding dis
 heartened troops. when retiring from Gettysburg: "Cheer up, boys; you have
 done nobly, all that men could do. It was my mistake" Though he had chart and written orders from his party, Gro yer Cleveland has never owned that he made mistake, or sent cheering, sym pathetic word along the lines to his va
 liant but disheartened party followers
 He has never tried to restore his broken,
 bleeding lines or tried to comfort them
 in defeat. On the contrary, loving him and respecting him as my superior officer from the ranks. l can, and have seen, some of his faults. He has no sympathy
 with his party; in fact, he acted as if he
 felt that T am greater and stronger
 than the party"
 l admire Joe Johnston, although l diff fer with him in some of his supposed
 views, and in my heart 1 believe he is honest and sincere in attempting to re- store unity and harmony to the white voters of Alabama, and this, more than
 the mere desire to be governor, is the
 uppermost thought in his mind Shall he be disciplined" by ostracsm for this patriotic desire or impulse? Shall Gov ernor Oates, whom the Advertiser so re- gently admired, be disciplined" by de- feat for the senate, because he presumes to differ with MT. Cleveland and the Ad- vertiser in their slack interpreta ton of the platform of 1892? Shall the survi- vors or the reconstruction war, when
 black heels were upon white necks" in Alabama, be relegated and disciplined" for standing upon the platform with it's interpretation that carried MT. Cleveland and the party pell mell over the re- publican hosts capturing them bag and baggage?
 Governor Oates and Captain Johnston
 desire unity and harmony in the demo- cratic party, 10 save and perpetuate the democratic party Yet the Advertiser and the Register declare war against those men, who were foremost in the fray in other days. Governor Oates stands precisely where he did when the Adver-
 tiser prevailed upon him to lead the party little over year ago, and fought for him like a true soldier. Captain John
 ston stands where he stood when he
 seized the Oates flag and bore it aloft to victory. Is he to be disciplined" for
 that self-sacrificing service to his party
 and the people of Alabama? When we consider the course of the two papers above mentioned, truly We may exclaim: Judgment hath fled to brutish beasts, And men have lost their reason"
 The democratic party can and ought to harmonize and unify. They owe it to themselves and the future prosperity of Alabama. Let us unite upon the first section of the platform 1892, with the in- depreciation thereof that resounded from every stump and restrum in the land and led the party to glorious victory. With that unification and harmony restored | it will again lead us to victory in 1896. BIMETALLIST. The growing talk of third term for r,,oc;la,t (,layaiond ;S avtraynalv SiCpifi-