Year: 1868

ton conferred on Mr.. BTlingame and to his
mission.


The Democratic Conventional Political


Dummy Versus Popular Party.


The proceedings of the Democratic State
Convention afford no reason to believe that the
so-called democracy has either heart or brain
for the occasion that lies before it. Never
was there a grander opportunity than is now
presented for party to retrieve ancient errors
or to establish original power in the political
destinies Of nation. Never was country
ripper for change, and change toward the most
distinct type of democratic ideas that is pos
the present hour. AS we are now, the govern
ment is in the hands Of party that has no
mans respect, that is scandalously corrupt,
that has no sense Of political decency, that
keeps faith with no system and no principle,
that regards its own pledged word to the
nation as thing to be kept or broken as may
best suit its convenience. How far snch
party may drive the nation all see Hence
the people fret under its domination and
regard it with mingled indignation, contempt
and fear. The nation is ready for any change
that promises Improvement; but, wisely sensi-
tive to every Indication of party purpose and
spirit that time brings forth, it hesitates as
change seems to threaten greater evils
than those it endeavors to escape.
Thus last year, with radicalism in all
its deformity before the people and demo-
cracy standing as promise for the better, the
great Empire State gave fifty thousand ma
jority against the republican party. But this
vote turned the heads of the democrats Mad
with triumph, they went so far in the assertion
Of offensive ideas that the corrupt, selfish, reck
less radicals seemed pure in comparison, and
New Hampshire has shown the result.


1t would seem not very difficult to take the
indication from these obvious signs--not very
difficult for sagacious leaders to hit happy
medium between two such definite points-t0
set their principles in honorable contrast to
the conduct Of the dominant party and avoid
those declarations of doctrine that must forever
damn any party before the American people.





Albany? II did what it might or could to put
Pendleton down and get rid OF the burden Of
copperhead principles generally-tha is, it
did the little that words can do to that end. 1t
applauded speech from Mr.. Seym0ur-and a
good speech is something. II heard read a
declaration of principles which promised
return of the golden age Of the Union
under the auspices of true and pure
democracy. But the one act of the Con-
ventiOn belied all its words. 1t met
to appoint delegates to the National Conven-
ton, and in performing that function its practi
cal working leaders showed how little they
appreciated or cared for all the pretty phrases
of the orator and the platform writer. They
showed that in their hands democracy is once
more falling u victim to the disease that has
been fatal to it in every clime-a want of faith
in its own principles In glancing down the
list of delegates the intellectual nothingness
of nine-tenths of the members is the most strik-
ing feature. And this points to the fact that
this delegation is only put up to vote as job
bing managers behind shall dictate. This
democracy means, then, the rule of two or
three jobbers in ofice-a small and contempt
ible Cesarism. Caesar was democrat, too
but he had such an appreciation of the brains
of his party that he did not think great ques-
tions were to he trusted to them, and he
arranged everything on a very simple basis to
have the democracy always in the right. This
is the game now played in the democratic
party; but men fool themselves greatly IL they
suppose that the people will accept such
political dummy in lieu of party vigorous
and energetic, with the real life, the blood and
the thought of the people.


The Enrl Of Mayo on the state Of Ireland.


The Earl Of Mayo, Chief Secretary for Ireland,
is reported by telegraph to have made very
curious speech in the British House of Com
mons on Monday night. The telegraph may
have misrepresented him, but if it did not then
Earl Mayo is strangely inconsistent with his
toric truth. While admitting that great dis
content existed in Ireland he said that 1t was
exclusively nourished by the Irish in Amer
ica," thus endeavoring to throw the onus of
Irish disaffection upon the United States-a
most absurd idea just as If it is not notorious
that Irishmen in Ireland were in perpetual
state of discomfort before there ever was an
organization here OF before there was any such
thing as sympathy with what Is called ''the
Irish cause" or, for the matter of that, before
America ceased to be British colony In
replying to Mr.. Mcguire and other speakers
Lord Mayo repelled the charges Of English
misgovernment;" and to prove that no such thing
existed he cited the fact that the police force
of Ireland was composed entirely Of natives of
that island. Why, about half the police force
of New York il composed Of Irishmen and
nearly all its municipal officials are natives of
liLaI ;ula nj Tho aat,,x, ia irnc of the nnlice