Year: 1869

xho COuIusl0n IN Our FOlitical farthos.
Signs Of . Presidential scrsb Race. x


The signs of the times foreshadow Presi-
dental scrub race In 1872 The republican
party is falling to pieces, like the empire Of
Alexander after his grand winding up course
of carousals In the debaucheries of Babylon.
The democratic party, seedY and bewidered,
is adrift, and all the isms of the last forty
years, with some new ones, are coming into
the foreground. The old republican party
which came into power with Jefferson
aourished say quarter Of century, when,
Gn 1924 having no longer regular opposi-
ton party to fight, 1t was broken up in the
Presidential scrub race between Adams, jack
son, Crawford and Clay So the republican
party of the present time, which first dis
tinctly cropped out in the anti-slavery third
party vote which defeated Clay and elected
Polk in 1874, we may say has fulfilled its
term Of twenty-five years, and having done its
appointed work is falling into decay and dis
solution.


The parallel will hold good in another rela-
tion. As the administration Of Monroe was
''the ora of good feeling" 80 the administra-
ton Of Grant is ''peace" US have
peace" He goes for peace at home
and abroad; he Is not ambitious for
another term, and he has no choice
for the succession. He Is content with his
good fortune he has done the best he could do
for his party he will execute the laws Of Con-
gress he will not trouble himself with the haz-
ards of any startling enterprises; he will ':jog
on-jog on" in quiet fashion, enjoy his cigar
when he can by the wayside, and leave Con-
care of themselves. If called upon to serve
another term he will not decline; if called
upon to give way he will gladly do so. He
does not care the toss Of copper whether 1t
is to be Grant or Colfax or Sumner, Butler or
some new man not yet dreamed of for 1872.
And 80 various radical leaders and aspirants
are beginning to lay their pipe, and mine and
countermine for the succession. The do-noth-
ing and care-nothing policy Of the administra-
ton makes it ''a free fight" and the weakness
of the Cabinet leaves the balance of power
among the party leaders in Congress.


Bat having nothing to rally upon, no STIR
ring battle cry, no new issue touching the pub
lie pulse, the dominant party is beginning to
dissolve, and all sorts Of queer things are
showing their heads or sprouting up in this
stagnating morass of party politics. Tho
womens rights people are forming disturb
ing political faction, the temperance people are
organizing for Independent political action,
the anti i-Masons aud other anti-secret So
ciety reformers are combining as If for
another effort like that under William Writ, of
1886; and there are not wanting signs of
religious Protestant coalition against the
Catholics, somewhat analogous to the Know
Nothing movement of fourteen years ago,
which, eliminating in 'Live Oak George"
''went up like the rocket and came down like
the stick" Then, again, behind Mr.. Sumner
there is a republican movement afoot to capture
the Irish vote on the Alabama claims, while
In this city there is an active clique at work to
capture the German vote ON lager beer. But
in numbers the most powerful, the movements
of the Trades Unions towards political COM
bination of labor against capital are the most
ominous. These Trades Unions have been
wonderfully multiplied and extended within
the last two or three years, and the eight hour
law of Congress in regard to government work.
men is recognition of their political strength.
They hold to-day the political balance of
power in this country, and, from present ap-
pearances, they are drifting into hostility to
the negro equality programme Of the admins
tration.


All these movements are operating to the
decentralization Of the>repubican party, and
the democrats, convinced Of their own weak
ness, are looking hopefully upon these disor-
ders in the enemy's camp. Some Of the old
copperhead leaders of the West, moreover,
made wise from sore experience, are pro-
posing to cast their dead men and
dead issues overheard, and so to enlarge
their articles of faith as to take In half the
republican party. In the South they are out
bidding the carpet-baggers for the negro vote,
and In the East they are ready for anything
which promises the overthrow Of radical des-
potism. At the same time Chief Justice
Chase, in his tour of the Southern States, is
gaining golden opinions from all the anti-radi-
cal Southern elements, and, plank by plank, is
building up strong democratic platform for
1872. II Is possible, however, that his good
work In this direction will result rather In


breaking up than in consolidating the demo-
cracy of the North, and in giving us two or
three Presidential candidates instead Of one
from that side of the house; for in the great


Tammany Convention the fatal objection to


followed by his election, would be the dissolu-


ton Of the party.


We have yet, however, three years to run


to the next Presidential campaign, and the
chapter Of events in the interval may so
/ nhanpa fhs errouninu of fha kalaidoacopo aa