Year: 1868

The Democratic Convention-with a
platform which declares the whole work
of reconstruction thus far "null and
void" with a presidential candidate
who made patriots his enemies and ri
oters his friends, and with an associate
on the ticket who is lighting the torch
of civil war--gives evidence that the
Democratic party is lapsing into the
control of minority of fire-eaters, and
sloughing off the mass of its conserva-
tive members.


Previous 10 the convention, there
was much talk that moderate counsels
would prevail; that the party would
be pushed so far forward as to be
abreast with the times and that a
candidate would be nominated accepta-
BE to disafected Republicans. On the
contrary, with the single exception Of
Vallandigham, no Democrat in the
North is more cordially hated by Re-
pub leans, or more politely cold shoul-
dered by a large part of the Democratic
party, than Horatio Seymour. If shorn
of his familiar band of long-disciplined
followers in his own State, he would
long ago have been lettlite a general
without an army. 81 cannot vote for
Seymour" is the frequent exclamation
Of Democrats even in the city Of New
York--a locality where a distinguished
member Of that party once expressed a
willingness to vote even for the Devil
himself. .t ,. .v 49,.


Moreover, yoked in fellowship with
the chief Copperhead Of the East is a
renegade Republican Of the West, who
has been "gloriously drunk" more
times than he received votes on his
unanimous nomination.


The Tammany platform and nonina-
ton, taken together, mean, if not the
dissolution, yet the division of the
Democratic party. That well-knit Or
ganization may not go to pieces; but
it cannot remain whole. Its fate is
decreed. At the formation of the Re
publican party, the old Democracy was
sifted, and its better elements became
Republican. At the breaking out of
the war, it was sifted again, and lent
its best men to the loyal opposition.
Since the adjournment OF the Tammany
Convention, that party has been sitting
itself third time; and its worthiest
hearts are Indignantly refusing to be
aceomplices in a policy which, having
in 1864 declared the war failure in
1868 declares reconstruction "void"


What will become of those discon-
tented Democrats who have hitherto
been 10th to leave their party, but are
now unwilling to revolutionize their
country2 E


The Republican platform-which is
not advanced enough to please the
Radicals-falling far short Of represent
ing our own political views-4is just
about adapted to that wing of the
Democratic party which desired the
nomination of Chase. All such voters
will now rally gradually and unosten-
taously undeh the banner Of Gen. Grant


OF course, they will be welcome
But there will, nevertheless, be q dan
ger to the Republican party from this
accession. Republican campaign man
ayers will be tempted to lower the tone
Of Republican appeal to a level Of Dem
ocratic applause. God forbid that this
should be done! We are never fearful
that the Republican party will lose its
voters, or that 1t will slacken its efforts,
but only that it will weaken its princi-
Plies. That great party-which could
be morally greater without being nu-
merically less--is always too ready to
water the fine wine Of Liberty, Justice,
and Equality.


The Democratic platform is too out
rageous for large section of the Dem
ocratic party; and that section will
vote for the Republican instead. But
on the other hand, the Republican
platform is too conservative for tbs
Radicals of the Republican party; lei
the Radicals, therefore, augment thil
deficiency by striking the key note o