Year: 1869

we are Slau 10 see UnGU the
embrace of Conservative Republi-
canism by the Democratic party
was only temporary eXpedient
to overthrow Radicalism in two
or three States where proscrip-
tion had made a consolidation of
opposition necessary, and not a
permanent union foreshadowinS
the dissolution of the party. Al
ready the press and leaders of the
grand old party which has wealth
cred the storms of over half a
century, are boldly and emphati-
cally protesting against the aban-
donment Of principle for the sake
Of expediency, except where Cir
cumstances render it necessary to
break the trammels of Radical
prescription; and the indications
are strong that the Democratic
party has vitality enough not
only to preserve it's organization,
but to engage in future contests
with the enemies of right and
justice with all it's ancient vigor
and power. Those who have be-
lieved it dead, will find them
selves mistaken: like the fabled
giant of old, it has only stretched
it's limbs along the Mother Earth
that it might receive new vigor
and inspiration in it's future CON
tests with wrong and injustice.
Right can never yield to might.


Error may triumph temporarily.
Its horrid front may rear itself in
the land, and overawe the nations
and suppress the truth for a sea-
son; but it rugs its course, and
truth and justice triumph in the
end.


We do not want conservatism,
except as a means of accomplish
ing the ultimate object, which is
REFORM. There is nothing to con-
serve. We may check the mad
career Of Radicalism by a union of
forces, but we shall then only
have arrested the hand Of destruc-
ton. We need something which
can build up and restore. The
Democratic party alone can do
this, and if we are faithful to our
self and our country, we can never
abandon it's organization without
abandoning at the same time all
reasonable hope of restoration Of
constitutional liberty. Yielding
what has been lost, let there be
no compromise with evil, nor any
change Of front or title. IT the
few who so loudly clamor for the
formation of a new party, will


not come to us, let them go back


to their hesh-pots. We can offer


them q national policy and con-


stitutional ground to stand OIL


we can point them to a proud
history of sixty years as evidence
i of our devotion to the great fun


damental truths which underlie


the Federal government-and ii


they will not come with us, let lis


not go after them, remembering


the fate of those who forsook the


true faith and wandered after


strange gods.


! Acuuiescence in settled results


is perhaps a political duty. Ques-


tions of mere policy may be aban-
doned: as times change we may


change with them, without the
imputation of an abandonment Of
principle. The past is the chart


by which wise men work out the
| problems Of the future; and the
Democratic party, in yielding up
its present organization, would
renounce those traditions, by
which and through which, as the
only eNponents of true constitu-
tional government, the American
people can hope to restore peace,
harmony andprosperity, and equal
and exact justice to all men.


In the language Of the recent
platform OF the Democratic party
| of Massachusetts, we can say ::
s'Recent events, as we'll as the eX-
perience Of our early history,
serve to convince us that the far
ther the nation wanders from the
old and cherished principles of
Democracy, the more urgent
! grows the need of a return to
them.' Its history contains the
charter of our liberties: it's expe-
rience is the guide which directs


to the sure haven Of peace: it's
I