Year: 1874

The ~ Y, Tribune, in a recent article,
expresses opinions which in the main
are true:


"The Democratic party comes intopow
er in one branch of the Federal LeRisla-
ture by the results Of the late elections.
It is the present and immediate
business Of the opposition TO formulate its
policy for the future policy not merely
of hostility to misrule, extravagance, and
corruption, but of positive declarations,
of construction instead of obstruction, OF
affirmations instead of negations. And
they must not merely formulate 1t, but
must organize thoroughly and effectively
under it and act upon it. tits vastly cas-
Ter 10 inveigh against the existing Ad-
ministration than 10 administer more
wisely easier TO criticise than construct,
to pull down than to build up.
They come into power with the condi-
tions annexed to which they have here
tofore heartily consented, full accept
ance of the results of the large cOnten-
tions, now happily ended, of the past
twenty years. They have assailed the
financial policy, or lack Of policy, Of the
Administration, and the people have lis
tened. The people now invite them TO
step up and do better.


THAT is The question Of the immediate
future. Upon 1t the party that controls
the next Congress must, if it would retain
confidence and continue in power have
single purpose and a determined front


There must be no nonsense about toll
Grating difference of opinion in the party
on that question, for that is the one ques-
ton upon which it must be unit. They
must settle this at the outset. It may
cost some disagreeable surgery, but the
men who have the responsibility Of lead
ership must establish test upon this
question which shall be so radical as to
drive out and keep out all classes of re-
pudiators and all forms of reputation, so
that an imitation Democrat will be in the
next Congress as absurd a paradox as a
pro. slavery Republican would have been
| In 1856. ftseems hardly worth the while
TO point this out. II almost says itself


For surely no party can thrive in power
upon its hostility to the measures or poll
cy of its opponents; itmust have policy


of its own TO commend it. 1t does moi


need to be demonstrated that the fnan,


cial question is the absorbing issue and


almost the only one, and that this is th'


subject upon which it must speak oul


with no uncertainty or evasion.


"The experience of the Administration


party, with its Hard-Money platforms


and its Buffers and MOrtOns and Carpen


ters and Logans and other inhationistsa a


leading statesmen, is sufficient to SHOW


the dangers of that kind of toleration


The people will have none Of it. Hora


ito Seymour, in his Brooklyn speech las


week, fairly stated the position whicl
the party must occupy, not only here AM
there in the States which happen to adop


such resolutions, but in all the States tn


country Mr.. Seymour said distinct,
Upon the financial point the Democrat


party of New York gives notice to its pc
iitical friends in other States, and to II
: opponents here and elsewhere, that, as
first demanded a good currency, 1t will
the last insist upon that demand. II
purposes are crystallized into the torl
= set forth by its State Convention when
: insists upon return to Specie Payment


and "no step backwards" And now whit


the country waits to see and hear is II
r formal declaration, duly authorized an
! sanctioned by the party as an organic
ton, that this utteranCe expresses n


only the opinion and belief of HOrat


Seymour and Samuel ]. Tilden and Il
4 Democrats of New York, but that 1t is
letter and in spirit a cardinal Democrat
doctrine, binding in Indiana and Ohio
: in New York and New Jersey, and go
S erning the councils and the policy of Il
r party wherever and whenever it com
= into power"


The Tribune omits to say anything


the tariff. Financial integrity requir
also proper and just taxation. The pr'


ent system arranged and adjusted
. the interest of the few must be chang
Is and remodeled. This country cannot
n on in this way. Our general governme
le cannot be run in the interest of favor
Ia few, neither financially nor taxably. I
r business and labor of the country ha
a. been robbed for years and tits this reali
as ton that has brought about the late
b. litical revolution. The financial pa
e. and the continued depression are owl
9. to the outrageous, unjust and selfish pt


cy of the party in power. The coun
,s has pronounced decidedly against CIR
'os and his party. The people want an h
~ est and a good currency and an equa
:; and just system of tariff taxation.