Year: 1874




We are glad to see that the leading men or
the Democratic party seem more inclined I'd
turn their attention to completing and perfect
ing their own organization for immediate
action than TO begin the distribution OF what
spOils may fall to them from the campaign OF
1916. The work deyOlving upon them Ia OF
the most weighty and important character.
They have won a barren triumph if 1t results
merely in q change of Oiice-seekers and
officers. If it is to result in any extended
tenure Of power for their party, or, what Is
better, in any advantage to the country, 40
time should be LOST in harm0nzing the gen.
cral sense of tho party throughout the Union
upon one or two cardinal points upon which
unity and clearness are absolutely indisDe Densabe.
We have already referred to the necessity OF
positive and aggressive policy upon the sub
ject of the national Indebtedness and the cur
rency. 1t will be fatal to the party if the
present division of councils should continue.
1t would require no very remarkable effort to
secure substantial unity upon these questions.
The party in the great States of New-York,
Pennsylvania, and Illinois, as well as in the
regions it has so recently Conquered in New
England, is Sound and firm upon these
momentous questions. noisy band OF
demagogues have succeeded in making
the Conventions of Ohio, Indiana, and
some other States. the mouthpiece
of their heresies. But there is no proof any
where that any considerable portion OF those
communities has demanded the rag-money
and reputation platforms which these blatant
leaders have imagined the right road to popu-
larIty. We have given our reasons tor beilev-
ing that the New-York platform would be
equally acceptable everywhere else, it pre-
sented with vgor and energy. Nine people
out of ten have no financial ideas whatever,
and the honest currency men have merely al
lowed the Voorhees, sort to steal march on
them in party conventions. This must be
remedied, and it can doubtless be readily ac-
complshed if the real leaders Of the party
see the Importance of it.


But there is another thing to be done, and
this can be done at once without difficulty.
The party should lose no time, now ia the
flush of their great victory in planting them
selves firmly upon the Baltimore platform of
1872 in relation to the rights of the negroes
and all the Constitutional Amendments. 1t is
useless to say that this is unnecessary-that
the party has already done this once, and that
to do il again would be work of s6perero-
CATION. The truth is that great many people
are timid about it,. The Nation spoke
for considerable class when it said
that if Dix were defeated the Southern
Democrats would Immediately cut such capers
as to alarm the North and elect Grant in '76.
This fear is, if you please, absurd, but it may
be worth allaying Mr.. Blaine said the other
day that the Democratic party never had
accepted the Amendments. This was untrue,
but it echoed ali Ignorance more general than
is suspected by most Democrats. We know
Of nothing which would be of more immediate
and substantial effect than a distinct author
lied declaration Of the Democratic party that
the Baltimore platform in all respects, but
specially in so far as it relates to the Amend
ments is still the doctrine of the party, and
that the negroes of the South will be pro-
tected in all their vested rights when the
party comes to power.


Nothing so promising to the Conservative
cause in the South, and we will add so hope
full for the best interests of the country, has
been seen in this campaign as the behavior
of the McEnery insurgents in Louisiana to-
ward the freed people. During the few days
that they remained in possession of the State
Government, the negroes were astonished to
find that they were treated with at least the
same justice and consideration which they
received from the Kellogg administration.
The effect of this was in the highest degree
advantageous to the cause of peace and order
in all subsequent proceedings, and especially
beneficial to the Conservative candidates
last Monday. The more intelligent negroes
saw that they were as sure of decent treat
ment on the one side as on the other, and
many of them gladly embraced the OppOr-
tunity of voting for the better men. Surely
the party nowhere has any greater provoca-
ton to resentment against the freedmen than
in Louisiana. 1t should not be difficult
therefore to induce them to declare
solemnly the purpose which we doubt
not they entertain, to protect all
citizens white and black impartally in the en-
joyment of all rights under the law and in
good faith to maintain and defend the COnsti-
tuition with all its Amendments. We have the
more hope that this may be promptly done as
in this case the interests Of the country and
those of the party are identical.


Nobody need patronize fair Erin; she is really an