Year: 1875




ing.


DEMOCRATIC FOLLIES.


The Democrat party has once more evinced
its inability to learn the lessons OF expert
ence, blasted the fair prospects, which the
elections of IA had given it OF success in
the national contest of '76, and assured to
its old enemy new lease of power.


In 1864, and again in 1868, its leaders
we're guilty of the greatest and gravest OF
political blunders by committing it to
policy entirely at war with the honest, lib-
erty-loving sentiment of the country, and
at the ballot box the people placed the seal
of condemnation upon it in a manner not
easily to be misunderstood. Misinterpret-
ing, however, the meaning of the verdict so
rendered, a blunder, as great and as grave,
was committed in 1872, and again that party
was overwhelmingly defeated. Instructed
somewhat by the hard blows which 1t mad
thus received, the Democrat party changed,
in measure, its line of action, and arrogat-
ing to itself all that there was of political
virtue in the country, raised the banner OF
Administration Reform and started out
on the hgh-road to victory with a far pros
pect of success. Abuses in the Depart
ments of the National Government had
become apparent, many of the prominent
men of the Republican party had been
touched with the tantng finger of corrup-
tion, the supposed aspirations of President
Grant for a third term had been reiterated
and dwelt upon by a sensational and partl-
zan press until the people were made appre-
hensive that the unwritten law OF the land
was in danger. Close upon the heels OF
these grievances, real and supposed, fol-
lowed financial panic of the most serious
and alarming nature. The great, diversi-
fled industries of the country became stag
nant. The looms and spinning wheels and
factories throughout the length and breadth
of the nation we're stiled as by the hand OF
death, and the dominant party was held
responsible for the disaster and the total
ruin which seemed almost inevitable.


The Democrat leaders, wiser than they
had been, saw and seized their opportunity,
put the Republican party upon the defen-
sive, and pressed home, with consummate
tact and ability, the charges they had made.
The Fall elections of 1874 took place, and
men everywhere were astonished at the
universally of the dissatisfaction which
the result exhibited. The Republican party
was overwhelmingly defeated at every point.
beaten so badly that it seemed scarcely to
retain foothold in any State of the Union.
Even Massachusetts, the cradle, and prior
to that time, the bulwark of Republican
ism, spoke with no uncertain sound against
its child.


The Democrats obtained control of the
Lower Branch of Congress, oftwenty four of
the States, and placed two others in opposi-
tion to the ruling party. The future of the
Republican party seemed gloomy indeed.
But, true to their history, the Democrats
could not stand success. Their heads were
turned, and they hastened to embrace every
whim or fancy that had about it any ele-
ments of popularity. In three of the great
States of the Union they incorporated into
Cue VI Iucll patty uuouCidi
policy utterly antagonistic to the we'll being
of the country, and contrary to every die
tate of national honor and duty.


This, again, was but another exhibition
of that stupidity and folly. for which the
Democrat party has, since 1860, been chiefly
remarkable, and of which its history, since
that date, furnishes so many instances.


Successfully advocating and opposing the
"further prosecution of the war;" reject
ing and adopting " the greenback theory"
of Pendeton, denouncing and supporting
the life long and most bitter enemy of itself,
reviling and accepting the policy of finance
which, had it received the sanction of the
people, would have led inevitably to repu-
diation, and consequent ruin and national
disgrace, it has proved itself to be, what
its great opponent so often charged, party
of expediency, not of principle, of plunder,
not of patriotism; and the elections of last
week conclusively demonstrate that the
people recognize it as such, and that great
majority of the voters of this country are
still willing and determined to confide to
the Republican party the control of their
affairs, and the shaping of their national
policy.


A revulsion in the popular feeling has
taken place since last year, and that which
to the Democracy seemed, but a short while
since, so fair and sweet, has "turned, like
Dead Sea fruit, to ashes on the lips"


The "tidal wave" has spent it's force,
and that which bore every appearance of a
revolution, turns out to have been but the
most earnest and anxious of warnings.


The grand old Republican party, the party
of so many cherished names and memories,
the party of national unity, of national
honor of national progress, still retains its
hold upon the affections of a people; still
marches on to other and greater victories,
and still is able and willing to battle and
suffer for those immortal principles from
which it derived it's origin, over which it
exercises it's control, and which make it,
what it is, living, moring, ve-deserving
organization"