Year: 1875

the last ten or twelve years that the DEM
ocratic party was dead. With many,
perhaps, the wish was father to the
thought, yet there were, nevertheless,
good reasons for the supposition. 1t has
been so pronounced in the house of its
enemies, ana in the house Of its friends.
| But, for putrescencc" as it was styled
by one Of its former leading organs, the
party now exhibits wonderful vitality.
1t was deemed badly crippled when its
right wing surrendered at Appomattox
Court House, but the crippling proved to
be only Of that kind which follows the
division of polypus-what was single
/ individual becomes multiplied, and the
surrendered rebels were soon returned to
their homes and transformed into good
Democratic voters. The party surren-
dered its principles when it adopted the
"New Departure" and its organization
when II followed and joined hands with
the Liberal Republican fascO. Yet
notwithstanding its blunders, it has gain
ed a strength sufficient TO wrest from its
opponents the control of the popular
branch Of the National Legislature, and
its adherents look hopefully to the pros
pect of clecting their Presidential can
ddate in 1876.


The secret Of this tenacity Of life can be
summed up in a few words. The party
contained within itself certain elements
which could not be driven from their fe-
atty by neither errors Of government or
partisan blunders. With one part Of
this element the magic Of the old name
was sufficient TO enchain its allegiance ;
with the other, sectional feeling was the
tie that bound them TO the party which
made their seeming interests its own.-
And these two classes formed strong
nucleus around which those discontented
with or who had received some real or
fancied injury at the hands of the Repub-
lican party could gather. In its twelve
years of power il could hot avoid max
ing some mistakes, and these have been
magnilled and held up TO the weakened
rs n reason why they should desert the
party which had brought the nation so
! grandly through her struggle for life F;
while its great services in the battle for
human liberty were forgotten. Played
out of1ice-scellers who, finding their value
not appreciated among Republicans went
over TO the opposition, carried with them
all whom they could influence, until, in
some States, the Democratic party re-
gained permanent ascendency. But the
people, in the main, are unwilling to
trust that party with renewed power,
Notwithstanding its high protcntons, and
had not local questions assumed unwont-
ed prominence, it would have still re-
mained in the minority, without prestige
or influence, appealing only to the long
dead past as reason why it should be
trusted again.


If we look to the results Of the late
Eastern elections as proof that the
PEOPLE desire n Democratic administra-
ton TO succeed that of President Grant,
we will find it wholly wanting. There
has been general defeat of the Repub-
licans all along the lire and the substan-
tial benefits of it been secured by the
Democrats, but those most potential in
bringing about this result have gained
nothing by it. In the mass OF move
ments aimed wholly against the party in
power, assuming the form of Temper
ance in one State, anti-railroad in anoth-
er, and something else in third, the sup
portors have been drawn from the Re-
publican ranks, the old Democratic clc-
ment remaining firm in its opposition to
anything savoring Of progress. 1t has
thus been able to "ring in" between the
factions Of the opposition and carry Off
the lions share Of the spoils. But the
situation is now becoming too grave to
admit Of any more experimenting, un-
less the people absolutely prefer Demo
cratic to Republican rule. We must
bear in mind that the contest, for the
next two years at least will be straight
one between the Republicans and Dem
ocrats. The majority Of the people arc
opposed to the latter, but opposition
will be of no avail if it be divided and
scattered.


One great aim of the Independent lead
crs will be to break up the Republican
party, trusting that out Of the political
chaos which will then exist, new state
of affairs may open up something which
will rebound to their advantage. 1t is n
forlorn hope. A Republican defeat will
be Democratic success, and those who
work with any other expectation, will
find themselves rs far from the rcaliza-
ton Of their cherished plans rs ever
If men who have the real interest of the
country AT heart will work with the same
zeal in aid of reform in their own party,
that they exhibited in former years,
they will find that to combat and conquer
wrong most etioctually the Republican
party, the party Of liberty and progress,
offers the only field of action giving a
promise Of success.