Year: 1872

The Dictates Of Common Sense.


1t i occasionally urged as an objection
to any proposed coalition with the Lib
eral Republicans opposed to Grants re-
election, that such coalition would in
Slvethe te porary dissolution of the
Democratic party, and that numbers of
Northern Democrats would, in that event,
vote for Grant and with the Grant Re-
pubIicans. Our answer to this is that
the room of all such is better than their
company. The Southern States have
been 9eferring to the whims and wishes
of this class through successive defeat
and disaster ever since the war, and have |
been carrying the heaviest end of the
log. The South is ready to form any
coalition with patriotic, conservative Re-
publisans which promises success in
naticsal campaign, and, with success, the
restontion of the Southern States to an
equal shsre in the Government, check
to the Capitalization tendencies OF the
d osaiu.,rs trant faction, and the obliter
alton Of sectional issues from National
and State politics. Not SO with the
Northern Democratic partisan leader
the politician by profession, whose trade
is only Office. The difference between
this class and the Liberal Republican is
that the latter will consent to coalition
for success and from patriotic motives,
while the former, from selfish motive,
would only consent to accept the aid of
the Liberal Republicans, as mere gam
bier, willing enough to hazard a cause
where the consequences of failure affect
the interests of others than themselves.
Assuming the Liberal Republicans to be
mere deserters, malcontents, they coolly
propose to them to outlaw themselves
FRI, n their ,Sn party to become the fag
end of minority which cannot make of
itself majority without the acquisition
of numbers of independent Republicans
from the opposing lines of battle.


There can be no sadder delusion than
the dream that these prominent Reform
Republicans are likely to drift into the
Democratic ranks. Drifting there would
do the Democrats no good, while it de-
stroyed themselves, and brought with
them no Republican followers. They
could not seriously divide the Rspubli-
can party by seeding from, it, for their
potency is in being of and in the party.
Leaders of that party, they would hardly
consent to become mere followers of
another for no higher motive than per-
petuating the name of the Democratic
party in order that Republican Gins"
might be substituted by Democratic
"outs." As we have heretofore quoted
the argument of our ST. Louis contempo-
rary, the Republican, "to do so would be
Plaei-E their reputation. their records.
and al their public acts at the mercy of
power which has been their enemy, and
to strengthen the ability of that power
to annihilate them by contributing to its
. triumph. a choice between such a pro-
posal and the alternative of remaining
where they are, would be quickly made.
Besides, desertion carries little moral
force with it; and if all the great Re-
publican leaders were even willing to
take such step, they would be deferred
by the conviction that it would fail of
the success which alone could rescue
them from execration."


The Democratic partisan leaders of
the North must realize this, and if they
do appreciate it, they do not propose to
act as honestly and as fairly as the Lib
eral Republicans, if they shrink from
making at least as many personal sacri-
fees for the common cause. The Demo
Gratis of Missouri have been the first in
the northwest to lead off intbe direction,
where Tennessee and Virginia have
long pee pointed the way.
That this is the true policy, says
the Clarksyille Tobacco Leaf, is so OBJ
vious that nothing can prevent its uni
versal adoption but criminal obstinacy.
Our Clarksville Democratic contempo-
rary thus adds:


1t is true there are many in the Demo
cratic party, who hold out against a
sensible policy, from mere blind ad-
hesiou to what they have been taught,
who we're unable to change, and who
have but one rule to guide their political
action-the poor one of consistency, who
now point to the apparent divisions in
the ranks of the Republicans, as some
thing to give the Democrats courage to
enter the field. They should remember
that but for the apparent breaking up Of
the Democratic party, and the dissensions
caused by the New Departure, by the
passive policy, and their overwhelming
defeat in the State elections, these di
visions would never have occurred in the
Republican ranks. The reasons for di-
vision have existed long; the schsmat-
les have been ready-Trumbull, Sumner,
Schurz-but they had to be assured of
public support, else it would have been
madness to have attempted schism.
Even now, far as the breach has gone,
far as the leaders have advanced, upon
the hrst sign of closing up in the Demo
cratic ranks they will find themselves
without support in their own party, where
they must expect to find all their support.