Year: 1872

Tne new Departure IN Poiftics-Tne


Duty and tho Prospocss Of tho Liberal
s:.=ss 81 esv. ~ --.7-7s7


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On Tuesday next the people of the United
States will decide by their votes the question
of the Presidential succession and the controi
of the federal administration for the next
four years. Many of the spectators who have
been looking ON while the battle OF the poll
ticians has been raging have already made
up their minds that the result will be favor
able to the regular republican candidate,
while Others still cling to the belief that by
some lucky chance, the fortune OF the held
may turn to the side of the liberals. Inc
latter base their hopes mainly on the argu-
ment that in the skirmishes that have pre-
cedcd the general engagement the enemy has
been enabled to concentrate his superior
resources on single spot; that he has brought
up reserves that ought not to have taken part
in those particular actions; that when his
whole line is under fire he will find
his apparent strength fictitious; that his
ranks will be broken here, his flank
turned there, until finally his camp will
be captured. Confidence is, however,
great aid to victory. and an advancing
army always fights better than one on a
retreat; hence we may fairly conclude that
the republicans have good prospect of sue
cess before them, and that in all human prob
ability, when the sun goes down on the even
ing of Tuesday next it will leave the admin
istration forces in possession Of the field.
The triumph may not be SO overwhelming as
the republican leaders and camp followers
predict or assume to anticipate 1t may be
that the winning side may find itself actually
without the support of a majority Of the
voters of the whole country, and thus in
minority with the people; that some of the
most important States in the Union may array
themselves against it but if it manages to
win the day its reward will be the same, and
of this result, as we have said, there now ap-
pears to be but little doubt.


In view of the promising prospect before
them, the republican organs and politicians
have already commenced to reckon on the
utter decentralization and annihilation of the
opposition, and have grown eloquent in
denunciation Of the iniquities Of the
coalition made at Baltimore between the
democrats and Cincinnati liberals With
sudden and singular regard for the honor and
consistency of the democracy, upon whose
dishonor and inconsistency they have been in
sisting for the past twelve years, these we'll
satisfied republicans declare that had fair
copperhead nomination been made at Balti-
more, and had the old issues dead and buried
with the rebellion been revived in the present
campaign in accordance with the wishes of the
unreconstructed Bourbons of the party, there
would still have existed respectable opposi-
ton that might have looked to a promising
future; but that having become contaminated
by contact with Greeley, Sumner. Trumbull.
Banks and other liberal leaders, the DEMOCRATS
have lost all standing and there will no longer
be an opposition party in Congress. Looking
at the matter from an independent and not
from political point Of view, we are inclined
to regard the Cincinnati and Baltimore CO.
alition as fortunate event for the country,
and as likely, if properly used to result in the
foundation of useful and honorable
opposition element, whatever may be
the result of the Presidential contest.
The old, confirmed and stubborn democratic
organization, clinging to its dead idols, had in
truth lost all value and influence as an opposi-
ton party. In its narrow-mindedness it per-
sisted in drawing the lines sharply between
republicanism and democracy, although, in
fact, no great principles any longer divided
political parties Any proposition originating
with republican administration encountered
democratic hostility; the motives of the ma
jority were misrepresented, and in Congress
an unfair partisan obstruction not unfrequently
defeated really desirable measures, merely
because they were republican. Political
capital was to be made that was the first con-
sideration, and it was frequently accomplished
at the expense of the country. To be sure, in
the ferceness of party strife great many
abuses were necessarily dragged to light, and
occasionally the policy Of the government was
subjected to healthful criticism But few
democrats could be found who would refrain
from assailing or obstructing any measure
emanating from republican administration,
regardless of its merits. The film Of preju.
dice was drawn over the eyes of the old Bour-
essentially Bourbon, Notwithstanding the
efforts occasionally made in certain localities
to force new departure on the party.


The Baltimore Convention wiped out these
follies and errors Of the past and set the demo-
cratic organization on the path of progression


A few obstinate and some ambitious members
refused to be reconstructed, after the fashion
Of handful Of the Southern rebels who de-
clined to recognize their defeat by General
Grant and the Union army; but the great
mass Of the party shook off the carcass Of cop
perheadisn, and by association and amalga-