Year: 1871

Inc Phlladelphla Age had temperate an(


well considered article on "The Attitude O


the Democracy" in recent issue. 1t frs


referred to the position taken by leading Re


publican politicians Immediately after the New
Hampshire election, when the San Domingo
job and other pet schemes of the administra


tion were summarily abandoned and return
made to the old cries about the disloyalty and
the revolutionary character of the Democratic
party. The Age thinks this Radical "New
Departure" has been very properly met by the
Democracy in all parts of the United States
by what the Radicals are pleased to style q
new departure of the Democratic party. This
title the Age rejects as inappropriate. and de.
clares that the action taken in recent Demo.
cratic State Conventions in reference to the
Constitutional amendments is no new thing
In the language employed by our cotemporary,
sit consists of a formal and authoritative de.
NAL that there is any purpose to resist the
promulgated amendments by revolutionary vi
olence"


The Age continues to comment thus:


That this attitude of the Democracy is
natural, sincere and just no honest man de-
MES Very few deny that an authoritative ex-
preston OF it is now pertinent and appropri-
ate"


The fact is noted that there is a difference
of opinion as to the manner in which the pur-
pose of the Democratic party should be ex-
pressed, but mere verbal variances are re-
gardcd as unimportant IL is necessary to in
terpolate something that is not contained in
any of the resolutions passed by Democratic
Conventions recently held, in order that any
ground for exception may not be found. This
the Age very properly rebukes a Democratic
newspaper published in the same State for do
ing, and il concludes the article to which we
refer as follows:


Fair and manly discussion of the subject is
eminenily c-misreprcsentatiou of
the matter is certainly not Democratic Nor
is verbal qubbIing about the mere form now
worth consideration. Among the infinite va
riety OF possible forms, the Convention that
passes resolutions, must decide. When they
are found 10 utter what is, in substance, the
accepted policy of the Democratic party in
every part of the Union, the interesting ques-
ton oi phraseology may be left to the debating
societies, or Ia the social circle We have met
many good Democrats who have their own
preference as to formulas We hope never TO
see the day when there shall not BE- the largest
freedom In the Democratic party on such
questions. Time will soon develop the little
there is in the matter Those who are using


il rs 4 cloak. under which 10 help the Radical
ticket, will soon be seen in their true eolors
by the intelligent Democracy of Pennsylvania.
The men who are so reluctant 10 acquiescc in
the state of things which everybody knows
does exist. and for which violent and revolu.
tionary means are no remedy. have neither
logic nor good faith when they propose TO join
the Radical party that brought about that
state of things, and gories in it. Such would
be leaders, in resisting the formal and regular,
and almost universal action of the Democratic
party, will find no followers to go over with
them to the camp of the enemy. The Demo
cratic press of Pennsylvania is nearly a unit
on the subject, in all its practical aspects, and
so will the Democratic party be to its action.
For the attitude of the Democracy is now, and
always has been, that of obedience to the laws.
till altered by the instrumentalities of the Con-
stitUton They say so now, as they said in
their platforms in times past, when the "higher
law" and unconstitutional resistance were ar
rayed by the Radical party against that article
of the Federal Constitution which said: Fugi-
tives from labor shall be delivered up on claim
of the party to whom such labor shall be due.
This had nothing in it to enlist the sympathy
of Northern men of either party; but the De-
mocracy respected it as the existing law,
while Radicals resisted it with mob violence
and unconstitutional State enactments. The
Democratic attitude is the same now as it has
always been, and as it may always properly
and truthfully declare: An attitude of obedi-
ence to the law, while it is the law, with the
right to make every change that popular in
telligence shall demand through the instru-
mentalities provided by the Constitution.