Year: 1873

columns of a northern journal, and for
! swear for the future any expression OF
opinion that could have the remotest re


lation to swords, pistols or blunderbusses.
or that might betray it into any illusions
to martyrs, sepulchres or tombstones.


IFrom the Columbus JournaLl


One of the strangest phenomena of the
times is the attempt being made to re-
vive the Democratic party. The effort
comes at juncture when it appears to
be alike unlocked for and causeless.
Last year, when the party surrendered to
the Liberals its principles, its nomina-


tions, and substantially even its name
and organization, that was generally un-
derstood and interpreted as its final exit.
General Joe Geiger proclaimed himself
its only surviving relict in Ohio, and ex-
cepting Blanton Duncan's little squad of
mourners, there remained nobody any


where to lament its timely and we'll
judged departure. Why then does its
unquiet shade return to disturb US :?


Withered, decrepit, deformed, and obso-
lete, why does this political Caliban come
back from seltchosen oblivion to thrust
its hateful presence among the young,
living and athletic forces of the period


Party-wise there is nothing we Repub-
licans might more earnestly hope for, or
more cordially hail than just such res
direction of our old antagonist. There
is nothing that can create a stronger i'm


pulsion of voters to our side, nothing that
can present in one view SO telling an cpl
tome of all the reasons why Republican
supremacy should be continued, as just
such an apparition. Nothing can add to
the impressiveness of the illustration, no
explanation to the force of the argument.
The most that can be said is, There is
the old wicked thing which has come
back to rule US; look at it" And look
the people will, not because they delight
in the spectacle, or rejoice in its repeti-
ton, but to remind themselves of the
danger of the hour, and the duty it i'm
poses The revival of the Democratic
party will therefore lessen and simplify
the labors of the coming canvass. 1t will
arouse more interest than discussion,
however able, and bring more voters to
the polls than party machinery however
vigorous or ingenious. In this dull year
in politics, the offyear, as it is called, we
need just such stimulus to stir up lazy,
Republicans, just such an incentive to
spur their tagging energies. We have
nothing to fear therefore, but everything
to hope from a Democratic revival.


But there are considerations higher
than party, and rising to their level, what
good reason can be given for the reani-
nation of the defunct Democratic organ
ization? What explanation can be given
of its re-appearance? We are told that
it is the spirit of reform which revivities
it's dust, and reinfeshes its rattling
bones; that it is the necessity for purifi-
cation which impels it to violate its
ghostly cerements Reform, indeed!
Publication forsooth When did the
Democratic party ever reform or purify
anything? Where are its credentials as
reforming force? Let New York City
answer. There was a notable illustra-
tion of what the party can do in the way
Of honest government. Taxes unprece-
dented, and stealings huge as Olympus.
Nor is this an isolated case. In Ken
lucky, where Democratic supremacy has
been equally decided misrule has been
conspicuous. Missouri, since she lapsed
into Conservative keeping has increased
her public debt. But it is not necessary
to multiply instances when they can be
so readily cited, nor does the reader need
to be reminded that in it's spirit and es-
sence the Democratic party is as deficient
in the reforming element as it has been
of it's application in practice. In all its
later life it has been essentially conser
vative, and instead Of leading or promot-
ing reform has been in every INSTANCE its
obstruction. 1t has stood in the way of
progress, denounced every innovation no
matter how necessary, and clamored for
reaction no matter how i'll timed or un-
propitious When it could no longer re-
sist and was powerless to direct the cur
rent of liberal ideas, it drifted with them
in its clumsy way, and admired itself for
having impelled the tide that carried it.
1t fought for the extension of human


IL
lived, and when it was dead, and even
after its corpse had become offensive
from decay, the party clung to it as
though it were the'one thing needful for
human happiness. AS long as it could it
fed upon preiudices of race, caste and re-
ligion, and even now hints at a new ne
gro crusade.


The party which purifies must be itself
pure. but the Democratic party was cor
rupt before the Republican was born.
When it was dismissed from power near
ly fifteen years ago, it turned over to its
successor plundered treasury, civil war
and wasted credit. Its maladministra-
ton forfeited it the confidence of the
people, and what has it done since to re-
gain it? When has the party condemn
ed the unfaithful servants who wrecked
its own fortunes and well-nigh ruined the
country? When has it purged itself of
the sin of slavery, of insurrection, of re-
pudiation? We hear every day from the
Democratic press about the wickedness
of Republican salary grabbers. Why has
it never denounced the wickedness of
Democratic traitors? We propose to
purge our own party of rascals, when has
the Democratic party proposed to purge
itself of the conspirators who lit the
flames of civil war? Has it ever rebuked
them, even2 We acknowledge the sin,
and denounce it, of some whom we have
honored and trusted. Why has not the
Democratic party done the same? If it
is the reform party it proposes to be, let
it first reform itself Reform, like char
ity, begins at home.