Year: 1873

There are doubtless some of our read
ers who are not in the habit Of following
the course of politics with very close at
tention, especially at seasons like the
present, when nc question of absorbing
| interest is before the country. To such
persons the discussions now going on in
some of the papers must appear almost
| inexplicable. In the midst of summer,
and soon after Presidential election,
some foolish persons seem to fancy that
it is possible to get the public mind ex-
cited over the question, "Who shall be
elected President in 1852" 1t is neces-
sary for their purpose to compare the
plainest and most unassuming man in
the country with Caesar. The intense
and hopeless ignorance which has been
shown in the tfes inert of this absurd
theme is worthy of the intellectual de-
partment" of journal which derives o
considerable share of its p,ofits from
the trade of publishing obscene adver-
tsements. We have been told in the
organ Of the slums that the President
can, if Re please, make bimseic all-pow-
erful, and completely suppress the CO.
ordinate branches o; the Government.
This may be the view of the European"
element of the "intellechual depart
ment :" but il is not quite borne out by
facts. Andrew johnson did cot seem to
be capable of exercising any claiming
authority when once he had placed Con-
gress in an attitude of permanent oppo-
sition to him. The truth is, that many
persons then understood for the first
time how powerless the Executive would
be when it was placed in permanent c'n-
hict with the Legislative. The President
could neither remove nor appoint an
officer; he could not suggess or alter q
given line of policy; he could not resist
| the passage Of er act, for j. was >stant-
ly passed over his veto. The Legisla-
tive branch of the Government might
| possibly become Omnipotent, for there
is no check upon it except such as the
balance of parties and the tardy action
of the Supreme Co"rt may impose. But
| that branch of the Government which is
intrinsically the weakest is undoubtedly
the Executive.


ALI this, of course, cannot be known
to such writer's as are employed by the
Herald-persons who are apparently as
destitute OF information on all cOnceiv-
able subjects rs they are Of the rndi-
ments of The English language. A con-
temporary .nsinuates that they are
caught by tue .asso at Castle Garden,
and IL a somewhat exaggerated form the
statement doubtless conveys the truth.
The writer's, when caught, are na ,urally
more at home in dealing with African
than with American poll. cs, for mis-
takes ON the enc subject are not 80 easily
detected as on the other. There must
be something to talk ahout-and since
the Herald cannot very well talk about
obscene advertisements, with which its
columns are stuffed, it tries with con-
summate stupidity to set up an excite
nent in 1873 about The Presidential
election of 1876. Ut does not in the
least see that people have had enough
/ of Presidential elections for at least a
year or two to come. 1t argues that the
President ought really to express his
opinion on the subject. If Gen. Grant
we're to be bound to reply to the Herald
every time it wished to advertise itself,
the office of President would be scarcely
honorable enough 70 offer to ore of the
intellectual department" (haf Europe
AM of that Indecent journal.


The trnth is, however, that this idle
nonsense indicates something of more
importance than the fatuity O; a news
paper. 1t il one of the numerous proofs,
to be seen on all sides, of the wretched
state of destitution into which the Dem
ocratic party has sunk. The journal
referred 10 IS its old ally-it tried to
help it at the beginning OF The war it
endeavored to shield it all through the
Tammany fight. IT is now merely the
mouth piece OF one OF the Tammany
leaders. As such j. is trying to see
whether "a cry" capuot be raised in
time for the fall elections. The Demo-
cratic party has absolutely rothing to
offer tI'e people of it7 own. 1t can con-
tribute no ideas to the politics of the
day except the Old one-aboiish the
"black element. Even free trade it
dare not touch. 1t is, therefore, obliged
to content itself with asking what might
happen if series of events took place
which are as improbable as the sudden
arrival of the millennium. The shrcwd-
est politicians IN the country cannot
form the least idea now who will oe
elected President in 1876. No combina-
tions that could be formed now would
be of the slightest weight or service
then. The unforeseen always happens
in politics-and the Presidential election
of 1876 will probably turn upon some
issue of which no man living has now
the slightest suspicion or conception.
Put in motion what machinery we will
at this moment, it cannot possibly have
the least effect in 1876. Il is subject
not worth talking about, and we refer to
it now for the first and last time-and
now only for the purpose of showing
how absolutely beggared the Democratic
party must be for ideas when it is Obliged
to set its skirmishers to work 70 raise an
agitation over an event which is three
years and half distant, and which nc
human being can pretend to foresee Ol
control. We might rs well waste oul
time in considering whether we shall,
any OF us, have q headache four years
hence, or what sort of weather Il will


be, or what We shall be eating for din
ner.


The abject condition Of the Demo.
cratic party is not subject for unmixed
congratulation. On many accounts it il
desirable that it should have much
greater weighs in the country than il
now possesses or seems likely to acquire


The more nearly the balance of parties
is maintained, the better is it for q coun
try which lives under constitutions
4 form of government. Even well-inten


toned leaders need the constant opera
ton Of that check which can alone bs
offered by powerful opposition. . 9th
erwise they may become careless, and a
times forget the paramount dnty which
TREY owe to the country. The epposi