The Groesbeck Letter

It is a long time sinco any jjohticnl document lias appeared which will cause not grestoi sousation but more cfircful and candid discussion than tbe letter ot' Hou. W. 8. Gkoesbeck, which will be found in this issuo of the AltOUS. The position Mr. Gkoesreck occupies in the Democratie rnnks gives anything that be inay utter claim to consideration, and the thoughtiulness and conscientiousness, combiued with bis love for genuine IXmocraey and fealty to the Democratio orgnnization, evideneed by tho letter n question, specially commends it to the Vvhole body oí' patriotic people of the country, by whatever name called or to whntever political organization attached. Mr. Gkoesueck - to use a phrase which soine may think threadbare, but which is more expressive than any other- accept i the xituativn, He recognizes the fact that the Democratie party has lost its power upon the masses ot tho people ; .that its name is 110 longer the watchword which or.ee rallied the hosts to victory ; (lering constuntly diiring the last ten yeara (we shoukl date its first great blunder back to 1854, wbtii it unnpcessarily reopened the slavery legislation in violation of its platform of 1SÓ2), and shattered by niany deïeats, it surrendered finflly at the last Presidential election." Reading the destiny of the party, not after the mauner of seers or fortuno tellers, but in the light of the historjr of other parLiesi the conclusión is forced upoh hióij that " it can not recall that surrender or the " coufessious then made, and it has no " longer strength enough for victory." The history and fate oí' the once proud Whiar partv were evidentlv in th tnind'a eje of Mr. Gküesiíeck when ho penned that sentenee, a history and fate familiar to every student of political history, and full of sad memories to many partioipants in the great contesta of '48, '32 and '56. Huving thusdiugnosed the disease of ais ínuch-loved patiënt, he proceeds to prescribe: " In thia extremity it will be ' wise to lay asido the oíd organization ' and enter into a new one." A prescrip;ion which no doubt grates harshly upon many Democratie ears. But what shall je the charaoter of this"new organizaion," its component parta, its name. Let Mr. Ghoesbeck's own words answer : The new organization sbould accept the ' results of the war, as was done at Baltimorp, and it should accept them in ' good faith, and so as tó coiumand the ' confidenee of the people. And in order ' to command the confidenee of the 'pie Ihe new organization should be ' soinething different froiu a recast of the ' oíd one. There should be no exclusive'nessubout it, nor should it bo merely Democratie. It should bo made up of present Demócrata, of former Demo(-.riits, and of all Eepublicans who aro offenüed by thu policy and tendeneies ' of tüu present udiuinistration. The new " organization should be the joint work "of Democrats and Rupublicans, and " both should bo equally at home in it, "neither the guest of the other. You " ask what should be its name. Cali it "the Liberal Döiuocracy. That will " mean the free, uuselfish goveruuient of "the people " 1 roceeding to point out what should bo the creed or better the sub-structure of the " new organization," lie suggests a frank reeognition of negro suffrage, promaturely granted, but never to bo reealled ; opposition to all forras of mo nopolies, which he brands " an outrage "and an offense against the people;" antagonism to ccntralization, and the perpetuation of local or home governmont, without which " the freeman disappears ;" the reeognition of freo trade as a cardinal doctrine, with no prohibitory (or protective) tariff, "no discriminations, no fa" voritism, no partiality, personal or " financial ;" and lastly, " the strict con" struction of the Constitution," in which will be found "a certain preventive of " niisgoveimnent." Merged in a new or amzutiou and grounded on these principies Mr. Groesbeck tees hope for the country which he can not evolve from a continúanos of present party lines and ñames. Hu ia ready to go with the Demooiacy in the Way pointed out : anxious to move with it " out of ita old " organization into a new one,"' but will tarry with it through years more of dofei certaiu and inevitable if it declines to move forward. And this, though he does not say it, because he has no sympathy with the men or measuros of the Itepublican party. Are tho Demócrata ready as a body to move forward with Mr. Groesbeck, or will the love of a name and an zation ïiow powerless tor good keep thera looking baokward and mourning over lost opportunities 'i " A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,"and 6o Democratie principies - irue Democratie principies - will remain forever the saine whíitever the organizatiou which inscribes thein on its banner. Tho time for action is near at hand. Let our Democratie friends give the subject earnest thought. Some days since the N. Y. World had an artielo upon "Cuffee as a Voter," which drew anything bnt a fiattering picture of the g-ood that has been accomplished by conferring the electivo franchise upon the freedmen of the country beforo being educated to an appreciative understanding of the privileges nd sponsibilitíes of an elector: unless tho pri vüege may be summoEeti up in nsing the ballot to maio money a3 does the average Itadical congressman the office given by his constituent for other purposes. Tho World article was certainly not of tho mildest or most savory type, but that it cut to the raw is proved by tbe bowls wbich Radical journalists are patting up oyer it. The eecond annual reunión of tfyi Ninth Michigan Infantry is to be held in Detroit on Thursday next, August 7th. Au oration wil! be delivered by Adj't. ffisNET M. Düfeielb, of Detroit; and the regimental history reud by Maj. Wir. Jeny, of Mt. Clemens. An oarnest invitation is extended to surviving member eftlie regiment to be present, and the committee of arrangements promise that everything in their power shall be done for the comfort and pleasure of all in attcmdance.