Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1874 — “Keep the Old Name.” [ARTICLE]

“Keep the Old Name.”

The Democratic State Assemblymen at Springfield are try ing to reconstruct the old Bourbon party and make it presentable. They have held numerous caucuses, forgetting how a year and a half ago they denounced the caucus as “an unclean thing.” On Wednesday night last they reached the preamble and resolution point, hut there stuck. The platform hailed “with pleasure the signs of a new departure.” But it turned out in the discussion that “hailing with pleasure,” etc., was begging the question. The caucus promptly divided on this very question, and there arose a bitter contest on resolution number one, which is as follows: That wc do and will support such measures and men who. in our judgments, uninfluenced by party predilections, will most surely accomplish the great cardinal objects of all co-operations—the greatest good of the governed. The idea of a Bourbon Democrat voting for anybody but a Democrat at all, and of voting according to “judgment, uninfluenced by party predilections,” appeared supremely ridiculous to the caucus. The contest over “a name” became so fierce that Governor Hendricks was sent for in hot haste. He came, and scored one for the old name, the ancient of days; the same name under which Calhoun fought for States’ Rights and nullification; the same name under yghicli Jeff. Davis fought for the Confederacy; the same name und« which Wilkes Booth assassinated President Lincoln—democracy. Our report says the Governor’s lengthy speech to the unterrified Bourbons groping blindly for a name was: “Keep the old name; fight against national railway legislation; advocate State railway legislation; bid the higher for the Granger.” This cunning advice of the wily Indiana politician emboldened Mr. Miles Kehoe, of Chicago,to declare that the little squad of heroes there assembled “had no power to create a new party; that parties are created by the people.” Mr. Kefeofis—fljrtKay"'" moved by the . queer sensation of having announced a startling, newly-discovered principle, proceeded to declare in substance what Mr. Roosevelt, of New York, once said in Congress, namely, that the Republican party had monopolized ail the political issues of the day, leaving neither room for the Democratic party nor for any new organization. Mr. Kehoe hit the nail so exactly on the head that the caucus abruptly adjourned to meet at that exceedingly indefinite thing, or period of time, commonly denoted “the call of the Chair.” “Keep the old name,” mildly suggests the Governor of Indiana; “Keep the old name,’-’ echoes the Governor of Ohio; “Keep the old name,” says the New York World; “Keep the old name,” repeats Mr. Miles Kehoe —and wait; and we may add, the longer Depiocrats "wait" the better it will be for the country.— Inter-Ocean.