P POLlTIC A L.

From ihe Democratic Rcric,r for November. 1913

 TIE ISSUE AT STAKE.
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sent position of our national politics, to which, in its contrast with the state of thing: existing at the time of the last great contes of parties, we are duly grateful. whateve may be the result yet yelled within the Do som of the future. We refer to the distinct ness of the general issue on which we ar about to go to trial---to go before ''the coun ty,n in the good old phrase of the institu ton of the Jury. We have at least that ligf of open day for which the Grecian her prayed We have fair field, and we. ask Il favor. All that we have to do, and do it " will, is our duty there: nor fear to trust tn event to that higher and better wisdom tha human iorethought, of whose purposes all ( us, with our infinite variety of purposes all points of departure, arc but the mconsciou instruments. s.Fais ce que dois, ddrteaft qne pouffatn Is the noble motto of noble house, which be 1t ours also to adopt and obey; and whether we return with our shields or upon them, from the great battle of the day whose dawn now illumines the plain, Tel us at feast secure the consolation of the French King at Pavia, and preserve our ho- nor, even if nothing else.

 Away wi.h all simulations or dissimula- tions iii this matter, With full due respect for the prudential counseis of those friends who have deemed the tone of our last article, ca .sthe Baltimore Conventions" unwisely discouragiug to our friends and cheering to our foes, we shall still speak out to both, with small care for small consequences, the truth-or at least what we honestly believe to be such If we think that we-that is, our Party and our Principles-are in posi- ton of very momentous peril, We shall still beg, or rather take leave, to say so; !; and to say so in such frank fashion of phrase as shall seem most direct and effective for the object we have in view, namely, to dispcl the danger by disclosing it,-in the Irish baro- nets style, to get out of its way by meeting it straight in the face.

 There Is indeed no doubt that the Demo- cratic Cause is in this position. All the fur ther developments of evidence since those on which we before urged the point combine to confirm it. Creat eiforis-perhaps great sacrifces-are necessary for its safety; and as 1t is for so great an object, surely, there can none be found among us so unworthy of all their professions of principle, as to be un- willing to make them-evea though some of those necessary sacrifices should prove to be of great men,--of them perchance, and per- chance by them The Wings are in admira- ble condition for the coming engagement ill strong force, strongly organized d-eager in hope, bold in confidence, jealous in enthusi- asm-abounding in all the ways and means of preparation, and harmonzed to the most efficient degree of combined and concentra- ted unity of action. This time four years ago we despised them as an enemy; it is now not to be dissembed that they are very seriously to be dreaded To be dreaded, in- deed--ao one will suppose us 10 mean with any of that unmanly fear which shrinks from the shock of conflict, or Is either paralyzed into inactivity, or agitated into confusion but with that intelligent and courageous ap- preciation of the whole impartial truth, which not underrates danger, but examines it coolly and closely, to derive from it only redoubled incentive to that energy ill exerion, and that wise skill in preparation, indispensable to triumph over it.

 For ourselves, on the other hand. Ii is not to be denied that we are this fall in moral condition, as party, entirely unfit for the formidable encounter now so nigh at hand. We are, comparatively, as the crew of the Chesapeake when she went into her ill., starred action with the Shannoll-let us not disregard ths warning of the example The fatal influence of the dissensions now dis tracting us--dissensions about men and not about measures, about persons and not about prnciples-is written in characters unequivo- cal enough on the records of too many of the elections of the season. If these are not Jo. tl, l

 we may as well spare ourselves from the outset that fruitless struggle which will not have even hope to cheer 1t, and resign our selves al once to that inevitable cup, of the modification and grief of defeat, in whose bitter draught the worst ingredient will be the thought that if IS by our own hands alone that il was drugged.

 But our pen has led us somewhat aside from the line of thought we had designed to pursue in this article. What 1t has written shall however stand, though we have to re- Call itfrom its wandering, to return to the polnt from which 1t started--which was the expression of sincere satisfaction at the broad and open distinctness of the general issue about to be joined between the two great par ties oi the country. The false issues. the sectional duplicltles of profession, the tempo rary excltements and delusions. which gave at once Its character and direction to the cleo ton of lS4O, no longer mantle the country as In one vast cloud of mystifcation and midnigh. blindness. The Proteus who then could alternate with such bewildering variety through his countless resources of metamor- phosls, stands up now confessed before our eyes Tn his own natural nakedness of form. --and when once reduced at last to that point, if we are but true to yourselves, like the diyinely taught shepherd boy of Tempe, we can have no difficulty in subduing him to our will. The cry of ssCHASeE," which did tae best, or rather the worst, part of the work o1 lcao, can no more be raised-that magic horn has lost it's power to set all who hear 2 H awhiri ia enchanted dance. If the people were tired of hearing Aristides always called "tne Just" that passing impatience has fully exhausted itself, and they are ready enough

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