Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1838-01-03
THE GAZETTE:
THE OLD DEMocRAcY.-An e,

stood prominent among the Democrats
in former times, asks: Where are
the men Of the Democracy Z" lfsearch
be made among those who now claim
to be considered as the only democrats
in the country it will bring to light but
a meagre array. In New York but
three of those who formed tho electo.
raj college of that State, and voted for
Mr.. Jefferson, in 1901, are now living,
and they are all Whigs-all receiving
the yillification that is dealt out to
them by a party that calls itself by the
title by which they were once designa-
ted. Tie last of these men is not an
isolated one. Many of the most pro-
mineni Democrats of former days, DC
cupy, at present, the same situation in
respect to the present party that sails
under the same cognomen. Why is 1t!
The mere name Of a party is nothing
the principles which govern it, every
thing. The party that lays claim to
the name of Democracy, at the present
time, it seems to US, steers wide OF the
principles that were put forth as the
creed of the Democratic party twenty
five years since. Look at them! The
principles OF that party, then taught its
members to watch, with a jealous eye.
every c~ncroachment upon the constitu-
ton and laws-to be yigilant lest the
powers Of the Executive should in
crease to an extent that might endanger
the rights and liberties of the people.
The principles taught, believed. and
practised by "the party" of the present
time, are, that the powers Of the Exec.
utive may safely be enlarged-that he
will exert them for the good OF the a
ton, and that he ought to have the en-.
tire command of the sword and the
purse of the government. To cover
the true character and tendency Of.
these principles, a vast deal Of mystifi-
cation, circumlocution, and declama.
ton are put forth to ensnar the IN
thinking, and deceive the uniformed.
The rights the will and the voice.
of the people, are talked about, IN a
manner we'll calculated to turn public
attention from the reality that lies be.
hind the curtain-the enlargement of
Executive power. Were not this the
object, why has the popular will been
appealed to to sanction every step that
has been taken by the Executive in his
strides owe the constitution and laws,
within the last few years? Not a sin.
gle move has been made, hat the peo-
pie did not sanction, if the declarations
Of the ~oracles may be relied on. But
this would not have been obtained had
the real iutent for which it was asked
been spread before the public eye. The
moneys Of the government were not
drawn from their legal depository, be-
cause they were unsafe, or because
that depository interfered. IS was allie
ged, in the politics Of the country but
it stood in the way of Executive ambi.
tlon-it was discarded on account of
noncompliance with the wishes of the
party in power. The public money
could not be used to strengthen the
Executive, and violence to the laws
was done in wrestling it from its appoin.
ted place OF keeping in orderthat that
officer might for.ify his position by its
use. And every step, that has been
taken, by that party, in relation to the
pulic money, from the time of its reno
val till now, has had a tendecy to place
1t more directly under the control and
direction of the President, until he has
secured it and made it subject to his
will. The instance ofthe public monies
is not the only one in which the powers
ofthe Executive have been enlarged by
the self.styled democratic Party
since the government has been under
Its control. There is some mistake
somewhere else why should such d.
ametrlcally opposite results be produced
by the lapse of a quarter of a century?