Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1840-10-08
THE CONTEST.
ternOon,


The present struggle is between the
money power of this country and Great
Britain on the one hand, and the democ-
racy of America on the other. If the
federalists succeed, they will charter a
national bank, and will create national
debt of some SSOO,OOO,OOO, by cOnsoli-
dating and be coming responsible for the
State debts. They are known to be favora-
BILE to these projects, and therefore, in
this struggle we have to contend with all
the bank influence and bank aristocracy.
in this country, and the gold of the Brit
ish fundboIders besides. If the British
fundholders, by the expenditure of five
or ten millions of dollars, can elect
Presidentand Congress friendly TO their
views it will be fifteen or twenty millions
of dollars in their pockets; and therefore
they will send gold to this country TO
aid Harrison and the federalisis--and
that they have done so and are doing SO,
we have no doubt--for where else do the
federalists get the immense amounts Of
money they are spending here and else
wherol This is disgrace(ul and mel
ancholy circumstance in the history of
our country. And has it already come to
this? that the sons Of the patriotic sires
who resisted to blood both the gold and
bullets of England in the revolution, and
those who nobly resisted her encroach-
ments in the last war, shall now tameIy
submit TO the requirements Of British
fundholdrs, and barter their liberty for
British gold! The patriotism that fred
the blood Of the revolution has indeed
been extingmshed if such shall prove to
be the case.
The course Of the present contest has
elected another new and startling feature
in our history. Hitherto, all parties have
agreed in admitting that as the officers
of our government are but the servants
ofthe people, all candidates are bound to
make full and explicit avowals of their
sentiments on public measures of impor-
tance, that the people may determine
which candidates will administer the gov
eminent most nearly in accordance with
their views. This is eminently demo-
ocratc doctrine, and all candidates for
high stations have admitted this right,
and yielded obedience 10 it. But now,
for the first time in the history Of this
free country, has candidate been brought
forward for the highest office on earth,
who deliberately refuses to avow his opin-
ions--who insultingly tells the people OF
the United States, whose votes he is So
Letting, that he 'ciU not let them know
the principles which will govern him, if
elected, nor the principles or measures
which he will deem Unnecessary or expe-
dent" 10 recommend TO Congress, npur-
suance of constitutional requirement
Is not this antirepublican and monarchical?
Is it not treating the American people
precisely as the kings and despots of Eu.
rope treat their suVects--telling them,
in effect, that they have no business ia
NEEDLE with the government, and must
leave that to their rulers2 And will this
be submitted to by an Intelligent and
free peoplet We confidently believe that
it will not. Three quarters Of a century
have not yet passed over our heads since
our revolutionary fathers declared that al
power resides in, and is derived from the
people, and that they are the masters
not the servants OF our rulers, and we
have an Obidng confidence in the intel
ligerce Of the people, that they will mo-
now swerve from this principle, nor per
nit it to be dislegarded by their officers