Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-01-20

Democracy, as sleAned khHsAe
haW k&ye.
The aawlsge A. Thnrsd Ay, is 5kIcAed with
Saissensiion Oh he subject 81 denesssey, por-
lions of which, fot ealptofsaditY sival tie best
aps2sf the qbserying nd p5Iosor bic De
ToreuEviLLE. The writer is undoubtedly deep |
~ read in the science Of politics and govern
ment, and the public cannet be otherwise than
highly gratifed at the prospect Of being permit
ted to avail themselves Of the reflections of one
SO capable Of instructing them upon subject to
which too little study is acknowledged to have
been devoted. Only bear how slaQpeatlx sths
evils Of strict democratic government, wherein
sfHx wiIL.of rHE PEcr1E Would RULE" are
depicted: .Ns }h9
"a strict democratic gosernment-one in the
time. sense and lmeauing OF the tersn--we hope
meyer TO zee. pIswould be netbiug more than
,Mo5ocracy, resembling some Of the early states
OF Greece, and that Of Rome, when anarchy, dis
cord and confusion reigned supreme. Such .
government (if itoatf be called one) can have no
Constitution, or fixed laws, ron THE wilt OF
THE. PEOPLE, wouIns RULE. aud that wall = crss
changing. No, heaven, forbid that this happy
country should becbme a Democracy. Then
farewell peace and concord, and, come discorti
and wa..l The u. s. government is Republicans,
and Representatives, and no; Democratic" glaae
The oh jest of the writer, in putting forth these
sentiments, is to prove that our Institutions not
being democratic in the extreme sense Of the
word, the party known by that name is without
lust claim to the title. elf such be the nature
and character of our Institutions, what right have
our opponents to the name of democrats" the
article goes on to say This is highly disin-
srenuous The sense in which the word democ-
racy is understood in this country is or ought to
be within the knowledge ofths Hamkeye; and the
attempt to invest it with & meaning utterly OBJ
solete here, ard in modern times only known to
revolutionary France, may well be regarded as
unfair and uniustifablc, to say the least. The
historical reading Of the writer win tel him
when and how the democratic party took It's
/ name. 1t will tell him that at the adoption OF
the federal constitution, large, talented and in
fuental body of men, headed by Alexander
Hamilton, Governor Morris, &C., entertaining,
as he himself does even at the present day, il
we are to Judge from his writings, great distrus'
and want OF confidence in the virtue and intel
hgence Of the people, and their capacity fer self
government, adyoc ated the formation OF strong
government, to be far removed from the reach o
public opinion, A constitution providing io
the election Of President and Senate foa lie, apc
modelled in many respects after that & q ca
Britain, was sought to be adopted, ard disro
sition was manifested to annihilate State sove
reiguty and make the States mere creatures 0
the general government. For "a while those VIII
favored these doctrines were known as moran
chiss; but as they subsequently, assumed a dis
tinct party organization they took the name Q
federalists. Those who had coafideace in lib
!. capacity Of the people, and believed that sthei
Of the federalists topepetua.e znonsrshlcs
: form Of government. and being il the majority
defeated them Maintaining all power to be in
hereat in the people, they ccntended for the prr
ciple Of frequent elections, and opposed the in
position Of all unnecessary restrictions npo
:. popular suffrage; and they resisted, successful
: too, the delegation Of more powers 10 the gener;
government by the States than were deemed
! be absolutely necessary to the general sseliar'
sprang up the democratic party Of the thH az
! States. With the lapse Of time and charge
" circumstances sight has doubtless been lost 10
great extent of the orgina! grounds OF digerenc
between the parties; yet there nevertheless sti
: exists wide dividing gulf, resulting Fem Ii
s.mo and s;m;lar ca,rA. 70 tho., which 6rst .a
separate organization, which must conf .ue ,
;. prevent che two parties from meeting upon ecu
J, mon ground. The Hawkeye, however, bcca,s
the democracy of the United States do no:yaave
cate mobocracy, Jacobinism, and the abolids
Of all constitutional restrictions, IN nks tho az
, Precipitation of the word democrat as q term
: party designation most unwsuantahls piece
assumption Be this ~ il may, il will, hardly
we opine, be given up 10 gratify one who does No
affect to conceal the horror withnwhich be
filled at the thought Of the, people govcrning.-
'srhe people are turbulent,s said Hamilton, can
! cannot be relied on with safety.s' .ssThe willt
the people would rile,s says the lIawkeye, car
!. that is ever changing" Here9wc find the SCI,
. timsnt Of leading federali.t uttered more ,ha
fifty years ago re-echced in our own Territor,
and il is the less excasable now, inasmueh as eS
Epcnencs has here at home demonstrated It's falls
cy The viii Of the people does rule IN hi
> country, and we hope the day is fur distant whc
:, il will cease TO rule. ae9H @e'N"
! IS sha Dubuque Rank.
n Mr.. RoeERs' bill for winding up the affairs
Il this institution has passed the House, We lear,
: by a strict party rosf. This is what we hope
Z to see, and what the public had RICH: to exps'
): from democratic House Of Representative
i Mr.. REED, Of Lee county, We, police, in looSir
a over the proceedings Of the wing convention. az
= caseu the democrats Of having chartered all Il