Hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1843-1845, 1844-03-28
Progressive Democracy.

In the DAYS of our Republican fathers
consistency of principle was the basis Oh
party but now, men have grown WISER
and he who holds to such an opinion does
not keep up with the political improvements
of his age. He is unfashionaoie' ana no
matter with what devotion he clngs to the
political faith of his democratic ancestry, he
ia in the vocabulary of the bastard democra-
cy of the day, federalist still.
Democracy does not, it seems. mean now,
what it did twenty five years ngo,--its
principles were fixed and stationary them
they are now ever changing and progressive.
Then National Bank, a Protective Tariff
and Internal improvements by the General
Government, were among its cardinal doc
trines /; now they are secuted by the par
ty calling itself democratic, as a superannu-
uted faith. If then, consistency be the test
Of democracy, it is certain that the democ-
racy Of our day, is not the same in prlncl-
pie, with the democracy of 1913 and 1Sl6.-.
There is no analogy between them /; the
one is the legitimate offspring Of noble
parentage, the other, the spurious issue of
an unnatural and illicit connexion. aa#
.Wo know there are many, very many, OF
the loco focos, who honestly believe theirs
is the only true democracy-to them we
now appeal. From the history of the past
by the public record, could we convince
them Of their error; we prefer, however, to
present them the confession of one of their
number. They can learn from it the truth,
and we trust it will open their eyes to the
hypocrisy and deception practised upon
them, by the political prctenders, who live
by mouthing democracy. The following ex-
tract from the columns of the Cincinnati
Inquirer, after the Statesman, the leading
loco foco paper in Ohio, will answer our pur
pose.
1.-THE man pho WAS Democrat t,ren-
ts.fre years ago, and entertains the princi-
pies NOW that the party DID t,centy. fue
gears ago, AND HAS NOT PROGRESSED WITH THE
PARTY, but remained stationary, IS JUST
INVENT Y-FIVE YEARS BEHIND
THE TIMES AND THE PARTY.
"He is not Democrat NOW Nay. the
man who stands in relation to some prnci-
Piles nop where the democratic party did on
iuten years ago, IS NOT A DEMOCRAT
NOW You must change your ground. If
YOU would be esteemed Democrat of 1913
YOU MUST ABANDON PORTION OF YOUR SUPER
ANIMATED FAITH. Twenty.seven years ago,
in 1916, the Democratic party in Congress,
under the democratic administration of Mad
ison-estdbhshed a Bank of the u. s. A
laFaa qastiar 81 .ss ns ~ supposed such an
it was not till near trenty gears after that
the party CHANGED ITS PRINCL
PIES in regard to Bank. If you then,
entertain the same principles which you
then entertained in common ,rith the party
twenty-five years ago. in relation to THIS
QUESTION, You ARE NOXvlN FAVOR
OF A BANK OF THE UNITED
STATES TO BE CHARTERED BY
CONGRESS. If you are, you cannot
be a Dem ocrat Of 1s43, though you were
in 1916, Is.
Ten years ago, THE rARrY IN Quo, WERE
IN FAVOR OF STATE BANKS, and actually
GRANTED, by acts Of Legislature, MANY CHAR
TIERS. You doubtless believe in common nth
the party in those Bank doctrines you act
ed with the party. But the Democracy of
Ohio are no,o opposed to them. If you still
adhere to your political faith of 1893, in re.
lation to these matters you are not demo
crdf noto. Twenty-Five years ago, the Dem
ocrdtic party-the whole country-justifed
and sustained HIGH TARIFF. Fifteen
years ago, 1928 to '33, THE PARTY, as
body, sustained the Protective Tariff Of
Io2S-yet the party as party, as now Op.
posed to a Tariff for Protection. If you
stand, in reference to this question, ,chere the
party DID, Twenty-Five, or only ten gears
ago, you are NOT WITH THE PARTY
NOW. might continue this contrast be-
tween the present and form er positions
OF the party, upon other questions. But
the contrasts upon the subject of National
Bank, State Bank and Tariff are sufficient to
sustain mig position, that one cannot be a
Dem Ocrat now, who entertained the |
same opinions he DID twenty-five, or
even ten years ago, although he IN ay
then have acted with the party. and |
been for that day good Dem ocrat.
1t is true this is the language of cores.
pondent. and not of its editor Mr. BRouGn
that circumstance however. does not sub.
tract from the force Of its statements; they
are no less true and no less strong on that
account. Besides it appears without edito.
RAJ comment, and had the editor differed
with his correspondent, it was his duty to
have suppressed the manuscript, or stated
that his sentiments were opposite. But be
that as it may, it is nevertheless the candid
straightforward confession of loco foco ~
He confesses that his party have no fixed
principles, that they change to suit the
times, and that their democracy, is progres.
slve and onward.
We should like to place it in the hands of
every man, who differs with US in politics,
LOT we aye sure its circulation among the
people would work we'll for the cause of
truth. We cannot. We are aware. .oucb
The old hunkers,-they are too barde nod IN
their sins /; but there are those omen 70 ron.
viction,-iti is with them VS. would labor
for they may be yet enlisted, soldier. in the
whigarmy. To them we commend the art;
Gle from the Enquirer. and beg them TO give
it seri nd candid reflection