Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-01-28
The Issue.

The Issue. "
Opposition 10 every species of char,
tered monopoly, is one the fundamental
dogmas of the democratic creed-and
this creed has its vitality in the great
republican principles Of equal rigAts
All special grants Of power and privil.
ege, by legislative authority, intended
TO confer immunities upon one portion
of the com munity, which are not free
to be enjoyed by every other, are in di.
rect 'contravention of the letter and
spirit of this creed, and hence become
legitimate subjects of opposition by all
who hold to the correctness Of the re.
publican principles Of the great founder
of democracy, THOMAS JEFFERSON. 1t
is. therefore, an abuse of the very name
and nature of Democracy, to attempt
to connect anything with it not recon-
cileable with the great republican feat
ure of EQUAL RIGHTS.
Holding to the correctness of this
position, the Democratic Convention,
on the sth Of January, planted itself on
the high ground Of OPPOSITION TO
ALL MONOPOLIES! and rallying
around this standard, the democracy Of
Ohio have resolved to battle, until eve.
nv barrier which restrains the energies
of our people-which checks the on.
ward march Of our glorious republican
institutions, and the last relic of feder>
allsm, shall have been obliterated from
the statute books Of Ohio.
We are essentially a party Of pro.
gress-our doctrines invite and teach
US to go forward; to extend our heaven
favored principles, pure as they were
bequeathed to US by our venerated faith
ers upon the consecrated fields of the
revolution, over the length and breadth
OF the land, until the mighty energies
Of mankind shall grasp in their full lrui>
ton, ali the benefits and the great re-
suits which must and will flow out from
these principles, when they have at.
tanned to their climax; when the politi.
cal millennium shall have dawned upon
our country, and the expressions and
delusions Of federalism been scattered
as chaff before the winds.
It has been allotted to the democracy
Of the great State Of Ohio, to lead this
progvession-and they have enterted
upon the work fully realizing the re-
sponsibilitles which it imposes upon
them. Ours are peaple "who know
their rights, and kno,oing, DARE main
tain them"--who never shrink from
dnty through fear Of any responsibility
it may involve. but who only enter up
on it with more determined alacrity
on that account. Our State is burthen-
ed beyond endurance with monopolies
the effects Of special legislation are
seen and felt in every nook and corner
oft. The industry and energies of the
myriads Of working men in Ohio, are
crippled and ground down by perverted
and unequal legislation, by which few
are benefited, and the many are injurs
ed and oppressed.
We have chosen, as our standard
bearer in this great enterprise, DAVID
TOD, who has declared, in advance,
uncompromising hostility to banking
and all other Interpretations which
confer unequal privileges. This is the
motto which we proudly nail to our
flag, and which we hope to hear soun>
ded from every house.top, proclaimed
from every bill, and reve,berated
through every valley, from the centre
to the circumference of this widespread.
ding commonwealth. Let it be soun>
ded with trumpet tongue, until it is
caught upon the winds, and echoed in
the breeze, that the standard OF the
Ohio democracy is eternal hostility to
every species Of PARTIAL legislation, end
euery attempt to tyramize Ouer the minds
and rights of men. This broad and dis
tinct issue has been made by the dele.
gated authorities Of the democracy Of
this State, in solemn conventional is
an issue demanded alike by our cher.
ished principles, by the emergencies in
which federalism has involved us, and
by the interests and rights Of theltoiling,
plundered, tax-ridden Masses and we
assume it with the abiding conviction
that the heart. and hope, and strength,
~ avorv dcnooCrof will ho ,v;th ,,t, and