Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-10-11
Letters of a Democrat 10 his POlit-
Teal Associates.
No. 3.

ar- AZ
arm, he delights to swing stick over the
head of the cat and the smaller animals:-
and when half grown to manhood, too in
dolent to perform the lightest labor Of an
hour, or do the most inconsiderable Job
about the farm, if whip is put into his
hands Of thrice his own length, he. will,
with the greatest alacrity and without
WEAKNESS, toll through the day with the
plough or harrow-because driving his
cattle is qualification of his passion. The
Indictment in both cases is Lust of Domir-
ion;- that passion which, Gas the poet
sings) urged the angels to make war in
heaven-and which is. the great natural
enemy Of democracy and equality. This
passion increases in man with his years,
and strengthens with his strength. In both
boy and man it strives for mastery over his
fellow. In our country it cannot have its
utmost scope, and absolutely sutjugnte one
portion Of the people to the rule Of anoth-
er portion: but it displays itself in seek
ing for political privileges, pecuniary ad-
vantages, for monopoly of offices, honors
and distinctions. The antidemocratic par
ty, known under various names, have OPEN
ly advocated such constitutional provis-
ions, legislative enactments, and govermen-
tai policy as would secure these to a part
of the people at the expense of the rights
of the rest. Thus the constitutions of
some Of the States originally required that
man should have certain amount Of
property, to entitle him to vote and, by
this provision, the war-worn soldier, who
by his valor and his blood had achieved
our national freedom, and purchased what
ever civil rights belong to the people of
this country, found himself excluded from
the exercise Of the greatest Of those rights,
the elective franchise, which was stolen
from him who had risked his life for it,
and given to his neighbor because he had
a purse, though he had neither patriotism,
honesty, nor wisdom. To my mind this
was greater injustice than the laws OF
some of the States which allow domestic
slavery. 1t was as great oppression and
political attrocity as the world has witness
sed. To this day | thirk it is retained in
some of the States, and others who have
abrogated it, do yet require the possession
of property, to make man eligible to the
Legislature or to the office of Governor.
We have seen this party in our day advo-
eating that course of legislation by which
one class may be favored at the expense
Of the other "a protective tariff; by Which
the millions are compelled TO pay bounty
to the few manuiacturers;-a system Of
corporate banking, by which the rich are
made richer, and the poor, poorer, a. plan
of governmental policy for regulating ex-
change and currency; and for internal i'm
provements without limit or check; the
benefits of which must be, from their
natuae, partial. ..-
The first case which l have here stated
is monstrous example of the working of
that odious spirit, which it is my aim to
illustrate. Time, bringing with it slowly,
in all things, progress and reform, has me-
liorated, and l hope will cure, this extreme
disease Of the body polite. But the cr-
rors Of the past should be held in mind,
as lessons for the future; and the glaring
faults Of others, will, if we are wise, be
monitions TO us against the most trifling
deviations whose tendency is toward such
chasm of political iniquity. For this pur-
pose have referred to it, and as pre-
lude to those matters to which | design
specially to ask your attention, and on
which l wish more to dilate. This shall
do in some future letters.
CURTIUS.