The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-04-14

1Uo real lIienQo OF convention, dno
!. Of constitutional reform, were the dem,
/. ocfatic members, and few free soiIers,
$ To the active exertions and uny yielding
I. perseverance of the former, with the
!. jealous cooperation OF the latter, may
/. be attributed this splendid triumph. -
/. For years this great measure Of reform
. has been unavailingly urged upon the
Legislature; it has been rejected again
/ and again by thefederal party. Moth.
! ing daunted, the democrats again pres.
sed this favoritc measure Of the people,
and from every defeat they arose stron.
ger in the assurance that right mus. ul-
timately triumph, and that, TOO, at Sc
we're expense TO those who were thus
rudely .hwarting the wishes of the peo-
pie. At the close Of an arduous ses.
sion they reaped the reward Of their
unceasing labors, and enjoyed the real
izalion Of their fondest hopes, in the
passage Of resolution submitting the
question Of convention 10 the people.
Whatygreater triumph could have been
secured for the democratsf lfthe alter.
native measure, the Hamilton county
|apporlionment bill should have been
passed, al the sacrifice OF the conven.
tion bill then again might we have
proudly asked in behalf Of the demo.
cratic members, ,ohat greater triumph
could haze been achisved for the democ.
racy? In one aspect, more has been
done, and in the other, more would
have been done, than any man dared to
expect on the first Monday Of Decem
ber!
Upon a retrospect Of the results OF
the past session Of the Legislature, we
boldly say that we regard them as Of
more Ultimate Importance and value to
the democratic party OF Ohio, thnn have
been those Of any preceding session for
many years. Powerless Of themselves
the democratic members might, with
plausible justification, have reposed up
on an "inglorious ease," and stood the
unconcerned witnesses Of general
wreck Of the democratic party. Had
they taken this position, however, will
any one pretend they would have dis.
charged their duty9 The voice Of CEN
sure would have been heard on every
breeze at such gross dereIiction, yet
how was alpable MINORITY 10 avoid
that dilemma? OF what avail was the
right. and good cause, WITHOUT THE
VOTES to sustain it, in contest with
foe so unscrupuIous and desperate as
the federal party? The cool observer
abroad, in his own prolific imagination.
has a remedy at hand for every difficult
ty, vet the troubled laborer in the cause,
upon whom every responsibility is to be
riveted, is incapable of making practi.
cal the fine discovery of the distant
friend. His position, then, and sur
rounding circumstances, must be his
guide. II he shall we'll avail himself Of
these, and thereby secure great good
to the cause, he is entitled TO credit for
his endeavors, at least until the future
demonstrates the error OF his policy
At this time it may be safely said, the
democrlic party Of Ohio is as strong in
power, and stronger in The affections of
the people, than any of the most san.
guine friends could have hoped for
few months ago. The advances to this
position might very easily have arrest
ed, or rather, the sagacious policy and
mastery progress of the democratic
members, might have been abandoned,
and the triumphs Of the last session
left to the federal party. The demo
cratic party at this hour, then, would
have displayed fragment in alternate
localities, which ano ther session would
have efiec,ually annihilated. We would
have exhibited the deplorabe condition
of a powerful party in an irrecoverable
minority, and wholly powerless for the
purpose Of carrying out any of its mea-
sures: the State, its whole Judiciary,
its annual legislatures, its Senators, its {
its public officers, in fact
svery branch Of the public service, 6
reeklng with the slime of federalism, G
md every measure Of progress and re- c
Form, PROSTATE in the dust! All this
night, and would have been the sequel T
of the last session, but for the bold and
policy Of the democrats. e
Instead, however, Of such q state Of t
affairs, the session has been a series Of Q
,nredeeming failures for the federal q
party. We predict that the last ses. b
ZION has prepared the winding sheet 4
or federalism in Ohio. And, indeed,
{ the democratic party had done moth c
ng eIse-if, instead Of triumphantly r
uceeding, they had failed, in defeating Q
he federal party at every election, and
allied in preventing the passage Of all I
he darling measures Of the federal lead S
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