Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-10-20
Early Democracy,

The hepubllcan' having proDaDiv heard
Of the difficulty Of catching "old birds with
chaff'' has devoted much attention Of late
to young men. Its columns overflow with
impressive and touching exhortations to
them to embrace Democracy, and, as
though its columns did not afford space
enough,it posts placards on public corners,
inviting them,o the love-feosts of Demo-
cracy.
Youthful piety has charm-flial de-
votion grace; patriotism, courage, gen
crosby, modesiy are all GROWING virtues
in young man-but what has he, in this
artless and ingenious period of his life
to do " it'll the wiles of modern Democra-
cyl How is he to be benefited by i'll
We have never been able to perceive in
what. the strange mixture Of pretension
and selfdelusion which styles itself De-
mocracy was suited to young man. 1t
cannot make him wiser or bctter-happicr
or more useful.
But we should like to know what sort
of Democracy it is, that the Republican so
strongly commends to the young men of
Virginia. Is it the proclamation Democra-
cy of Jackson, or the Secession Democra-
cy Quitman, or the disunion Democracy
of Rhettl Is it the Compromise Demo
crazy of Foote, or the resistance Democra-
cy of the Nashville Convention, or the ac-
quiesence Democracy of Virginia! Is it
the Southern. Rights Democracy Of JEFF
Davis, or the national Democracy Of Cas-,
or the Free-Soil Democracy of Van Blu
REM Is it Barn burner or Hunker, Rent
or anti-Rent, Higher Law or no Law
What sort Of Democracy is it, that the
Republican thinks would so well become
a young mani So multiform and Protean
a thing is this, misnamcd Dem ocracy, that
unless the Republican is more definite, the
young men might adopt style of it, that
would make them vote not according to
its liking, in the elections shortly TO take
place-the Senatorial for instance.
For other reasons. we could have wished
that the RcpuJiican would be more com
municative on the subject Of Democracy
We honestly desire to know what there
is in it attractive, or thought to be so 7 Is
it because it never thinks, but only feels
because 1t acts from passion, and not from
reason-because it ever seeks to be popu-
| lar, and never useful--becausc while it
progrcsses,the country rctrogrades; because
in following "maniiest destiny" it leaves
manifest duty-because in widening the
"area of freedom" it narrows the area Of
"the peculiar institution it In
wolves the country in war, out of which
Wing Generals fight it-becausc it raises
a Congressional commotion, which Wing
statesmen allay--tell US, we pray, wheth-
err it be any or all Of these reasons, which
makes Democracy so lovely, and adapts it
SO well,to the young and rising gcneralioni
We think we know enough ofthe young
men Of Virginia to justify the belief we en-
terrain, that the instincts, reflections and
convictions Of large majority Of them
will bring them to conclusions very differ.
ent from those. at which the Republican SC
eagerly aims. We do not at all doubt, that
they are too intelligent to be imposed on,
and too independent to be coaxed or fat
tered into political association, " hich then
reason does not approve. We hope, how
ever, the Republican will continue to "a
postrophize and adjure the "young men,
1t affords very pleasant reading, either in
placard or paragraph.