Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-02-23
Wing Fallacies Exposed.
For the Portage Sentinel

EHztOf o. fRe Cent2net:-l oOSeTVe iu Two
ate numbers of the Portage County Whig,
IN article from the New York Tribune, by
Horace Greely, headed "Why ] am
Whig," which seems to demand notice. |
not for its candor, but for the ability ard
tact OF the writer, the false issues ne makes,
the false charges against The Democrats
party, the reckless assurance with which
they are put forth, the admissions he makes,
and the high charc,er Greely sus,ains with
his party. Horace Greely. is probably the
mos, influential political writer Of his party;
but is scarcely consistent, ut all times. with
himself. He attacks, not SO much the
cherished principles Of the Democratic par
ty, as the faults Of some individuals, who
for ought we know, were not connected
with the Democratic party at all. lndiyid.
uals connected with the Democratic party,
as also of the Wing party, were concerned
in the Cuban expedition, of which he speaks,
and also in the foolish attack on some Span
ish citizens of New Orleans, after the saw
age shooting of those foolish invaders of
Cuba. That however was not The fault OF
our party. To show the spirit of Greely's
article, will quote some portion OF it,
Nearly column is appropriated to an in.
PRODUCTION, in which find but little that is
Objectionable, except that he places liberty
and order in opposition, and expresses his
fears of anarchy, or mob rule, as more don.
gerous IN our republic than tyranny. For
the whig party, he claims the right conser-
vative spirit, as on the side Of order, exclu>
sively. After Jeremiad on our .unluckily
having secured the name Of Democracy, in
spite of whig perseyering attempts to make
the nickname Of Loco Foco stick to us, he
proceeds to give what he calls the distinc.
tive principles and practices Of the demo
cratic party, and begins thus:
"The party styling itself Democratic is,
as regards Foreign Powers, the more bel
ligerent and aggressive party. 1t takes
delight in shaking its fists in the face Of
mankind in general. 1t made all the for
eign wars in which our country has been
involved since her independence was ac-
knowledged. In its secret councils the
wrestling Of Texas from Mexico, and her
annexation 10 this country, were plotted !"
Now, we are not al all ashamed 10 own,
that it was by the guidance Of the peaceful
Philosophical, Jefferson, the author Of the
Declaration o. Independence, and the father
OF Democracy, with his Democratic coun>
sslors, that our country was relieved, even
by q war, of an odious annual tribute TO
some Of the BarbaIy powers, nor, are we
ashamed to own, that under the guidance
Of that great Democratic Statesman, Mad
ison, and Democratic councils, that we
made war on the British, which war has
been appropriately called the second war
of independence, as it relieved our cou ntry
of that slavish thraldom TO the British Navy,
and put an end 10 the shameless domineer-
ing of British, over American seamen, on
American vessels-ihe searching Of our
vessels, and impressing and enslaving our
seamen. Neither are we ashamed, that
our Polk, and his Democratic councils, put
an end to Mexican Intervention and tyran.
ny in Texas; and added 10 our territory
millions Of square miles, that never, indeed,
of right-never but nominally, belonged 10
Mexico; never was any benefit TO Mexico,
and had Mexico retained it, never would
have benefited her or the world. Mexico
chose war, and they had it. And when
peace was offered them, again and again,
they refused it, for they felt assured that a
wing Congress would never grant supplies
TO our armies, as some leading wings had
declured in public speeches. Greely says
of the Democratic party, sit made all the
foreign wars in which our country has been
involved, since her independence was ac>
knowledged." He might with great pro-
priety, have included, also, the first war Of
ou, Independence, for such men as the
present whig leaders, had certainly no hand
in that war, Such were then, as since,
ready TO submit to any bhrthens foreign
despols chose 10 lay on them. Another
charge Greely makes against the Demo>
cratic party is aimed at the brave old Gene
ral, who demanded nothing but what was
OF oar party he says: "Nearly twenty
years ago, il threatened France with war,
in case the money she owed our merchants
for spoilations committed under her flag
since 1900, were not promptly paid" and
this he calls "bullying other nations for the
payment Of doubtful debts" The excuse
he makes, that our government owed our
citizens something for French spoilations Of
a previous date. The debt of our govern.
ment to our citizens; what did that concern,
or how justify the French government?-
But, the whig party, was then, as ever,
bound to take sides with every foreign gov
arnment, in all contests, whether Of diplo>
macy or arms, agains! our own free repub
lican government. said, the whig party,
bu: am pleased to acknowledge that there
were many honorable individual excep.
tions; not however Of such as Greely.
Many of US remember well, and with
pride, Gen. Jackson's demand on the French
government, for pay for their 81 citations;
and how tie wings abused Jackson for it;
r. L.. J. At