Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-07-01
From the Western American.
Democracy and Banking.

Iowa Democracy. | propose briefly and
candidly 10 examine the title of certain
men and measures to the appellation,
Democratic. | fear that too many of us
are content to look only at the label and
often let that pass as genuine which has
The name without the principle. We
hear men daily boasting of being born of
Democratic mothers, and drawing nour.
ishment from Democratic breasts-aud
recile this as their title TO, as it Is the on.
ly evidence of their Democracy. To
such, l would say that if the milk was
pure it has curdled upon bad stomach
and il were well to give them room to
spue. To be Democrat is to under
sand, and act upon Democratic princi-
pies! Men must show their faith by
their works. The term Democratic is
justly popular term; understood Alright
1t is the distinctive feature of our political
institutions and is that which forms the
honorable contrast between our own and
European governments. AS defined by
Thomas Jefferson and our Fathers in the
declaration of Independence, it is "a gov.
ernment deriving its just powers from
the consen. of the governed, and the
light of the people to alter and abolish as
to them il shall seem most likely to effect
their safety and happiness Ii this be a
true definition Of Democracy, then sure
ly any measure calculated to hinder, de-
lay or prevent the people from altering
and abolishiug, as TO them seems likely
TO effect their safety and happiness, is an
antl-democratic measure.
! now propose TO show from the re-
cords that the SO called democratic party
of the State Of Iowa, have attempted,
and succeeded in the attempt, to hinder
and delay the people from altering and
abolishing at their viii; that in their action
they have not been willing 10 trust the
people with their proper business, but
have uselessly. gratuitously, and without
authority of precedent or example, vio-
lated The Fundamental principles of Dem
ocra,ic government. This they have
done by legisla,ing in the Constitution,
and making that the fundamental law and
fixed policy of the State, which should
have been lef, to the free control of the
people through their legislature. Wha,
are the purposes of a constitution in a
Democratic government! Our Fathers
told us it was for the organization anG
distribution of The powers of government
and TO ESTABLISH JUSTICE. TO 'eslab-
lish justice it was deemed necessary to
place certain natural and inalienable
rights of individuals, beyond the power
OF the legislative authority. Hence the
writ of Habeas Corpus is ordained and
placed beyond the reach of the popular
will; herce no erpost facto laws, or
laws impairing the obligations OF con-
tracts, can be passed by the Legislature.
Beyon the restrictions necessary to es-
tablish justice, however, no Democratic
Statesman oftbe good old days ever wen,
or deemed il necessary TO 60 Questions
OF policy and expedency, affecting the
public good and not touching natural in
dividual rights, they left to the will of the
people, w.,h the power TO alter and a.
mend as TO them should seem, for their
happiness and good. They were will
ing to trust the intelligence and virtue of
the people. .a" .e
Wise. patriotic as they were, they
could not as Democrats fetter the action
OF the peoples representatives by legisla-
ting in the constitution which was to be
the fixed and fundamental law of the land
Blu. how stands the case with the so.call-
ed Democratic leaders of Iowa! (by the
way large portion Of them renegade
whigs.) They have not scrupled to
prostitute the high purposes of an organ
ic law 10 fet,er the action of the legisla-
ture upon questions Of general policy;
aye, of doubtful and untried policy
Never, in any state in the Union had the
question Of the sufficiency of gold and
silver currency, without the aid of Bank
paper, been tested. Never since the
world began had any government re-
strained the Legislature upon question
OF this character by constitutional pro-
hibiiion. The Territory at that moment
was flooded with Bank paper from other
states, and the necessities of the people
cried for more. Democracy, and COM
mon sense, alike demanded that the peo-
pie should dictate. But no-a constitu-
ton was earnestly desired by the people,
who could not become sovereign and ex-
ercise the rights and privileges Of free
man until they did adopt Constitution.
At that moment there was an antipathy
to Banks caused by recent commissions
in some of the adjoining states, and now
was favorable time for party trickers
and political qatacks TO tie the hands of
The people and make them particips
criminis in elogging and embarrassing
the future legal votes of the state. And
they did it; they prohibited and com
manded the future representatives of the
future legal voters of the state, to prohib-
il Banking. For sake of argument ad-
nit that other and more weighty con-
slderations did not secure the adoption OF
tina, Constitution. Suppose tha: a ma
jority of the legal voters of the state de-
sired no Banks. Had they a right to
more than their will upon the subject
and if it was their viii to have DO Banks