Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1853-06-09
What is Dem ocracyl

The following, by a correspondent,
il 50 very excellent, that we place it
in our editorial colum rs. It's merit
entities it to a prominent place in the
O6sae5f
DENocRAcr-It is thing that
has life, meaning, spirit and energy.
It's supporters may be lukeEarm and
insincere in their professions of re-
gard for its Preservation, but the
principle still lives, moves and has a
being. If driven lromIthe haunts
Of civ lizition BY the corruptneFs
and dfgcperacy of the TIM les, it re-
tires TO some sequesterdd spot, and
waits its time to return and exert its
influence in thes affairs Of men and
of nations. If lis VOICE Ib stfled
BY the despotic sway-of son he tyrant,
its spirit burns, percl ance e I'm seen
and unkn9 own to HIM, ii lie be som
of his peasant subjects 1t las its
foundation in nature, an ID 50 long rs
We derive our nature fri IN one com
mon souree.-thq Give of all Good
its truths must be Operative and
binding ] t aflilt ms the equality Of
M nkind rs its basis -equality in
til cir rights, their m vileg4s, and
their freeddm Of though t and aeion.
AN men are created eq bal is written
upon The flee of all t hing4, as well
as in thy solemn Dpcl4laion Of
A merican Independent &C. Thy are
also endowed hy theif Crealer with
certain iiialiellable rights, Of which
they cann3t in Justice be divested
Wefill braathe tile same atmosphere,
look upolthe yal he sun, anti Partake
of the. comforts furnished Iy al Al
Bountifulfttand; land if We 90 not
paltake i'll the sahe degree, It is tie
fault of bid goyqFnmqnt and imper-
feet laws, and the general imperIec-
ton Of our natures. 1t is because
we are phone TO do evil BIT We
should not be discouraged in striving
after that perfection Which is not
merely ideal but actual, and which,
we have DO doubt, will one day be
attained. We should still continue
to strive to elevate the mass Of the
people, and give them that share OIL
the goods and comforts of human
life, to which, BY the laws of nature,
as manifested in al our works, they
are 50 justly entitled
Unequal and arbitrary legislation.
is unknown to Democracy and to
the spirit Of our free Institutions;
and this is the tombstone BY which
she can test the sincerity Of her dis
ciples If in cur Legislative balls
there are found men who, willie they
profess to sustain the cause Of equal
rights, and have been elevated to
posts Of responsibility and trust by
reason of such professions men,
Who, notwithstanding t be confidence
reposed in them, are W ling to give
their voice in favor of iniqnitous,
unjust 4 nd partial legiklation I they
Should be made to ODE j J. the voice Of
the people, aud give effect to the
wishes and wants of those whose
agents they are, or ell Be be secuted
by the Isoyereigns Of the land, and
made The objects Of the contempt
and scqrn Of all right thi hiking mep.
Our government is fouh ded on the
fundamental law of q ga lity; ethnt
all men are created ed ual, and sure
ly every person can jul lge whether
tbn measure he * asked 10 sustain
will have a tendency to give effect
to that law OF not. We have n9pa-
thence with that man Who gives as
an excuse for voting wrong, that
he did it in mistake. He did,it With
the design Of accompli shing some
purpose foreign 10 the grand Object,
or regardless Of it tag t he should
have in view the rights of the mass
es. No man votes for lnonopolies,
or for partial legislation q any kind