The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-01-21

The time has fully arrived, when It tehoges
every true dcmocra, 10 this vicinity 20 look 81 the
prssea; condition Of his P,rty-io enquire into
Ihe cau:es which produced that condItion-anI to
seek to improve that condition BY placing i; IN
the ascenJency, where It's numerical strength, lis
PRINCIPLES &c, rgh,il,ly entitle it to BE- when
speak Of the true democracy Of this vicinity |
alluJe to the men here who adhere 80 those cor
rect ard tine Lonorod principles advocated 10y the
lllu,,ruus and immortal jefferson aud Jackson
to those who adhere to the Baltimore platform.
In my view, then, the condition Of thu party
here j. not shat it ougL. to le. In this concres-
si0nal dis;rlc; the wings have elected scongress
man-in this Judicial district they have elected 4
di.trC: a:torney-.n this county they have e!ec,
tel a sheriff clerk Of he circgi: court and bu:
lately Wig held the office of county treasurer
and how many Offices o: minor importance they
hold ~ this county a: present l am unable to
.ly. une thing "a cer.als, and that u, iha; they
have secured foe! bod here, from which they
mus. be removed ere long or they vii acqurs
~ influence and power which the democracy
calnot overthrow OF successfully resist. A: tia,
uue do not propose 70 state the causes wh.eh
led to the success of the wings. Ii was not be-
cause Of Iheir principles, nor Of their numerical
..----'N &c -n:--.- --'.L ekri;t;-,,;-i-
that thcy succeeded for such alliance even
would have been insufficient agains, the trljted
democracy but it va: for other reasons, which !
intend plainly to set forth in a future article
The question before me low, i., in wh,. name,
cal the democracy proceed, to recover from lne!r
par.ia! teicai' This, 10 my judgment, IS the
proper an.wer;-Let every true democrat stand
By his principles. and his party, and pu! forward
as Candidates for Office o,iy III. very test n,en Of
tie Pirfy--uen Of principle ard ability, who
would Il their stations with honor TO themselves
snd their con,,tuents-men who have been ,ri
el and never found wanting '-who have stood by
the hag Of our party in prosperity and a!yersity.
and have never sull.el their reputation Us demo.
Gratis and friends of the Unon, By crossing hands
in an puholy and degrading alliance with disor.
gauzcrs and fanatics.
let ne no. be understood By these remarks.
as wishing to disparage the large majority Of the
democratic candidates heretofore put forward for
ofii,e, who believe were true men At the
same tiu,., ID wish to be understood, that, in
tie proper pes, and that their nomination result
ted IN injury to the party. The wings have al
ways boosted Of the superiority Of their candI
dates-in most cases, undoubtedly, without rea
son. They have endeavored to secure triumph
at elections on that ground, rather than on the
sorndness Of their principles. I do no, say hou
bot true it i., tfat sonshor although always in
minority they have in times past occasionally
won at leas. partial trumPh', Tia, we have
men in our party equally as able and as honora
bic SIS those in the wing party, clnno. b. denied,
Then i It be true, as some suppose, that the
success Of apar'y often depends more upon the
personal popularity Of tia candidates, than npon
the correctness Of the principles Of that party, as
matter Of policy, at least, Is it no. incumbent
on the democracy to look well to the qualifca.
sions Of the candidates whom they may put for
ward for the sufrages of tile peoplei
AS democrat, will no. bolt the nominee
Of convention Of my plrty merely on the
ground that | nigh, have q personal pioue
against him. or that man some what better Qua
Lifted might have been nominated But, when a
nomination i. unfairly or dshoporably obtained
or when a candidate for high station is thrus,
forward, who is destitute Of prnciple-or is pal.
pably insompetent-or who has crossed hand.
with the enemy, whether sailing under the dub
Gus flag Of whiggcry, or the black banner Of
abolitionism, and has no: fully repen.ed thereof
ard returned 10 the radiant STANDARD Of democrs
cy-or, in short, is not firm adherent Of III,
Baltimore platform, Gncluding the compromise
mcasures) then clearly, am no, bound BY the
nomination Of the convention, and will not
vote for such nominee let others do as they will
DEMOCRATIC VorEn.