The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-08-10
For tie Union and Jour sai.
Our Democratic Young Men"

Alate number Of the Democrat has the
folloving:-
"lt has been truly remarked that there
are great many young men who are Dem
ocrais simply because their fathers were."
We are glad that for once the astuto edi.
tor Of the Democrat has got 90 near 10 the
truth. We dare say, however, that IL was
done unwittingly. II must have been writ.
ten At first thought, for second thought
would have shown him that, though Il is
the best and only reason he or any other
Democrat can give for their political faith,
Il is OF tho same time the most laughable
and ridiculous. Other prclexts excite our
contempt, this our risibilities. It shows
how bungling the truth comes from mouths
aocr;-omed to falsehood. "Simply because
their fathers were, because they were " cd
ucated Democrats !" Unanswerable An
old, vile ragmufin, who only knew the way
from his rum jug to his dirty mouth, and
thence to his empty, but tobacco befoulcd
pockets, in reply to the question why he
was Democrat, replied, Z" Because my ia.
ther was" Our democratic young men" I"
then, are not alone. The argument is; We
are to cherish follies because our " fathers "
did SO. Just extend your vision little, my
democratic friend, und see how this will ap-
pear. Our Druid ancestors offered their
offspring sacrafce to their gods. A pret-
ty appearance the Democrat and its friends
would make tripping on the light fantastic
toO," around ono Of those huge images fill
led with little infants, consuming away in
its red hot bowels. Yet this would be no
more contrary to the spirit Of the age than
many Of the silly notions they now cherish.
But were they caught in the act, We reck-
on they would join the I" midnight oligar-
chy" at once. Then, to come nearer home,
why no. insert the Salem Witchcraft 10
their political creed Surely our Z" fathers"
were right, and 1t was very benevolent in
them to hang every old maid and inofIen-
sive woman whom they suspected of the
power, through wichery Of removing the
lynch pins from their axle-lreos. Also, the
Blue Laws of Connecticut, representing the
times when the conscientious deacon whip
ped his cider barrels for working on Sun
days, would come in for largo share Of
their sympathies.
Our fathers wero guilty Of many faults
and bad habits, but we must adopt them,
for they were Of our fathers" Far be it
from us to cast reproach upon the hoary
head, or to disturb the sleeping dust. Our
business is with those who adopt their
faults, and discard their virtues. II they
erred, they were in a measure eIcusable,
for tho light of truth shone not so brightly
then as now. But We believe the great
principles they cherished, and which
they embodied in this glorious government
Of ours, are not truly represented in our
f" democratic young men," 1t is a libel up
on the world.rcnowncd, patriotic Jefferson,
and the heroic jackson, to call such men
their disciples. It will not vary much
from the truth to say that one in ten Of
these democratic young men who boast SO
much Of retaining in their individual corpo.
rosites the wisdom Of their fathers" as
though wrapped in the folds Ct their de-
sconding mantle, can give an intelligent &c.
count Of tho "importan. measures before
the people, involving the interests Of the
whole nation" They need not be SO free
in charging others with ignorance. We
have chased few Of them round, and ever
came to this result, viz:-Modern Democ-
racy, q compound of Rum, Slavery, Hatred,
Jealousy, Malice, &C., &c. We reckon,
then, that should the fathers bo able to
speak from their dust to their would be-cal-
led children, their exclamation would bo,
q Ye are are bastards, and not sons"
The very spirit Of our government, tho
genius Of our institutions, is that Of protec-
ion and improvement. The Constitution is
not an instrument to be changed, Proteus
ike, into anything few impudont and con.
.emptible lawyers, who set Rum and Slave
y, ideas long since exploded, and the sub
lie mists that sullenly rolled away in the
twilight that preceded the day Of reform
70 bring the matter more to point, who
but fanatic could have sought, and oan
now approve Of the abrogation Of the Mis-
souri, prohibition! Dwellers in Fogydom
who but the most rank fanatic can labor for
The repeal Of the Prohibitory Liquor Law,
the necessity Of which has been dcmonstra-
led beyond refutalion Dwollers in Fo-
yydom, and these arc our " democratic
Young men," where 10 these latter days has
more fanaticism been found, than in the
late attempt 10 subvcrt law and order in
Portland, and in the gathering which fol-
lowed! The truo conservatives would
the ground long since consecrated
to freedom. apd repel the encroachments Of
the Slave power; but they are met by our
democratic friends, in their orer-heated zeal
for the empty name, democracy, jump upon
their last hobby, Popular Sovereignty"
and ride "a late speaker Of tho Biddeford
Association has put tho words into our
mouth ITO tho Devil" Let them keep
the charge Of fanaticism where 1t belongs.
If they persist in applying il to their oppon.
ents, let them remember that the pot also
once called the kettle smutty leg.
The Democra; asks the young men who
have fopaken its teachings 10 look about
them" !, is from the very fact that they
have looked about them and observed the