The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-08-19
THE DUTY AND THE DESTINY OF THE DEMO
CRATIC PARTY,-No A.

THE DUTY AND THE DESTINY OF THE DEMO
CRATIC PARTY.-No 4.
We are not disposed to deny that the organized pro-
scrption, under the of know-nothngs, has done
good There is sagacous and elevating philosophy in
the theory of Friar Laurence when he says
% For nought vile that the earth doth live
But to the earth special good doth give
We are therefore indebted the know-nothings, not
because they ushered upon the public stage brood
of evs social and political but because they have exposed
10 US the places SYSTEM and have thus
scousy admonshed of the necessity of adherng the
sacred principles of constitution. Their advocacy
OF dangerous doctrines has compelled the people to look
for antidote to the bane. Thus, in the combat with
evil thoughts and evil deeds prone
those high principles Of public and private virtue without
which no government could stand and community
thrive We apt forget these elements Of national
and individual safety, and often painfully recalled
to keen sense their by sudden CONFUSION
OF popular feeling successful demonstration Of ia
nacal violence
But immediate benefit has been conferredupon the
democratic party by the conspiracy 1t has been
of reservoir which has received such unsound mem
bers of organization have for years chung it, SIM
ply to corrupt and to weaken it. In every State Of the
Union the democratic party has suffered from these in
fecous influences Affecting to adhere to its usages
and falsely protesting its principles they enabled
wound by their secret reachery and to bring it into dis
credit by their odious association with it. But the know
nothing organization temptation they could not
withstand. They at first attracted by its we'll
whited sepulchre and afterwards captured by its rapid
though temporary accession to power The consequence
was that they deserted in numbers and that every
Of the Union the democracy seemed to grow stronger
they certainly did grow purer and better, after
consummaton so long and devouty prayed for For every
loss thus gained moreover have been enabled record
honest accessions from the ranks of former opponents
The organization and the usages of the democracy have
however, played conspicuous part in the struggle
with the factions of the day. Unaided by the machine
ny of oahs which constitutes the strength of the know
nothing conspiracy and scorning the practice Of binding
great party in the chains Of bribed terrified majority
il has fairly and publicly nominated its candidates for Of
fee and voted for them the polls In unex
pccted treachery the spawn of the proscrptve lodges
contrived defeat the democratic candidates. but in 9TH
ers-in those contests especially of later datche
eIpedens and the frauds Of the enemy having been
posed the democratic nominees have been trumphanty
carried And now, in the midst of the reaction that al
the detection of dishonest practices
caly in politics. the democratic party look forward
coming contests proud and strong only the basis
their organzaonhe enduring principles Of equality and
of uscebut confident and nrucible The binding force
Mer organization and the sancy Of their regular nomaa-
dons
The wrecks which scattered along the tracks of po
ltical history not the wrecks alone of the who
have attempted to tear down the Of principle
and ofaw but those who false the obligations honor
have attempted to maintain the double attitude Of attach
party and of hostility its organization Will
fully forgetting that it is in vain to talk Of union
upon doctrines if this union is to be impaired by personal
contests between those who aspire to represent these doc
trnes such have hesitation in binding themselves
to abide the decision of the fairly majority and
afterwards violating this with their party friends
There moral difference between such athessnes as
this the deliberate inracticn of pghed honor by an
individual in private life and although the law may
sometimes punish offence like the last yet it certain
that the reckless enough to forfeit his character and
10 betray his political associates is no less worthy OF
Reproduction and of contempt
Strange to say that after series of the most violent de-
nuncations of the democratic party of the
fidelity which that party the fry-ascertained
wishes Of the majority, the very most profuso in
these denunciatons adopted series of despotic
rules for the protection of their secret nominations
before which the hired yrants of the Star Cham
Der would have recoed Their selections are first made
by packed and oath bound combinations and then their
followers compelled to support these selections the
POLLS stand before the world = "perured to their
country and their GodW And why is it that the nomi-
nations Of the democratic party made in the face of the
public and after the fullest and searching in
vesiigation, sustained, while those of the know
nothings in most have recently failed to COM
nand respect2 Because the democracy united upon
creed in every part of the Union and because
they feel that party which is unit upon principle
afford TO divide upon the subordinate essential Of The SELECTION
Of the representatives Of that principle On the other hand
the fear of being denounced "perurers"
longer bind the wings know-nothngs nomination.
because there is national platform belief
upon which they stand aud challenge the support of
their intelligent countrymen.
Hence il is that before have the usages and the
ganzaon of the democratic party been morergd adhered
and generally respected than at the present
ent In the selection of candidates for all the Offices in
The gift of the people these usages consistently applied
All late riumphs in the South the riumphs of DEM
principles and regular nominations il il clear
that the democracy of the North rapidly settling their
Discussions, and uniting their energies upon the under
standing Of union upon principle and concert in action
And these preparations necessary to future