Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1856-09-25
qolitiral Matter.
Democracy--Past aud Present.


How captivating is the term "Democra-
cy," and particularly to those who for a
quarter of century or more have voted
the straight Democratic ticket. The friends
and admirers of Thomas Jefferson and the
Democracy of which he is called the father,
are slow to break away from their party
attachments and associations, while there
remains spark of that fire that kindles
and warns genuine Democratic heart.
1t is claimed for the so-called Democrat
ic party by its leaders and supporters, that
it is the same party that it ever has been,
that it possesses its wonted vigor, though
"shorn of such locks" as Hale, Sumner,
King, Chase, Hamlin, Bissel and host of
Others, that formerly led that party on to
victory, to say nothing of the multitude of
lesser lig hts that follow the blaze of prin-
ciple rather than the bawl of party, and
that in rallying under the banner of ''Buck
and Breck" and the Cincinnati platform,
they are supporting the same principles
that the Democratic party have ever cher
ished. .fr -
Is this true? We know the mass of the
Democratic party are honestly desirous by
their acts and votes to carry out the prin-
ciples of Jeffersonian Democracy. A large
number have investigated the subject, and
have arrived at the conclusion, and correct
ly too, that the so-called Democratic party
of to-day is sham and a counterfeit, and
poor at that; and that the only way to Sc
cure the ascendency of the principles of the
Jetfersonian Democracy, is in the election
of Fremont and Dayton in November next.
When, until after the election of Frank
Pierce, did the Democratic party claim the
right to carry slaves into Free Territory?
When did the Plain Dealer, now the
most servile apoligist, and even advocate of
slavery extension, and all the wicked
schemes of Douglas and -Atchison, String
fellow, Pierce, & Co., hesitate to denounce
all schemes for the extension of slavery in
to Free Territory, until it had been full fed
with Government pap.
The doctrine of the Democratic party,
and especially of the Plain Dealer, was,
that slavery should never be suffered to
enter upon foot of territory hitherto free.
In the Plain Dealer, of Sept. 9, 1s49,
is published the proceedings of the Guy
ahoga County Democratic Conventoin, at
which H. B. Payne was nominated Senator;
the man who few evenings since, at a
Democratic display on Bank street, denounc-
ed the slavery restriction of the Missouri
Compromise as unconstitutional, and ad
vocated the equal rights of Shareholders to
take into the territories their slave chattels,
with the freemen of the North to take
their cattle and horses and hold them.-
Among the resolutions passed at that Con
vention is the following:
"Resol0cd, That we are unalterably op-
posed to the extension of slavery into Ter
ritory that is now free-and Willie we adj
here to the belief that it cannot obtain a
legal existance in the territories of Califor-
mia and New Mexico, without express stat
utory enactments; yet, as it may gain a
foothold there by the connivance Of Execu-
tive Authority, in defence of law, we are
IN favor of migrating on every act for the
government of said Territories the princi-
| pies of the Jefferson Proviso."
Speaking of the resolutions the Plain
Dealer says:
Nothing illustrates better the distinct
iveness of the old standard Democracy from
any and all other parties, than the plain,
practical, and pointed straightforwardncs.,
of these resolutions. They are the princi
pies of our candidates"
In the same paper is also published the
resolutions Of the Democratic Convention
of Medina county, fully indorsed by the
Plain Dealer, the sixth of which is as fol-
lows:
"Resolosd, That Congress has the con-
stitutioual power TO prohibit slavery in the
Territories Of the United States, and that
it is expedient and proper that they should
exercise that power"
The ninth resolution talks very much
like Republican resolutions of the present
day. Ii is as follows:
"ResolUed, That no more Slave States
ought to be admitted into this Union, and
that we will use all constitutional and
proper means to prevent such a .consum-
nation"