Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1856-11-05
A Plea for the Democratic Party.

II
From the Washington Union
| We would most earnestly invite every true
| friend of our common country to look dispas-
sionately, at this eventful moment, to the Dem
ocratic party to their confidence and support.
About 1893, the Democratic party had its
first existence From that time to the pres
ent, with the exception Of about eight years,
the government has been administered by this
party.
If the merit and commentator of party
depend upon the benefits that ensue to the
country from its administration-an this is
the only safe test-then has the Democratic
party the strongest conceivable claims for
praise aud support.
The fruits of fifty years of Democratic ad-
ministration are spread out, in all their ampli-
tude and unequallled blessings, over the entire
length and breadth of our land The history
Of the world affords no such evidence of ma
tional growth in population wealth. expan-
sion, variety aud amount Of resources. physi-
cal and intellectual Improvement, domestic
comforts, and, in fact every element that en-
ters into and constitutes the gl eat sum of hui
man happiness as that which has been vouch-
safed to the thirty millions of people in the
United States.
We know that the great foundation of these
blessings is to be traced to the peculiar struc-
ture of our government. But we claim for the
Democratic party wise and faithful admins
tration of the great principles that constitute
the government
They have ever been faithful to the consti
tuition. They have always bowed to the be-
hest of the people in their sovereignty. They
look to the unity of the States as the lifespring
of the republic They have a faith and devo-
ton that knows nothing less than our entire
nationality. In their course Of civil policy,
they travel upon the great highways that were
marked ont by the fathers of our government.
They have never been scduced from this ear
liest allegiance by any of the speculative or ex-
perimental forms ofparties, factions, or isms.
that have been the prolific offspring of diseas-
ed minds, or wayward ambition They claim
no novelty, and they p.omise no miracles -
They Of the people and with the people,
carrying out their sound, common-sense prin-
ciples, as the only safe line of duty. They
ask to be judged by the product of their coun-
sells for fifty years, and their value to the re-
cipienss at this day.
With these countless blessings on our land
what inducements is there for our people to
venture upon the norci and periJouS schemes
Of Known Aothinaism and Black Republican
ism? As far as we can penetrate their ID yster
les or scmprehend their objects, they are re-
plcte with mischief and Danger. They strike
at the sacredness Of the Constitution. at the
inviolability of civil an religious liberty, and
the perpetuity Of our glorious Union.
What can they give for the loss Of any
one or all Of these mighty bulwarks of popular
sovereignty! What can they give Jus that
is better than what we now have? five sub
init TO their experiments, and they fail, where
shall we be? If they subvert the proud and
invaluable monuments of our fathers, whom
can We look to to reconstruct the broken frag-
ments, and bring order out of chaos? Would
it not be madnes would it be not criminal i?
would it not be suicidal to peril all that = cd
has blessed US with, aud the mighty heritage
of our fathers, to follow the revealed treach-
cry of false guides, ard the promises of bad
men in the pursuit of national ruin
The wisdom and prudence that have here
tofore guided our country through all its tri-
ais we should not forsake in this hour of pro-
baton The Democratic party is the only le-
gitimate party now in our country There
are factions and isns claiming to be parties,
but they are nothing more than fungi with the
poison of the tOod-stool
This is the political complexion of things
at this time A few days more, and the pop
ular voice of the country will decide between
the claims of an old, long tried, and faithful
party, and the discordant elements that mus
ter under the banner of faction