Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-05-08


then. divide them now HAsInToE, disbelieviug in |
the capacity Of the people for sefgOvernment, ad-
bered to the English ideas Of consolidated power
Of national strength and wealth and greatness, con-
ceutrated in the favored few who should be the self
constituted guardians Of the many, Let govern |
ment take care Of its most wealthy and favored !
classes. thought he and they in their charity will
takeeare Of the poor His politicians from
that dav to this. have notwithstanding their asser
vations to the contrary, have advocating and
leoislating upon the same identical ideas. They
have labored to consolidate power in governments
both State and Federal, by going beyond its legit
mate purposes and seeking to do in legislation, what
,e peoDle should be left free to do for themselves
PRIVILEGED corporations have been established re-
serving TO some rights that should be alike enjoyed
bv all: building up classes that exercise an undue
;p8uence and power in matters Of common concern.
Improper systems Of taxation have been imposed,
making the burdens of government dispropOrtiOnate
toitsbenefts They haye industriously inculcated
tbeidea into the minds Of large class of people that
government was instituted to make money, through
the means of Banks; improve the country by con
srucng railroads; build up factories by high tariffs
density the population crowd the cities, and do all
manner Of things never contemplated by those who
originally drafted our form Of government This
same class Of men have been always legisating for
CAPITAL protecting the incidental rights and artlh
oa interests Of men, to the neglect and often su5Ju-
CATION Of the absolute rights and real necessities OF the
people We need not elaborate in order to give force
to facts so apparent in the history Of the country,
that no impartial and intelligent mind, even Of that
very party, can question them.
In direct opposition to this theory Of Mr.. HASnL-
TON and the practice of his adherents, stood THoN-
As JEFFERSON and his ideas, 20 which he gave sue
cessful application during his public career, and
which have, in the main, been adhered to as the
policy of the country and enforced by the Democrat
c party, from that day to the present Mr.. JETFER-
son taught the doctrine Of political equality and pop
lqr riqEts-that with US, all sovereignty in the
people, which aggregated formed the sovereignty OF
the States: and that the Federal Government had
none Of it and could only exercise therefore, such
powers as we're clearly delegated by the States in its
formation. Reversing the idea of Mr.. HAMILTON
he was for adapting the government to the people,
and not the people to the government He believed
that the most simple form Of government was the best
that ssbeH governed least That every citizen should
be left as free as possible, in the exercise Of his
own individual sovereignty, to govern and take care
Of himself so that he did not trespass OF infringe
upon the peace of society or the rights Of others
This was a sublime idea of Mr.. JEFFERsoNs. It
elevated every American citizen to the same poiti
cal status ofethe proudes nobility of Europe. This
lis that impaired such life and energy to our pee
ple This 1t is that has enabled to outstrip the
world in all that is great and glorious This it is
that extended our territory from ocean to ocean and
increased our family of sister republics from thir
teen to tnirty-one and that viii yet extend them IN
til the whole broad continent is ours. This it is that
makes every citizen soldier and every fre-side
altar. This 1t is that gives cheer to the American
mother when she sends her orphan boy cut into the
world This it is that like the star to the shepherds
Of Judea, gives light and hope and courage to wrong
ed and oppressed humanity every where.
Whatever tends to the reverse of this great prin-
ciple Of popular sovereignty, tends to lessening
Of their power in the people, and its consolidation
in the government. Just in proportion as the Fed
eral authorities grow strong, the people grow weak
There is universal tendency to the abuse Of power
in irresponsible hands. There is no danger Of the
people expressing themselves. 1t is important
therefore. that they should continue to hold the
power. The whole history of the world has shown
that it viii be sad day when they shall cease to
hold it.
Hence the democratic doctrine in favor Of a Strict
Construction Of the Constitution and against the
exercise Of all doubtful powers. Hence the doc
trine Of States Rights and the rights of the people
Hence the doctrine of Free Trade in contradistinc-
ton to Protective Tariff, by which one section of
the country is made to bear all the burdens of gov
IL.
stiou to special legislation and to large grants Of
power to soulless corporations, securing peculiar
privileges to the few at the expense Of the many.
Hence its opposition to wild and reckless extraya-
cance and the waste Of the public money Hence
its attachment to the interests Of the masses and its
fostering care Of the labOring and producing classes
in preference to the artificial interests, and Incl
dental wants of society.
Questions Of policy may change; but these cardi-
nal landmarks Of a free, republican government
can never change.
Thousands have claimed to be democrats, who
never knew what democracy was. Others have
worn the party badge who would. not have been
democrats even if they had known what democracy
was. There are others again who have some i'm
pulses for democracy, but who from interest, assO
citation or prejudice against names, have not moral
courage to avoW it.
Democrats sometimes waver in their faith or pro-
fessiou as do men in all other associations in life.
But democratic principles never waver Time
servers and tempOrsers may be made to tremble,
even in lefeuce Of Truth, and thus sacrifice their
party. Others, while adhering to the party, have,
for a temporary expediency, sacrificed principle;
and such weaknesses as these, in men who have
secured prominence in our party, too often bring
reproach upon us, by subectingus to the assaults
of the opposition on the charge of inconsistency.
The better men Of the party thus forced to de-
fend themselves and their principles against the
sa1ly or inconsiderate conduct of the weaker ones
This. in truth, is no argument against democracy,
but against men. And yet hundreds will not dis
criminate. but confound the man and the principle
as one
We did not purpose in the outset Of this article
70 run so far into a subject upon which columns
night be probably written. Our purpose was,
simply, to mark the contrast between the two shades
f political opinion which have always existed in
his country-to show that the substratum Of the
yo parties are the same that they have always
,en-and mark with pride the elevated position
jeh the democracy to-day occupy in their success