The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-10-07
MoDERn DEMocRACY.


There is no question more difficult of solution
TO the advocates Of the present administration, than
that which calls for clear definition Of the prin-
ciples and purposes Of the party to which they be-
long. Harsh and severe on all other political or
CARNATIONS, and exceedingly boastfm of the as
sumed and pretended merits of their own, they
yet present TO the country no uniform set of prin-
ciples, and upon these they profess to advocate,
scarce two can be found to agree.
One advocates without reserve, the extreme
of alien suffrage; another denounces 1t as opposed
10 the theory and policy Of the government; the
most insidious, and therefore the most dangerous
form of squatter sovereignty VA One is in favor of
building railroad to the Pacific, and seeks to find
pretext for this proposed usurpation of a most
dangerous power in the necessities Of the Coun-
try; another opposes this measure as wild and
reckless anti, Democratic and fraught with inf
mite mischief to the country. wv 1a.
One argues 1t to be as wrong in principle as it
is disastrous in result, to apply the public money
10 purposes Of internal Improvement; another,
that such q system would enhance the value of
property, facilitate commerce, add to the produc-
yeness Of the country, and therefore, benefit the
people. One, representing constituency who
has never partaken largely Of the public bounty,
sees nothing wrong in the ,nild appropriations Of
million or so; especially when dear Uncle Sam
would not miss the amount Another, not so for
tunate as to be the favored recipient of this pa
ternal bounty, denounces it as plan for plumber
ing the treasury s.4a,s,. .I.
We take the above from the Montgomery (Ala.)
journal, and endorse it as far as it goes 1t is
true that the modern, sham Democratic party,
have no fixed principles whatever; and there has
never been any prominent measures brought for
ward in Congress or elsewhere, that have not been
opposed and supported by that party. Whatever
seems to be popular in any section of the country,
for the time being, the sham Democracy Of that
section seize upon to make capital with In some
parts of the Union the Democrats will swear that
THEY are the only true friends OF the negro, and
the only party opposed to the extension of slavery,
and even of its abolition in the slave States. In
the northern and northwestern States they claim
to be, par ercellence, the real Free iSoizers At
the South and Southwest, they denounce Free
Sellers and insist that not Democrat in tile whole
Union is one; that their party is the only one that
is national and perfectly sound on the subject of
slavery.
In fixing up their platforms, when they come
together in a National Convention they display
great art and cunning; for these are so worded
and so nicely put together, as to mean anything,
nothing or everything, according to circum
They are INTENDED to humbug and deceive the peo-
pie, and do so. .s. .... n ..N
But there is one thing in which all sham Demo.
Gratis agree, and will always work together for,
namely; love of the "spoils - quarrel as much
as they will; fight, abuse, denounce, and calum-
Mate each other as much as they do let them hate
each other with all the venom of embittered foes.
the moment an election of President is to take
place, or that of Governor any one, indeed, who
is to distribute the "spoils of Office" and they at
once come together like a gang of hungry wolves,
to run down and secure the prey, though knowing
that they will fight, scratch bite, kick and gouge
each other the moment it is secured and the spois
are to be distributed. This is the secret. the
whoIe secret Of the success Of the sham Dernoc-
racy, and the reason why SO many hungry Wings
have joined them. No matter what political opin-
ions man may have, if he calls himself Demo
Graf, and will support, the ticket nominated, no
questions are asked, and no objections made to
him. He may, like Henry A. Wise, have been
The fiercest kind of Wing, and denounced the
Democracy as everything that is vile and infamous;
let him but say he is Democrat, and instantly
The Democratic doors fly open to him, and he is
welcomed with loving embraces, even though,
ike Wise, he declares that he has not changed an
opinion, and of all his abuse, heaped upon the
party, he has not word to take backl
There are two other points in which all sham
Democrats agree, namely in yielding to the party
IN allegiance and feslty paramount to- all others,
wen to their country or their church, and in JUS
flying and approving any fraud, deception, chi.
'anery, false swearing, illegal voting, ballot-box
'tuifing, making false returns Of elections, and all
sorts of rascalty, generally used, resorted to, or
'ractised for the purpose Of carrying an election
mi obtaining public plumber s5ag