Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1857-12-08


We have never read, heard, or seen, a
more truthful description of Modern Sham
Democracy than is given in Letters from
the Hill Top" No. VII. published ia the
CiaoinIati CommerciaE of Tuesday. A
few extracts only will our limited space al I
low. though we should be glad to give the
article entire:g
"In the days Of Jefferson, Democracy
WAS Republican-to-day it is intensely
Federal: then it was opposed to traffic in
human beings--to day It is rsmpantly in
favor Of it ut the South, and intensely ne
gro-hating at the North: then it sought
only the common veal, practicing virtue.
and intoxicating public morality--to-day it
seeks the offices, practices election frauds,
and incuIcates fillibusterism. But it has
the name; tits doing business under the
Democratic motto, and it has its old Gus
toners. if not old customs.
What constitutes q Democrat? The
only answer must be, A man who votes
with his party. And the party is an ex-
+ecutiye committee. wire-workers and pre-
cinct politicians. The Democratic mantle
covers this skeleton. and it's edict is called
the rule Of the people. When its eyes are
turned to the Soush, itrecogniLes the man
fold blessings flowing 10 the Democracy
from the institution of slavery---turned to
the North, it acknowledges the evils Of the
institution, and advises freesoil; yet it is
national and Democratic. Like the
Mohammedan religion, it has but one arti-
Gle Of faith---there is but one party, and
Democracy is its name. We all know
what its principles and practices should
be, but we are not as equally we'll informed
as to what the former are, though with the
latter we are having recent and striking
evidences.
Such is the government under which we
now live. 1t may be called a Republic,
but in reality it is the government of an
unscurupulous faction, ruling by name.
A few thousand arrogant men in the South,
and as few thousands Of needy office-seek-
ers in the North, are banded together by
mutually of interests, and with the name
of Democracy, they rule. They have cen
tralized their power, and they are deter
mined 10 rule. The last Presidential
election proved to what lengths they will
go to retain power, and the recent elections
in Kansas and Minnesota give stronger
evidence, il it was needed. We are grave
ly admonished that "no other party can
rule this government" and it's constant
iteration must be taken rs q threat, in view
of its corrupt practices and total want of
principles, that it intends to keep the pow
er of the government. And it is no idle
threat. no mere vaunting of an impossibiliy,
for it has the power of the Federal offices
systematized and concentrated in unscru-
pulous hands; it has the prestige of the past,
and it has what is more powerful-a he
reditary government, and the potency of
reverenced name. These are the sources
of its power. and when possessed by un-
scrupulous hands they are potent for mis-
chief. The rebellion ofits masses to vote
as directed, is corrected by Oxford and
Pembina returns, and the fruits Of rev.
olution are lost by tire puchase of its lea
ders. 1t has the devilish sneer which
makes. honesty appear as theft; it has prin-
ciples suited to every section, and food for
the passions Of all men,. Its frank bold
ness of the past has degsnerated to the
swagger of a confidence man, and it rules
with mailed hand. Initiating the exam
pies of similar despotism, it gratiies the
masses with apparent liberties, while it re-
tains to itself the fruits of power and
place. 1t fosters prejudices at the expense
of judgment, and finds its profit in it,
With such characteristics, what may not be
accomplished in the name of Democracy?
This is sad picture of the dominant par
ty of our Republic, but it is true. Like a
spendthrift son succeeding TO the estate OF
an honest and virtuous parent, its disco
lutte habits require the aid Of all manner
of devices to keep its power to do wrong.
And with name honorsd and reverenced
as it should be; with the power to assert
the rights which elevated man near to his
Creator, this party seeks no higher honor
than victory, no greater good than the
spoils which that victory brings. The
conviction of mems minds, those untainted
thoughts which give the assurance that
we are more than men, are smothered at
the bidding of party decrees; and self
respect, manhood, justice, right, are all
lost in the maelstrom of party. Huge
election frauds-stuffed ballot boxes sen.
tried by brutalty--a derisive laugh at the
struggles Of people to secure to freedom
larger arena; Dred Scott decisions; a
willing haste to execute tyrannical and
inhuman law, all attest that the power o
this government is in unscrupuleus hands.