The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-02-04
To THE READERS OF THE ASH.
ser o-sc LAND

80 oCssASA.
To THE READERS OF THE ASH
sar o1sS LAND UNION:
Three years and more have elapsed
since our connection with a portion of
you was severed. It has been but a
: brief time, but it has wrought many
changes. Some who were u readers
and friends then, have finished the jour
ney of this life, and passed to the cum
discovered country. Many who, when
We first established this journal, were
then beardless youths, are now engaged
in the active struggles of the world,
making their marx, for good or for evil,
upon the generation of which they are
now equal and constituent members.
Between the natural causes adverted to,
and that disposition, on the part of our
People to follow westward what they
regarded as "the star of Empire" a
large proportion Of the voting popula-
tion of nine years ago have disappeared.
The political mutations have also been
remarkable. The old Wing Party, with
its illustrious leaders, and its well-de-
fined and fran~kly-avowed principles
this old party, which we met as our foe,
when we first appeared among you, has
been consigned to the tomb of the Cap
ulets; and In its stead has come into
existence q hybrid combination, which,
whatever its professions or its real aims,
Is practically engaged in a warfare upon
n section of the country that is utter
~ subversiye of the Constitution and
the Union. The old Democratic Party,
which was Graded amid the storms of
the Revolution, and which had its birth
with our institutions, and the ascend
aney of which appears now more than
ever necessary to their safety and per-
maDence, alone remains. Who that be-
longs to it is not proud of his political
position?
1t will be our aim, as it has always
been heretofore, to cooperate with all
honest men who are seeking to maintain
the aseendancy of Democratic principles
in the National councils, and who will
employ every honorable effort to redeem
u noble State from the hands of the
demagogues and spoilers who now mis-
govern it. 1t is only necessary to ex-
anime the facts and figures, which we
shall in due time undertake to do, to
convince every honest and unprejudiced
> mind that the only result of this sec
tional excitement in Ohio has been to
overthrow n Of the most pure and able
administI ations that the State has ever
had, and to inaugurate in its place a
dynasty which is wanting in both homes
ty and capacity.
We remarked that the political changes
had been remarkable. The first year Of
u residence in the county, (1s4s,) the
Democratic majority was about 1926
In 1853, the last year of our connexior
with the Union, the Democratic MAORI
~ reached 1888. In the subsequent
year, Ashland county yielded to tn,
tempest which shivered the shack bone
of the Ohio Democracy, and gave tn,
Republican candidate for Congress
majority of AZ. The following year
1855, the Democracy of Ashland blottec
out this stigma upon their escutcheoL
and gave to MEDILL, our gallant stand
ard-bearer in that seversly-contestet
struggle, a majority Of 43. And in tn
last campaign, which was one of tn
iercest political contests hat has eve
been made in the county, the Democra
cy achieved an average majority at tn
October and November elections, G
about 200. We make this brief retro
spect, not with the view of invidiou
comparison, or claiming that u service
would have been any more effective, ha
We continued in charge Of the pspel
than we're those who succeeded us. Th
dark era Of the last three years, will b
regarded in our political history as on
of bigotry and fanaticism. It was one {
those fierce storms Of passion, when AZ
peals to the reason and judgment of me
were unsysiling. But the dark hour
past. Truth and intelligence have a
serted their supremacy. And that ii
country is now redeemed, and restore
to . sound condition Of political hesltl
ahe Democracy Of Ashland county al
as much indebted to the vigorous an
efficient efforts Of predecessor, as
any other Cause. We find, on our r,
turn the Democratic Party Of the Cour
ty harmonious and consolidated, an
thoroughly conscious of the ~importanc
Of concession, selfdspial, and the sacri
fec Of all personal sonsiderstions to til