Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-11-19
OHIO

and energy, and is once more prepared
/. to mest,aAnd to beat, whatever adverse.
Sry : may be arrayed against il, Hndei
whatever name. If anything wert
wanting te convince the most skepticaI
of this, the articles of the Black Repub.
lican papers upon the result of the re-
cent election would afford it. Disas.
trous as it has been to them, they con-
sratulate themselves rather upon a mar.
row escape than a pretended victory,
They are content to lose the Legisla-
ture, and to see their great majority re-
duced to a few hundreds, and they bless
themselves because the conflict is thus
over. Having experienced the force
and determination of our attack, they
are surprised to find, that they are not
wholly annihilated, and are thankful
accordingly. On the other hand, the
Democracy arc, very properly, rather
iuclined to dcpreciate than to magnify
what has been performed by our party,
now hat the election is over; lest it
should encourage the error, that success
i'll popular elections is the end we. seek.
1t is the means by which our ends, De-
mocratic measures and good government
are to be attained. Success, purchased
by departing from our principles, or
compromising the end for which the
n.-ty uos o.aotaJ - &c No oJvoptooo
except to those who belong to the party,
merely because they think it the most
successful party. In the election just
concluded the Democracy took its stand
upon the platform of the National par
ty, and inhexibly refused to yield a
hairs breath to please anybody; and in
this is the chief value of this famous
anvas to the party 1t has taught a
lesson to our enemies, and furnished an
admonition, sure to be needed, to our
timid friends.
The Republican party of Ohio is con-
scious of inherent weakness, by reason
of its want of principle, of its inability
to furnish remedies for evils in our do
mestic affairs, and of its lack of a steady
and consistent scheme of public policy.
1t may, therefore, elamor over small
successes and lucky accidents; and con-
graduate itself after disastrous defeats,
as one escaping ~shipwreck with his life
gives thanks, though bereft of all his
Not so with the great Dem
ocratie Party. Organized at the era
when the government itself was estab-
lisbcd, and %springing directly from the
principles then first embodied in the
political system of a great nation, the
Democratic party is a necessary conse-
qlence of that system. As long as the
government exists after the manner of
its founders, the Democratic party will
to be the usual and general
agent of the people, to insure them the
fruits of the institutions they have
adopted; and whenever it ceases to be
the instrument by which these fruits are
to be gathered, there is reason to believe
that a change, not only in the spirit
but in the form of these institutions will
be neal at hand.
There will be times of extraordinary.
excitement, when factious men, and un-
.scrupulous demagogues, seizing upon
the heated notions of the hour, may sup
plant the Democracy in some States
The period of their intrusion will, how
ever, be brief. In none Of the States of
the West will they ever retain power.
1t vas Democratic policy that acquired
from Great Britain, and from France
and Mexico the territory now compris-
ed in the States aud Territories of the
West; and it will be the mission of the
Democracy to cherish and encourage
their progress. It is the peculiar duty
of the Democracy of Ohio, the first and
the greatest of these fourishing commu-
mites, to be always ardent and vigilant,
and never content while an opponent
EChldIuS III u SIdIC OIICS. Inc SOfGIu
ment of the State, and the rewards and
honors thereof, arc ours of right, be-
cause the system of the government is
ours; and we are derelict of duty, if we
do not. at the very next opportunity,
take our own and keep it. The only
great national party that yer could dis
pute with US the government of the
State, has abdicated in our favor. 1t
saw hat the national safety and honor
were menaccd by a factious foe, and it
periodically determined that the Demo
cracy was alone capable of defending
them, The very efforts of our oppo-
ncnts to take from us the lame of De-
mocrnts, is another proof of the wisdom
of our principles, and of our popular
strength.
In our judgment, then, the Dcmocra-
CIV of Ohio should make neither peace
nor truce. Let it be our motto, that We
have done nothing until We have done
l.