The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-09-22
! Why I am a Democratoi

That is a stra ge question The usu.
al answers about political measures !
need not give you, bat will tell you,
why. Democracy is the party Of pro-
g.ess and of the People. You kn ~ that
| he opposition never originate anything
| In regard oto Territories, s ate. e.sor N@
! tloual measures, what HAS been, with
| heul, is the rul,; with, the Democracy.
| it Is what oIeurcto be- he yneasnre.-
| Democracy is moi afraid to check corpa-
rate over, to aim at spch sp,aicy as will
make wealth 'qual, as near the acci
deuts which happen to ylnaukiud will
permit. Democracy, too, is Amer icap,
for though 1t held in cohtempt the mid
night Ameriolnism, cumn,enly called
Know Notbi gtstn ana defeated it. yet
| Democracy is truly American. 1t sepa.
rates from Old World forms--from Ar
i-tocrst priyilrgc--it has helped to found
new StatsS lew law systems, new Cel-
stitutions. It'takcs the lead upl ogress,
in living education, in literature, and
in political science. Are. judges to be
restricted? Democracy does it. l.
foreign power to be battled against
our territory to be preserved, our Ma
tiUual honor to be vihdicated. new
territory to be acquired. IT is from
Democratic ADMINISTRATION this is looked
to BE- accc mplished: aud it is. From
tbs acquisition of Louisiana to the
present day, Democracy has dared eve.
rythibg acquisition, do, m ce, war, TO
mauiain the nations honor. Democracy,
too, accomplishes what it upderta kes,--
Does it war upon National Bank, as
inimical TO public R,ghts, away goes
tie Bat k, aud bursts aud blows to atoms,
to show that Democracy is right Does
it pi op )se better means to perserve
the Public Money--the 1npepcndeDt
Treasury, it is enacted; and the test OF
war, panic and revulsion, vindieaie dem;
ocratic sagacity. The opposition to the
Democracy never manage t., pass great
masure into a law that viii stay on the
Statute Book. The National Lawslare
the work of democrats. Do the deneer
ra y ilaue crate new policy In teIT
ritories; they carry it Gut and freef
dom is the result. There is a noble
daring about democrats, too; they are
not always trying to be popular, they
would rather be righr: aud in the long
run they prove to be. They have bull
dog teuacity. Trifes don't discourage
them or bl eak their organization. They
are the same fifty yeIrs back, to.days
and will be--in the matter of priueiples
fifty years Leuce. They progress5it is
true, but it is in the development of
ideas aud measures, carrying out those
great principles which lie at the found-
alton of free government. They go feE
principles aud mep--pot men without
the prlneiples.' When you are mem;
Der of the Democratic party, you are
not sure, it is true, but that occasionally
in q man OF a measure, they may be
somewhat mistaken, but you arezst1re
of pledgiDg allegiance to great principles
you sure of effort for, great truths
AID you need not fear that to morrow
or next day, you'll have a new name,
new leaders and new principies9 and
have to ask as a great opposition man
once did, "Wbere am / to go?" The
path of the Democracy is straight, stead
i!y traversed, without turning to the
right or left, of Northern .Sectionah
or Southern Disunion princiPle. 1t, Is
upwi RI aud onward with a march az
steady and keeping step and time with
the onward march of our country's glory,
prosperity and gresti'ss. could not
be true Patriot unless we're a Demo
crat. Do not wonder, then, that, with
heart, soul and intellect, I'm Demo;
crat, aud shall be so while life lasts
with me- 1 could be. nothing else
| Lima DernOcr1t iuli C t>l--4EtS sc