Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1858-09-09

The Democratic Creed.
The opposition press are constantly III
quiring what is the Democratic creed? AT
ter coutending1 for thirty years against the
/ Democratic party, they are sull ignorant
of the issues upon which they have been so
often over thrown and defeated. When
the doctrines which they contested SO long
and fercely, have become the established
policy of the Government, and when our
opponents themselves have been compelled
to pay unwilling homage to the justice of
our views. by adopting and endorsing them,
they pretend that they do not know what
faith we profess, or what opinions we advo-
cate. Like an old negro whose master has
fogged him severely, and made him prom
ise that he never would do so any more,
they come to us while still sore from their
recent castigation. and ask us what we
have been whipping them about? They
have fought us as long as resistance prom
ised the faintest hope of success, and when
forced at last to yield to the business and
correctness of our principles, they beg us
with an appearance of sincerity that is quite
refreshing, to tell them what those princi-
pies are. The fact is, they wish to appro
pirate our creed, and claim the credit Of
the wise policy of government which
the Democratic patty has established. They
not only walk into our house, but they wish
to turn the origial proprietors out of doors.
Now, they sre welcome to place at our
freside and a seat at our board. There is
nothing exclusively In true Democracy,
and our gates are open to all who come to
unite with us in friendly and sincere
spirit: But we cannot permit ourselve to
be driven from under the roof which fas
sheltered us SO long to give place to stang
ers and ,intruders.
We would inform all inquirers who are
sincere in desiring to know what are the
principles of the Democratic party, that
our creed is the same for which the DEM
cratic party contended in the days Of jack
son and Jefferson. 1t is the same at all
times and in every age. 1t Is unchanged
and unchangeble, being based upon the
Constitution, and incorporated into the
foundations of our Government. The vi
cissituGes of fortune, the certainty of de-
: feat, or the prospect of victory, produce
no change in our principles, no abatement
in the zeal with which we advocate the m
;. They have survived all the mutations of
parties and political leaders; tley have out
lived the opposition of their enimies and
the treachcry of professed friends. Our
party is not linked with the fortunes of
! men, however great and distinguished
Its principles live in the hearts of the peo-
I pie, and its destinies are committed to their
keeping. The men whom we elect to Office
are the mere organs through whom the
people assert their rights and announce
their wishes, and when they desert the
, doctrines which they were chosen to carry
out, they are discarded as useless and un-
worthy, and the party still marches for
ward to accomplish its high destiny with
out turning aside from its path to viii
back the wanderer OF avoid its hostility
and opposition.
We copy the resolutions adopted at a
Democratic meeting in n. Y. in 1886,
> which might be adopted without alteration
or modification as the Democratic creed of
to-day. What other party in the country
I can turn to the principles it professed TWEEN
ty years ago and point to them as an ex-
: ponent Of its present faith? We commend
these resolutions to the attentive considera-
: ton of those who are constantly clamor-
: ing about the changes Of the Democratic
> doctrine:
s 1. I'VE hold these truths TO he self-evi-
c dent. that all men are created free and
: equal; that they are endowed by their Gre
! ator with Inherent inalienable rights; which
J, are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happi-
ness.
S 2. That the true foundation of republi-
!, can government is equal rights of every
II citizen, in his person and property, and
!, their management.
2 That the idea is quite unfounded that
It on entering into society we give up any
natural right. The rightful power of all
legislation is to declare and enforce only
our natural rights and duties. and to take
q none of them from us. No man has nat
!. ural right to commit aggressions on the
q equal rights of another; and this is all
!. from which the law ought to restrain him.
+ Every man is under the natural duty of
contributing to the necessities of society;
and this is all the law should enforce on
him. When the laws have declared and
e enforced all this. they have fulfilled their
K functions.
+ 1--WE declare unqualified hostility to
d bank notes and paper money as circula-
:. ting medium, because gold and silver is
}. the only constitutional currency.
g 5. Hostility to any and all monopolies
IS by Legislation, because they are violations
n Of the equal rights Of the people.
Y 6. Hostility to the dangerous and uncon-
e stitutional creation of vested rights, OF
!. prerogativos by Legislation, besause they
:. are usurpations of the peoples sover ign
rights. s'1 - e eva bsaa f16 ~
e Z. That no legislative or other authority
II in the body polite can rightfully, by char.
i acter or otherwise. exempt any man oil
e body of men in any case whatever from
e trial by jury and the jurisdiction or oper
n alton of the laws that govern the commu
If uity. ar sa a,rrs.
j