Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-03-19
CLARksBURG, FRIDAY, MARCH %, 1883.
A Word to our Party.

mocracy more encouraging than at the
present time, and never did greater in
terests or moro fondly cherished princi.
Piles require the success of any party than
those which demand that the Democratic
party maintain its ascendency at the
coming elections in all its original man
hood.
The year 1852 was a brilliant one for
the Democracy. The Wing party, which
to that period had chung to its principles
with tenacity worthy better cause,
abandoned those principles. threw
overheard its great leader and most bril-
liant ornament, and, rallying on candi-
date whose chief recommendation was his
military fame, the Wing party met the
Democratic party, WAS overthrow and
annihilated. Phenix-like. from its ash
es sprang up two germs-the one, Know
Nothingism; the other, radical Abolition
ism, known by the taking term Of I" Re-
publicanism. One the party Of race and
religion; the other the party of one idea
abolitionism. These two parties, or rath'
err parts Of one party. claim the dignity Of
being opponents of the Democratic par
ty; and it is with one of these political
bastards-the Know>N Nothing party-that
we come now to deal.
History shows US that the contest of
race and religion is the bitterest Of all,
that it has ever been attended with the
most frigbtful, terrible results, and that
it can be carried on in no country
without endangering its peace and pros
perity, and the lives and property of its
citizens. 1t has occasioned the shedding
of more blood, been the cause of more
terrible and sudden revolutions, and done
more to depopulate countries and spread
devastation and ruin around, than any
other one cause. 1t appeals at once to
the 6crcest passions in the human breast,
makes the peaceable, quiet citizen the
terrible avenger, and. of all other causes.
soonest plunges nation in the most ter>
rible of all calamities, civil war. And YET
the minions Of this Know Nothingism-
this political nullius ,1flius-thesc selfcon
stituted opponents of party whose ira
ditions they disgrace-lay claim to be
the great defenders Of the principles o
mans eternal rights, and that they alone
can utter the divine oracles Of freedom
and republicanism o! ye generou'
and immaculate conservators Of the Con
stitution ye felicitous opponents Of the
} liberty Of conscience ye patriotic admi
rers Of tho virtues Of our misguided an
: cestors. who spread their table, and in
vited the oppressed of every cline tc
come and eat the delicate and lusciou
Q fruit of freedom ; ye pious defenders o
g the faith once delivered to Americans b,
the mouths of her Republican prophets. b,
. . Jefferson, and Madison, and Jackson
1 how shall we find words to magnify you
services to your country? Shall we no
: pull down the Washington Monument
Il preach crusade against all Dutchmen
u Irishmen, and others who were such un
heard.of villains as to go beyond sea t.
q get themselves born, slaughter them a
G once, and on the site raise pyramid Q
d their bones higher than that of Cheops-
and crown the whole with a dark Ian
d tern?
. . Havo any Of our readers ever pause,
to reflect how nearly allied to each othe
= the stern virtues of the old Roman stoc
e Of BruIi and Gracchi. and the stock Q
: American virtues were? 1t is worth th,
trouble Of pause. Il is worth Will
r comparing the characters Of dlfFeren
races and peoples. to see what effect upol
e the one hand Of openness. bravery. frank
}. ness, decision OF character, determinatio!
I TO declare, in Heavens face and all mem
= sight. principle and purpose, and fight al
enemy with open, manly steel-foot t.
). foot-eye to eye-in the broad day .ligh
9 live or die for it and on the other o
>, treachery, deceit, maneuyering, plotting
y distrust. and conspiracy. The first will
. go to make up the character Of tru
' Democrat; the last fair type Of Know
e Nothingism. And now, when every 9th
+ er party has paudered to the hideous lus
of these night-prowling de6lers of thei
country's name, is it not time that every
one should see the virtue that exists If
the principle of Democracy which keeps i
l unspotted from the faint of political pa
riahs, and prevents it from fatal procIv
ity towards medieval errors