The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-11-09
TUE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
The Democratic party II party Of tht
people its name Is no unmeaning designa'
tion; its power rsposss with the masses 4
is the great nntagonism Of privilege and com
binatiOn, and the friend Of political equality
Il lives and moves, and has Its being, wher.
ever strong sinews grasp their implements,
and warm and generous hearts pulsute. 1t
10 party Of to-day ss we'll as to morrow and
forever Il takes counsel Of the experience
Of the psst, but seeks to redress the griev-
snces OF the present and provide for the abus.
60 OF the future. Like great srmy it march.
es forward to its destination. leaving none
but those who suffer and sicken for lack Of
promotion, who are wounded BY rejected ex.
pectation, or die by suicide, from disappoint-
ed hope and the places of all such are sup.
piled by new installments from the young,
and healthy, and vigorous, and from the ma.
ture, who are won by the justice Of its cause.
Like ell armies 1t must have it's camp follow.
srs, and laggards, and Cassandras but while
they are more expensive than ornamental or
useful, they neither retard its progress, con-
troll its movements, nor Sway it's principles.
lts mission is to, and its care for, the living.
1t has no time TO mourn over the grave Of
dead and buried issues-to redress personal
griefs, real or imaginary-to stand as arbi.
ters between the conflicting claims of rival
leaders-strength to waste upon the aspira.
tions of personal ambielsn-nor sympathy to
expend upon individual controversies for po.
sition. Its eolici,ude is for the many and
not the few, for the people and not for poll
tieisns, for masses and not for individuals,
for principles and not for men. The great
chart of Democracy may be read in the De.
claration Of lndePendence-its guiding star
10 the Constitution-its strong and radical
ana lysis exposes and casts off error, and its
grand end majestic conservatism forms q
barrier against which the waves of falsehood
and fanuticism may dash in vain for ages
Its "irfepressible conflict" is a conflict for
freedom, equality and the rights of man
against falsehood, fsvortism and privilege
for complete equality Of political rights be.
tween persons, and for that equality of right
between sovereign Stotes which the genial
spirit of the compact suggested, and the pro.
visions OF the constitution guarantied-sn
equality Of rights 10 be asserted in theory
end maintained in praciice-to be read in
the letter and enforced in the spirit, without
technical evasioAs or mental reservations
embracing persons, property and political
rights, through all the variations of mood and
tense, without regard to kind or quality, or
gender, number, person or case. Its "irre
pressible conflict" is with the destructive
who would break down the barriers of the
constitution erected for the common guid.
ance and protection, that he might array peo-
pie sgaiDst people, brother against brother,
State against State, in wer of extermina.
tion, even to battles Of blood, over an insti
tuition recognized and secured by the guaran.
tees OF the Constitution which unies all in
common confederucy. Its "irrepressible
conflict" is with the spurious philanthropist,
whose confused dreams of social progress
have turned him from the pathway OF justice
and sound reason to disturb the public peace
Of oficious and offensive intervention in the
domestic concerns of other States. Its "ir.
Eepressibls conflict" is with that weird fanat.
icism which, with its one idea. would destroy
the confederacy-free States and slave
States together, with their institutions Of
religion, charity and learning, in the com.
mon cantlasration, that it might abolish for.
ever domestic slavery by violence. Its sir.
repressibe conflict" is with honest error,
which, misled by growing pretension, en-.
deavors to work out visionary reformation in
other States by process replete with mischief
md injustice. The only "irrepressibe con-
dict" which Democracy would wage between
he States of this confederacy is conflict
Of generous rivalry in the performance OF
ratsrnal. duties-in observing and obeying
he obligations enjoyed by the Constitution
III securing to each other. with alscrity,
svery Constitutional right-in strengthening
he ties and Frightening the claims which
bind them together and in making numerous
rec, sovereign, equal and independent !
States one in sentiment, friendship and kind =
y regard. Any other "irrepressible" or ag.
,ressive "confiet" between the States of the
or the people thereof, with which
absorb, or change, or exterminate the in. Q
Institutions of each other, or interfere with
n deny their protection and enjoyment, must
70 a conflict hatched BY the incubations of s.
reason, and ending in arrangement, sec. "
lonal strife, bloodshed and dsunion. Every .
reat measure of the government financial
r territorial, foreign or domestic-from the =
urchasing Of Louisiana to the acquisition
California, from 1900 to 1859, has been
le fruit OF Democratic policy, against the
eated and unyieldng resistance of the op- -,
osition; and every important issue raised
efore the people, has been decided with the
democracy, and its wisdom has been sane. =
oned BY the result of time, trial and expe.
ence. Such is the Democratic party, such
9 principles, such its purposes, such ito
ission. 1t will, so long as it has existence, G
stain the cause Of popular rights, and vim
cate the supremacy of the constitutions; N
I'd when, II ever, it falls, the last hope of
10 government will fall with it. u a