Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-01-25
APosTAcY OF THE DEMOCRACY.

| Since the Democratic party succumbed tc
| the slave power, completely has it turned
lis back upon its original principles, that il
now relies solely upon identity of name to
convince its dupes that it is the same organi
zatlon which Jefferson founded, and which was
| SO long the rival of the old Federal party In
| oeed, the Democracy of to-day is liable to the
same class of charges hurled by Jefferson and
MS followers against the Federalists, and which
| ied to the rise of the formes upon the ruins OF
Inc latter. Assuming the validity of those
charges, the chief difference between the
Federalism of 1900, and the Democracy of
Ioou. Is, that the former was mainly composed
OF intelligent and virtuouS citizens, marshaled
urder honest and patriotic statesmen while
the latter, though embracing many conscien-
cious and well-meaning men, is largely made
up OF ignorance and depravity, led chiefly by
piunderers and peculatorS, demagogues and
disunouists.
Let us contrast, in few obvious particulars,
the Democratic party of our time, with that
organized by Jefferson sixty years ago.
The Democratic party owed its origin in
large measure to conflict between the indi-
vidual States and the Federal Government.
jealous OF the attempted encroachments of
the latter upon the independence of the for
iner It's earlier years were distinguished for
its defense of the rights of the States against
the usurpations of the Central Power. Aiming
to curb the undue influence of the latter, it
Kept vigilant eye upon the National Execu-
tive and Judiciary, thwarting, when it could,
every effort of the President and the Supreme
Court to enlarge their powers.
How widely has the party diverged from
these old landmarks! Democracy now a-days
glories in its advocacy Of the unbounded au-
thority of the Executive and the Judiciary.
With no more right in the President to seize
upon the Government of Territory than to
set up Monarchy land with no more power in
,tNx.C ~
National domain than to create King, we
have seen, and we do now see, the Democratic
party defend, justify, and applaud the Execu
tive and the Judiciary in their attempts to car
ry into full effect these monstrous usurpations
--usurpations more criminal than those that
his head. Once the vfgiant ant anfag fs Of The the
Central Power, Democracy has sunk to be its
supple slave.
Originally, the party exalted the rights OF
man over the privileges of property; holding
that the former were inherens and inalienable;
the latter incidental and conventional. As it
rose to power in the several States,it extended
the suffrage, repudiated the property basis of
representation, abolished Imprisonment for
debt relaxed the severity of collection laws land
in varions ways showed that ii regarded persons
as more valuable than property, man more sa-
cred than money. But, the Democracy of to-
day, scouting these antique notions, ignores
the Inallenability of personal rights, and is
mainly Intent on proclaimng and protecting
the lnviolability of mere property. The foun-
der and sometime apostle of the party dcclar-
ed that all men are created equal, and that the
chief end of government is to protect all men
IN the enjoyment of liberty and the pursuit of
happiness. But his professed disciples now
sneer at such glittering generalities, land teach
that EEall property is created equal 20 that the
grand OBJECT of oar Government at least is to
protect chattel slavery in the States and plant
I
return to its owners such OF this property as
may choose to use its own legs in exercising
the inalienable right to pursue happiness. In
a word, Thomas JeferSon-we quote his Ian
guagc-declared that ssthe American ConSt-
tuition is based upon liberty and the Rights of
Man, these being its chief corner stones.'
But George McDufiie, claiming to be his polit-
icai isciple, sad-we quote his words-ssDo- |
nestle Slavery, instead of being political
evil, is the cornerstone of our Republican |
editice." Here, in these citations from solemn |
State papers, we have the essence of the re- |
spective creeds of the fathers of the Democ-
racy, as reflected in the philosophic doctrine |
Of Virginian OF the revolutionary regime, |
and of their degenerate descendants, en-
bodied in the medieval barbarsm Of modern
Carolnian.
In its better days, the party affected deep
interest in labor claimed to be the special
friend, guardian. land champion of the laboring
classes talked much of the dignity of the
.oiling masses; took their side in frequent
contests with wealth and capital; and by these
means, lured to its ranks preponderating
share OF the working men of the country.
But, since it adopted, as the prime article of
rs creed, the justice and righteousness of
servtude, and proclaimed its chief
mission to be the planting of Slavery in all
he national Territories, the Northern wing of
he party, from sheer shame, has ceased to
auhn hn ff oil m
While the Southern aud ruling wing sneers at
armerS and mechanics as '.the mud sils of So
,iety," and declares that the only stable and
basis of the social system is that
where the capitalist owns the laborer
Now, it is not strange that such doctrines
hould be broached in this country, for they
lave been promulgated by dcspotS in all ages
nd many climes. But the negro propagan-
lists of America have alone been found equal
o the effrontery of claiming that those who
vowed them were fit to be called democrats
While it is passing strange that anybody but
4aplanders and lunatics should be sufficiently
gnorant and 6reduIous to admit the validity
# this claim.
In the times of Jefferson, and even at the
dvent of Jackson, Democracy gloried in be-
ng radical in its doctrines, reformatory IN its
measures, progressive in it's tendencies, the
fSpring of ideas, the pupil of principles, apt
o learn, bold to act, and eager to follow where
ruth and duty led the way. But the Democ-
acy OF Calhoun and Buchanan, living only
pon the traditions of the past, and with no
assport to popular favor except its name con-
ounds radicalism with revolutiony resists all
LIBERAL reforms as dangerous innovations, and
rgeS its claim to public confidence on the
round that it is conservative from conviction,
nd will oppose all progress in the direction
f Freedom and Equal Rights.
Perhaps the strongest hold which the party
A.