Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-01-12
Coasay4atisla.

which it takes to itself every name and title
that have been honorable in the Country's his
tory. In this it always perverts the fitness of
things, but it nevertheless deludes many who
foolishly suppose that the men who so unblush
ingly wear the name, will also possess the vir-
tues which used to be found in packages so la
belled; and at last, when the trick is exposed,
the name, contaminated by the association loses
its original significance, and comes to mean ex-
actly the opposite from what it originally did.
Democracy, for instance, as that word is to-day
used by politicians, holds about the same rea-
ton TO the Democracy of Jeferson's day, as
Satan does to an angel of light. 1t meant, in
Jefferson s time, that the people were the source
Of all power. and ought ever to rule; that MAN
as rational human soul independent entire
ly of the accidents of birth or wealth. was
the only true sovereign that the majority in
and submitted to- 1t means to-day, that the
people are not the source Of power, inasmuch
as it threatens to overthrow the government if
it cannot name the President; that man, as
sueh is not sovereign, but often is, and ought
to be, slave that the minority are not only
not under any obligation to submit to the will
Of the majority, legally and constitutionally ex-
pressed, but may break up the Union any mo-
ment that this will takes an expression distaste-
FIJI to tbnir ennSt;vn v1ol,too
Conservatism, also, as a term applied to GER.
tain principles, OF certain policy, in politics,
used to be aphrase of very respectable signtca-
tion. 1t once meant that,course of policy, that
line of action, which is calculated to keep the
government In all its departments, and in all
its functions as nearly as possible to the purpo-
ses and objects for which it was created. 1t
never was popular term, but it was always a
patriotic one. The Federllists, and after them
the Wings claimed to be conservatives, IN the
true sense Of the word, but the Democrats have
never, until of late, laid claim to such desig-
nation. The latter have, until recently, claimed
to be the party of motion, the progressive Do
mocracy, AID have ridiculed conservatism as
stand-still, old fogy policy. They have preach
ed manifest destiny, and keeping up with the
age, and 90 ahead, and various other doctrines,
with but little veneration for precedent, or an
Gent example. Their teachings, their prnci-
pies, their practice, instead of being .conserva-
tive, have been innovating, radical, destructive;
and the fact that the Union has 50 long surviv-
ed under their doctoring, proves rather the
strength, and the excellent constitution of the
patient, than the learning and skillof the ply
stefan But, at length, this progressive, mani
fest destiny, Slavery propagandist, fllibuster-
ing party, solemnly resolves at its meetings,
and announces on its platforms, that it is the
only national, conservative, constitutional par
ty. If it has become so in reality, we confess
that it is the most signal, rght-about face
movement, that even that party ever performed
and it has performed that evolution on most OF
the questions that have agitated the Country,
how the fact is.
The Democrats are in favor of the acquisi-
ton Of Cuba, at the expense of three or four
hundred millions of dollars, and war with
Spain if necessary.
This docs not seem to be an extremely con-
servative proceeding, in any sense of the word,
but is, we submit, the gravest and most seri-
GUS innovation upon any policy that could, with
the least show of reason, be called conservative
The Democrats are in favor of SO informed
ding with the present distracted affairs oil
Mexico, as to steal, or otherwise acquire large
territory In that quarter. Is this conservative,
or is it rather in pursuance of that " march.
march-march policy that Caleb Cushing, in
one of his Aightiest moments, announced as the
mission of this Republic? 1t seems, at least
to have the faint Of radicalsm.
The Democrats are in favor of Slavery, not as
an evil, which, all things considered, it is easier
and better to endure than to remove, but as q
positive good, benifcent and benign " type @
industry" They hold that Slavery must moi
only have the guaranty of perpetual existence
where it now is, but must be assisted to deyeloI
itself, expand over unnumbered square miles o
territory now free, and carry its moral and DO
litical blight wherever the flag of our Country
flies. They maintain that the freemen of th
Republic were in the outset pledged to this, anc
that the Constitution is the written evidence O.
that agreement; and they preach now that it i
treason to the Country, and sin against God
for the press, or the people of this free Countr,
to plainly speak out their utter detestation anC