The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-01-18
UNION AND HARMONY-THE CLEVE-
LAND PLAIN DEALER

Occasionally we see a copy of the F2ain
| Dealer and one or two other papers in this State
in which some of our most prominent men
are alluded to. Our classification of certain
politicians is we'll known, without particulari-
zing. This special class seek broil upon all
occasions, unless they hold appointments under
the Federal Government. The general tenor
of this class is about the harmony and interests
of the great Democratic party-a matter of
which they are entirely Ignorant by instinct,
education or principle. If honesty is the mo-
! tive of this class they certainly pursue q very
singular cours. 1t cannot be expected that
| SO desir able an object can be accomplished by
publishing and endorsing the hbels Of the most
depraved abolition organs in this Union against
| the present Administration which asa unit, Pres
identssand Cabinet, have always stood by the
Democracy and raised their voice in defence
of its men and principles, when its traitors
forsook, and the timid quailed, beneath the ter
ror of the enemy On the contrary, if such
cuorse is pressted in, it must result most dis
asterously to the cause, by making our contest
the mere struggles for men, whilst the princi-
pies for which we should contend, are entirely
lost sight of. In our opinion the only legiti-
mate object for which a Democratic paper is
established is to promote the great principles
of the party, and whenever it becomes prosti-
tuted to any other purpose, or degenerates into
the mere tool of a mere faction, and lends its
aid to the distraction and convulsio of the
Democratic Family, it is high time that Demo-
Gratis should know it. Its motives may be
pure.
The Plain Dealer is certainly the first paper
claiming to be Democratic, which we have
seen lately, that caught up, revamped and en-
dorsed the slang falsehoods of Abolitionists
against the Democratic party and the present
Administration. Labels that are often too re-
voting for Republican confirmation, are read
lily snapped up and eargerly transferred to the
columns of that paper, stamped with its seal of
epprobation. Nor has this been the case in but
one, or even two instances. It is regular
system-lt is the established policy of the
paper. Its aim and its ends are evidently to
disorganize and break up the Democratic par
ty-and it becomes every true friend of Jeffer
sonian principles when he espies a suspicious
craft of that kind, whether upon the ''briny
deep" or upon the 'tpoltical wave, % to examine
well its colors, scrutinize its papers, and-to
expose its nefarous designs. An honest Dem
ocrat never uses the same language, politically,
that Republican does.
The class we speak of have been making an
effort for the past year to get up an excitement
about men, etc., while our issues with the
common enemy should claim our undivided
attention. For months have we silently OBJ
Jcrrea-t4ees a;ser-a..iaiAzs movements with
the greatest solicitude, in the vain hope that
this class wonld conclude, not that there were
only 'G1ANrs in other days." but in other
States.
We have spoken thus briefly and to the
point. Our position is exactly as follows =
We cannot be induced at any time, to enter
into controversy with Democrats about men,
or minor questions of expediency, mach less
at time like the present, when every con-
sideraton demands our united and harmoni-
Gus action. We should know no distinctions
among Democrats. All are one and belong to
the same political family and he that would
be constantly throwing fre-brands into our
mdst, ex, iting dissensons and heart-burnings,
certainly cannot have the success of the Ma
tional Democracy of this Union at heart =
StubenuiHe Union.