The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1860-12-06
The Democracy and State Stocks

The DemOcracyan and State Stocks
The Democratic party seem to have
lost all recollection of the history Of
the formation of our American Union
and especially the objects for which il
was organized. That party now days
is in the habit of estimating the value
of the Union, according to the market
price Of State and bank stocks. The
triumph Of any principle of human
right is undesirable, if it have an unfa-
vorable influence on the money mar
ket. Liberty can afford to be trodden
down and hooted out, provided the
banks continue to discount freely
Texas may hang Methodist ministers
by the dozen, but it is only a trihing
matter, so long as it does not affect
State stocks. Men may be tarred,
feathered, whipped and driven out Of
the country, on mere suspicion of pre-
ferring freedom to slavery; but if it
causes no panic in the monetary affairs
Of the people, it is all well enough
The cotton States may expel from their
limits, men, women and children, for
the crime Of having been born north Of
Mason & Dixon's line, but if trade and
commerce are not affected thereby, it
is no great matter the Union is safe
enough provided the price of negroes
is not deprecated, and provided al
ways, that that kind of property does
not get loose.
Such appear to be the notions ofthe
modern Democratic party in respect to
the true mission of our Government.
The leaders Of the party are busily pa
rading the decline of State stocks, and
the arrangement of bank currency, as
an evidence Of the bad policy of the
Republican party, and the disastrous
effects of the election Of Lincoln and
Hamlin. Principles which are essen~
tial to the maintenance Of free Repub-
lican institutions-principle such as
are enumerated in the Declaration OF
independence, and which our forefath-
ers deemed vital to the existence ofou
form of government, seem to be Of lit
tie or no account with the modern De-
mocracy. Brisk trade, good markets
and liberal bank discounts weigh down
the inalienable rights Of man, and are
the chief ends for which government
was established The cardinal doc
trines OF the early statesmen Of the
country,which they deemed important
10 healthful public morality, and the
happiness and we'll being of mankind,
have become myths. The Democracy
do not stop to enquire whether the
election of Lincoln and the inauguraN
ton of the Republican party will tend
to restore the country to the principles
enunciated by the signers Of the Dec>
laration Of our national Independence,
and the rights sought to be secured by
the trainers of the Constitution. These
considerations are altogether foreign
to the Democratic mind.
The trainers of our National Consti>
tuition declared it to be the true intent
and purpose of the people of these Uni
ted States to promote the general
welfare and secure the blessings of
liberty to ourselves and our posterity."
The inalienable rights of man to life,
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness
were the central ideas of the founders
of our American Institutions; how to
secure these to themselves and to those
who were to come after them, were the
absorbing considerations. The idea
Of putting State stocks or commercial
prosperity in the scale against liberty
and right would have been scorned by
our Revolutionary forefathers. In this
later period of our political history, the
order of things is lsed. The De-
mocracy count trade, commerce and
stocks the evidence of good governs
ment, and the highest proof that
the nation is fulfilling its true mission.
Lincoln's election has deranged banks
and stocks, therefore they think it con
elusive that the government is on the
retrograde march. Such is praetjcally
the reasoning the Democratic press
es throughout the country.