, 1860-10-01
END OF THE DEnIOCRATIC PARTY.
4 very intelligent and fair-minded gentle.

a very lnteulgent and falf-Mlnded gentle
man Of this city, a member Of the Democratic
party. gave it as his opinion, within tie last
week, that tho Democratic party was hope
lessly disintegrated, aud that the last Nation
al Democratic Convention had been held.
Whoever will look over the field Of National
politics and study closely the movements and
aims Of parties, cannot fail, We think, to arrive
ut the same conclusion. It must be evident
to the most superficial observer, that the name
alone is all that is left to the oace compact and
powerful organization Known as the Demo-
cratic party The Issues which formerly d.
vided it from its old antagonist-tLc Whjg
pary-haye all disappeared, aud but for the
prestige Of its past sac:esse$ and the popular
import Of It's name, the Democratic party
would have gone out Of existence along with
its competitor, and Few organizations, based
upoa new issues, would have resulted. Tho
great fundamental ideas Of the OLD Democratic
party were these-a strict construction Of the
Constitution, each of lie coordinate branches
OF the federal government to BE- held rgidly to
the exercise Of only such powers as were clear
ly granted, cheap and simple government,
full recognition Of the rights Of the sovereign
States whether expressed OF implied, and Of
position to Class Legislation both by the NG-
,lonal and State governments. T-us to these
ideas, tho Democratic party fought the battle
against National bank, against internal I'M
provementa by tic general government within
the statea, against the distribution Of the sur
plus revenue among 1hs States, against tariff
Ad by the revenue wants Of the coy-
md !. established the independent
:. ,.. E. ystcm, and made government dues
- " ilY in the precious me:sls. These
1aesssan, having bgen all settled in accord
anoe with the principles Of tie Democratic
party, upon the national acquiesce6ce therein,
Us expressed in the Presidential election of
1882, the Wing party disbauied. In fact that
party never manifested any organic vitality after
the defeat Of its great caampioa-Clay-In
1874 The Presidential contes!s Of 1918 and
1852, were struggles for power rather than for
the distinctive principles o: The opposing par
tles, and were conducted ry the Whig party
mora with reference to the personal popularity
aad known integrity Of its candidates than to
any proposed line Of governmental policy.
Flushed With The many triumphs achieved
under their old name, it was not to be expect
ed that the leaders Of tbs Democratic party
would have any desire to abandon it, now
that their opponents h4d surrendered. But
while they c'ong to the name they gradually
abandoned every distinctive principle for
which it once stotd. Tbs old issues having
been disposed Of the only disturbing element
in American politics was the question Of Slave
y. The Democratic party at opce allied itself
70 an institution basci upon principles at war
with all the. Fundamental ideas Of Democracy.
From being in favor Of strict construction, it
yielded to the necessities Of it's new posi-
ton and assumed the utmost latitudinarian.
ism. Under Democratic exposition, enforced
by Supreme Court decisions, the Constitution
Of tho United States was made the warrant lor
tbs Indefinite e1tension ofslavery. Nth theyiew
to ita indefinite perpetuation, and to give 10 the
slave"power perpetual control Of the govern.
msnt Instead Of limiting each Of the CO.
ordinate branches Of the government to the
exercise Of such powers as are expressly
granted. tho Supreme Court assumed the
Tight to cit in judgment upon political ques.
fons; andthe party attempted again and again
to place IN the hands Of the Executive the
1'snt TO declare WAR; right expressly con.
1e'1ea ~ ths Constitution upon Congress. In.
stead Of favorins cheap government. and
nolo1aS all oi'cera to strict accouptabilitv It
run the annual expenditure up to one hnn.
d'ed millions Of dollars resortins to TIM ,no~+
corrupt us's Of the public money to ma;nta;n
Its supremacy. In a word, it reversed
svesy fundamental idea Of tue old Denoc-at;e
party, retaining only It's naue, which It n,a.
.'a cloak for its pcrversion Of principle and
its corrupt practices.
Thus it happened that the Democratic par,v
became an organised sy.tem Of deception end
corruption; and like all other evil thinyr Il
now finds that it has within itsen tbe = Ella.
rnsnts Of ih oun destruction. Va n.od mt