Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1861-03-13
Democracy not a Failure.

The enemies Of a free, representative De-
moeracy, In this country as well as in the
monsrchieal governments Of Europe, have
asserted, that the late difficulties under
which this eonfederacy Of States has labor
ed, prove that Democracy, as a system, has
failed, To our view, !, proves the reverse,
No revolution Of the same magnitude aud
Importance, has ever before been produced
by the same means, and attended by the
same results. Seven States, acting upon
(" the inherent rights" Of the people, TO
change or abolish" their form Of govern
ment, whenever the objects for which il
was formed, should fail,-aeiing upon these
priaeipia Of all free governments, We say
that seven States have seeded, changed
their political relations, but not their form
Of government, and established themselves
upon firm basis, and erected themselves
into q government that bids fair to eclipse
the glories 81 the old Confederation, nom
which they have ASSOCIATED themselves,
This change has been effected without
bloodshed 50 far, and carried on with the
irresistible tide Of popular feeling, sus'
tanned aud yiyihed by the virtue and in
telligenee of free people, who planted
themselves squarely upon their inallenable
rights, seized the priceless boon Of freedom
and demonstrated their capacity, not only
for self government, but their ability to
maintain and defend their rights, Demo-
oracy Is only failure, where the people
clanot or will not maintsin their Inherent
rights, and govern themselves aceorn'..s
In the great struggle that is now progress
Ing, they have shown, ineontestably that
they can, and they will dare maintain, al
all hazards, the blessings Of a free dcmoc-
raey. The sovereignty Of the people, unit
ed and harmonious as the swelling tide
that dashes the scum and drift into the
breakers surf, has uprisen in its majesty
and proclaimed in laundering tones that
the people will be free and will have none
but a representative republican govern
mcnt, and equal rights wherever floats our
flags, and co-terminous with the limits OF
the Confederacy.
Contempt for the virtue and intelligence
OF the masses, was n leading feature Of the
old Federalists, and to this day is the inheri-
lance OF their descendants and followers
This sentiment has just been powerfully
rebukcd, in this State,-A majority Of per-
haps 10000 votes, proclaims 10 disorganii-
ers and carpers that our people know their
wants, and above all, know their rights
and knowing them, will dare maintain
them. So far, the struggle has been blood
less, and we have the astonishing spectacle
OF new government combining thousands
Of millions of dollars worth Of property,
quietly dissolving its political relations,
by virtue of their Constitutional, inalicn-
able rights, and erecting itself into SYM
metrical structure of the grandest proper
tions,-and all, without . treasury to he
gin with, without an army or navy, rely
ing solely upon their democratic principal,
the right of the governed to choose their
own system Of government, and to alter or
abolish as seemeth good to them.
Verify, If our democracy is n failure, it
cannot be seen from our stand point
commend all such failures to us.