Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1862-11-20

The Democratic Party.

Inc Democratic Party.
The student Of republican institu-
tons will find in tho history of the
Democratic party an invaluable study.
Lessons are there furnished which
ought to secure government, which
has learned them from hard experience
as ours has, from the repetition of
such disasters as we are now laboring
under, for centuries to come. The
fact that the heresy of secession had
its origin during a Democratic admin
istration and in the Democratic party,
that it was nurtured and grew under
the protection ofinfuences which that
party tolerated, If it did not encour-
age, for thirty long years, and that it
eliminated in open rebellion and dis.
organization in the last days of that
party's power, must fix, without so
much as question, tho verdict which
the future will pronounce upon it's
character and its memory.
BY these remarks it must not he
understood that we deny to the Demo
cratic party, in any of its stages, the
possession of many virtues. Far
from it. Its origin was uuquestiona-
ably pure and full of promise-its
carly and much of its subsequent
career will fill many Of the brightest
pages of our national record--facts to
which alone can be attributed the un.
wontcd tenure of it's power. Even to
late period it mustered in its ranks
many honorable and worthy names.
Nor need we be surprised at this,
when we recollect the prestige of it's
former glory and the many brilliant
associations which its name had clus-
tered about it. .....
An enumeration Of the distinguish
cd individuals who, from time to time,
have abandoned it's connection, would
be full of interest. First in order, we
have such men as Silas Wright and
Thomas II. Benton, men who have
fought the hard battles Of the party
in the eallier and better days, until its
principles had become SO thoroughly
fixed in their hearts that even cherish
ed associations and political hopes
were surrendered in preference
When they saw the party had begun
to abandon its first principles they
abandoned it. Next in order we have
Lyman Trumbull, Preston King, Vice.
President Hamlin, and host of others
of equal influence, who, at later Pc
riod, deserted the party on account Of
a still moro fragrant abandonment OF
principle. Last of all, when the re.
:. bcllion broke ont and the Union de-
manded the undived allegiance of all
true men, many persons of honest
p"-po.o, Lot Of unusually strong par
ty attachments, who had chung to il
until that hour-of whom we might
mention Maj General B +. Butler and
Daniel 5. Dickinson, as distinguished
examples, turned their backs upon it
forever. Since that time the organi-
cation has been in the hands of men of
the vallandigbam, Bright and Mahony
school, who, if not actually traitors,
prize the positions it affords, above
country. Even Douglas, that strong
and chivalrous partisan gladiator,
before his death, was virtually driven
from its ranks, having lost the support
of its controlling minds.
One important coincidence will not.
escape the observation Of the student
of that party ; namely, that the point
at which its visible decline began, is
the point at which the organization Of
the first political anti-slavery party
was effected. From that period the
fall of the one corresponded to the
rise of the other. Nor is this at all to
be wondered at, when the cause of the
downfall of the former is understood
The Democratic party, in the day
of its pride, became the victim of mis-
placed confidence. 1t extended it's
support to slavery, which proved
parasite, twining itself about it as
the vine twines round the tree. While
growing in it's shadow and strengthen
ed by its support, it continued gradu-
ally to infuse the poison Of it's views
into all its parts, until its very life
currents were infected. From that
hour its doom was sealed. Since the
disclosures Of the connection of many
of it's acknowledged leaders with Sc
cret reasonable associations, no truly
patriotic man need hope for its resto-
ration to power. Suspicion has
attached to it, which in politics is as
damning as conviction. Its record
has been spoiled.
That the name will be retained and
the organization attempted to be car
ried on for period longer, is even
probable. That such should be the
case is perhaps even desirable, since
under present auspices and manage
ment, there will be no liability of mis-
understanding it's purposes and the
material Of which it will be compos-
ed. and it may serve as a useful
means OF distinguishing the true men
OF the country Oh the one side. from
the traitors, open and secret, and those
who are passive and neutral, on the
other. Made up Of the disaffected and
tho disappointed, it may drag on a