Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1862-02-07
Democracy and Estate Rights.


Democracy and Estate Rights.
There has been so much bowling on the
part of Democratic newspapers and politi-
tians for the past three years over the State
Rights Resolutions passed by the Wiscon-
sin Legislature in 1859 that one would
naturally suppose that an opportunity for
wiping them out would be eagerly seized
by Democrats in the legislature particular
" us out of it they have never failed to de-
nounee them in the NEST unmeasured
terms To be sure eur Democratic friends
have been somewhat inconsistent in the
matter, for the resolutions spoken of are
substantially the same as those passed by
the Kentucky Legislature in 1898, which
have been endorsed and re-endorsed time
and again by Democratic Conventions
to which the Democrats Of Wisconsin who
have talked the loftiest about the moral
and political turpitude of the Republican
Legislature of 1859, have unfortunately
committed themselves the oftenest. The
fact that they have thus stultifed them
selves did not seem to abash them in the
least, for they kept on with their abuse Of
the Republican party just as though it
was the only organization that had ever
been committed to any such incendiary and
monstrous doctrines as those they claimed
the resolutions complained of promulga-
tscd.
These resolutions seeming TO imply some
justification for secession, and Democrats
having charged that the seeding States
have only undertaken to reduce to prac-
tice the doctrines preached by the Legisla-
ture in 80, it was thought best 10 repeal
the resolutions spoken of and make the re-
cord Of Wisconsin, what it should be, pure
and unsullied, showing that she is a
loyal and law-abiding State Accordingly
resolutions to that effect were introduced
in the | legislature at the beginning of the
present session which had tho hearty sup
port Of every Republican, and to wish it
was supposed Democrats. as matter of
course, would yield correspondingly
cheerful accquiescence. No opposition
was expected from any quarter whatever.
We notice however, that when the resolu-
tions, together with Senator spooner's
preamble came up in the Senate to be ac-
ted upon, several Democratic Senators
voted against them as will be seen by the
following vote:
Ayes. -Messrs. Bartlett, Bean, Browne,
Carey, Cate, Cole. Flint, Foote, Hazelton,
Hopkins, Humphry, Jeiner, Kelsey, King
ston, spooner. H. s. Thorpe. West and
Young lis.
Noes.-Messrs. Clark. Cunning, Hicks,
Hudd, Keough, Pratt, Quentin, Rich and
F. o. Thorpe. %.
We confess to q feeling of surprise at
the announcement of this vote, and the
backing down that it shows on the part of
the Democracy from the position they have
SO vauntingly taken upon this question:
We cannot understand it. It may be that
when they came to see that vote to re-
peal the Wisconsin State Rights Resolu-
tion was a vote denunciatery of the Balti>
more and Cincinnati platforms, their
minds underwent a sudden change and
they concluded that it would not do to
sacrifice the latter even though they must
face tbs music" and impliadly vote in ia
vor of the former. 1t was bitter pill no
doubt, but having now voted against the
repeal of the resolutions they have been
so long denouncing, they can at least aft
ord 80 hereafter keep quiet. 1t will not
look we'll for them to throw any more
stones at the republican Legislature of
1859, for they now live in glass house
themselves