The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1862-09-19

| Tho history Of the Democratic
rarty would bo a most interesting
aud instrur ivs volume. Its last
chapter ia now being rapidly enact
ed. A few more mon b.. weeks, and
perha,s Il .ys. will number it etern'
ally with things OF the past. 1t has
become fact settled beyond contra.
di ;tion that treason exists in the
North--in tn, very heart Of the 10y
ii part Of the nat,on-and tha, il ia
croucbing a Id sheltered in the relic
OF thai party, just AS the banished
brigaud llics to tho cover olsOme old
ruin Of obscurity and projections;
I1ust as those loa,hsomo thingl which
ctd upon corruption, frequent or.
ganizati, N which are In the la t
stages ,i decay. The discovery in
the midst of the loyal states, OF that
latest, lowest and viest form, which
treason has assumod--,he secret or.
der OF the knights Of the Golden
Circle-must speedily call for the
crushing hand Of the government.
and its ident ticaton with tho Dem
ocra,ic party necessarily devolves it
in destruction.
The student Of republican institu
tions, will find in tho history of that
party, an inv Unable study. Lns-
sons arc here furnished, which
ought to secure a government, which
has learned them from hard expert
ence, as ours ha', from the repetition
OF such disasters as We are now la.
boring under, for centuries to come.
The fact that the haresy of secession
had its origin during Democratic
administration and in q branch OF
the Democratic party, that it WAS
nurtured ana grew under the pro
lection Of influences - which that par
ty tolerated, il it did not encourage
for thirty long years, and that il
eliminated in open rebellion and
disorganizaiion in tho last days OF
that party's power, must fix, withou,
go much IA "a question, the verdict
which the future will pronounce up
on it's character and its memory.
BY those remarks il must not be
understood that we deny to the De.
mocratic party, in any of ts stages.
the possession Of many virtues. -
Far from it, Its origin was unques
tionably pnre and full OF promise
its early, and much Of its subsequent
career will fill many o. the brightest
pages of our national record facts
10 which alone can be attributed the
nnwonted tenure OF ils power. -
Even TO the late period, it must red
in its ranks, many honorable aud
worthy nance. Nor need we be
surprised at this, when we recolIect
the prestige OF its forr Or glory and
the brilliant associations VIII ch its
name had clustered about it.
An enumeration OF the distn
guishsd individuals who, from time
to time, have abandoned it's con,
nection, would be full Of Interest -
First in order, W. have such men "a
Silas Wright and Thomas II. B.n,
ton, men wLo had fought tho hard
battles of the p,rty IN the earli r
and better days, until it, pri 'cipIes
had become 30 thoroughly fix d in
their hearts that even political hopes
were surrendered in preference. =
When they saw tie party | a hegun
to abandon iis frat principles, they
abandoned it, Next in order we
have LYMAN Trnmbnll, Preston
King, Wee l'reei lent lIamlin, and
a host OF others, o. equal influence.
who, at a later period, deserted The
party on acc iunt Of a still more fla
grant abandonment OF primo p o. -
Ii tot all, when the eellion broke
out and the Union demanded the
undivided allegiance Of all true men,
many persons Of honest purpose, but
OF unusually strong party attach
ments, whp 'ad clrng 20 It un'il that
hour-of whom we might mention
Major General Bsni .nin +, Bnller
and y mel S. ck'nson, as disiin.
suished examples turnel their backs
upon it forever. Since that time the
organic uion has been in tho hands
Of men OF tie Val!andigham, Blight
and Modary school, who, II not act
ual traltois, prize party, and tho po
silions it affords, above country. -
Eeen Dousl las, that atron. and chiv.
alrous part'zan gladiator, beiota his
death, WAC vrtu lily driven from its
ranks, having lost the support OF its
cent o,ling minds.
Oae impGr'art co'nci lence will
not escape tho otservat on OF III,
student Of the history Of tb,t party;
namely; tina. tho point at which its
Visible decline began, 10 the po n o
which the organization of the first
political anti slavery party WAS e
fecttd, From that period the t@ll Of
tho ono corrosponded with the rise
OF the othtn Nor is this at all to
be wondered at, when tho cause Of
Tho downfall ol the former Ia under
stood.
The Democratic party, in tho day
OF ito pride, became the Victim OF
misplaced conHdeuce, IL extlnd d
ito support 10 slavery. which proved
q parasite, twining Itself about Il
az tho vlps swines round the tree = e.
Wbila vvovibo In jts shattow ani