Winchester journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1862-1863, 1863-09-18
THE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.

I NNSAt NAlAiN&tloA Va sAN -
Of American Society, is from re
cent article in tie Nep York EpeniHg
Post:
In the best democratic societies
there are, Of course, remains OF old
traditionary wrongs, like slavery IN
this country, which viii prove the
source OF discomfort and conflict; in
the best democratic societies, too,
there are multitudes, some of native
and others Of foreign origin. who
are not Yet educated up 10 the level
of their own institutions. and who
+ furnish the aTt material fer mobs;
and in the lest democratic societies
there viii be politicians who are de-
termined roeues, bending all their
selfish powers TO the corruption Of
/ sentiment and legislation; but the
I entire tendency Of such societies,
like that of a healthful body. is to
bring all these disturbing clements
to the surface and then slough them
of. Freedom implies investigation,
it implies agitation, ii implies strug-
gle, until whatever is incompatible
with its own buoyaIt and progress
sive spirit is discovered and cast out.
Its inceSsant activity, its external
turbulence seem TO the stranger like
discord or the utter absence Of we'll
regulated control, when they are in
reality bat the wholesome process
Of publication, but the effects, more
or less animated-convulsive it may
be at tiInes-by which we put away
the evils that obstruct the influx of
a better life Thus the public order,
which in more despotic nations is
reached only by stupid, irrefective
sentiment of loyalty, by a slavish
terror Of power, by state craft and
hypocritical diplomacy, and by the
systematic degradation of the mas
ses, is here the result Of consious
thought, Of reasonable conviction,
Of genuine inward respect for the
rights of others, and of a deep-seat-
ed sentiment that the individual
man, in obeying the general will,
succumbs to no foreign or unfriend-
ly power, but merely accepts 6 will
which is likely to be wiser than his
own, or which if not wiser in the
long run, is the best for the time.
We do not, then, feel at all humil-
lated because civil war exists in this
country, knowing as we do that it
originated in the anomaly of slavery,
of which we are in fair way of get
ting rid, we do not feel humiliated,
except on local grounds, because
terrible riot has disgraced the N
tropolis, seeing how necessary
was that certain political festS
shoSld come to a head, and how
fectually they were dispersed
we are not at all frightened
fore, by those portentous prq|
Of calamity and ruin which
us from London and the Sod
canse we know the stuff of "
our societies are composed. We
know that since the shareholders
have forciblv extruded themselves
from the political pale, there is 10
class among Us which is not honest
w and earnestly devoted TO the pub
lic good Our farmers, our mer-
kchants. our mechanics, our working
men, feel to the iEmost iibres of their
being, that the public veal is the
rf;vate veal. Those who are not
animated = that great truth are
the exceptions. not the rule; those
who here sympathize with secess-
ion do it clandestinely rather
than openly; those who encour-
age the mob are assigned to op-
pear outside of their earrets and
holes, and the greater part 0T-slen
are temporarily deceived, and VIZ
come right; while the mighty heart
Of the people is unmistakably loyal
Loyal to the constitution, loyal TO
the laws, loyal TO liberty and TO or
der, loyal to our democratic organi-
zation, and only in the name Of those
great principles can any be seduced
for a moment into an attitude of an
tagonism 10 this prevailing devotion.
Here, then, Is capital fact which
our foreign maligners and southern
prophets OF evil fail TO see They do
not see that we in this country are
more than simple government or
politv, that We are a great, livn 2 and
unitary society, which having seri-
ousv set Itself To work 10 do justice
TO all its members, - organize itself
In strict accordance with the funda-
mental truth Of human brotherhood,
is cordially approved and upheld by
nj who belong to it. Of course, We
have done our work as yet imperfect
": we are still struggling with the
diseases Of the social system; we
abound in vice and crime; we give
away 10 an accursed lust OF gold, We
indulge in hideouS prejudices Of race
and color: we listen too willingly
70 the Establishments of political
scamps: but, because we are making
so grand an attempt, because we ac-
knowledge the rights Cf ali men, en-
deavor to secure them by just laws,
and open Ia mankind the amplest
uses OF the benefeence Of Proyi-
dence, we must win .he love of the
whole people as We propitiate the
blessing Of God. For the first time in
human history a nation is formed OF