The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-09-10

~ If the platform adopted at Chicago
is that OF the Democracy" how happens
1t that all the old doctrines Of the party,
those they have sworn by 90 long and pro-
claimed immutable, should be omitted a.
together. Why this singular histus?-
Why have ali the ancient planks been
kicked outl Why have all the venerable
landmarks been thrown down?
The answer Is plain one to us. Democ-
racy used to mean loyalty to tho Union
It meant fidelity to the Consultation ana
laws. It meant undertaking devotion %
the honor and dignity Of the Nation. Il
meant the defense and maintenance OF re-
publicanism and the rights Of humanity
In q word, Democracy formerly meant
Democracy. In former times the great
mass Of the Northern Democrats detested
slavery honestly and heartily. They saw
it was absolutely inconsistent with the
possibilityof true democratic institutions.
They felt this truth and gave it utterance.
But the leaders Of the party were always
the slaves Of the slavemongers, and they
saw that this national adherence Of the
institution must be ,subdued or that they
would lose their positions and power for
ever. They set about it, and very soon
they accomplished their purposes 50 far As
the party platform was concerned. They
made it intensely pro-slavery. In doing
it, to be sure, they droves Of forever
the best men Of the party. They split
the Northern wing in two in doing it,
The great mass Of the really honest
and intelligent democrats came out
from among them as soon as they discov-
cred that Democracy was only another
name for the worst and most intolerable Of
despotisms. The party was divided, aud
hence it came that the true democracy Of
the country, those who really believe in
the supremacy of the Constitution and
laws, at last came into power. The real
leaders Of the democratic party, forthe last
thirty years, have been studiously engin-
eering the party into the adoption Of des-
potic principles, have been constantly
trampling under foot all the inalienable
rights of man. until, at last, we have q
democratic rebellion against the Constitu-
ton and the laws, avowedly to build up q
new nation upon the corner stone Of hui
man chattelhood. 4stsws ST
In this outrageous attempt to destroy the
Republic and establish q perpetual tyran-
ny, the leaders of the northern democratic
party deliberately concur. They mean,
they desire, just what JET. Davis means
and desires. They want to rid themselves
as Davis says, Of the rule OF the majority.
They want q minority, not merely to rule,
but to rule despotically. They have re.
belled In the South, for this purpose, and
In the North the democratic party leaders
sanction both the end aud the means.
1t is not strange, therefore, that the Chi
cago Platform ignores and puts aside for
ever, the ancient principles Of democracy.
They think their followers are at last edu-
Gated up to the point of mere instruments
for the execution OF any perfdy their lead
ers may set before them. They rely upon
the infatuation of the credulous and the
bsseness Of the vile. Aud they therefore
cut loose from all true democracy, and
have constructed a platform on which no
honest man, who com prehends its meaning,
could stand for an instant. It deliberately
offers to sell out the Union to traitors, and
asks the men of the North to sanction the
national parracide! The Chicago platform
is not that Of democrats. 1t is that Of reb-
els. II is rebellion itself.
~ Behind ali the superficial and APP
parent issues of the hour, lies the funda-
mental one, ''ShaU we have gooersnaent
Of idw or a government Of forcee
Go around il, try to conceal it, attempt
to boot it down, as you will. it lies, q huge
boulder Of granite, in our way, only en-
veloped in the mists OF numerous unim.
portant side issues and questions, which
may blind the hasty and thoughtless OBJ
server, but cannot dslude those who seek
to penetrate beyond them.
The Rebellion is itself an armed and vio-
lent protest against the obligations impo-
sed by the Constitution and the laws. The
revolt was without apology or cause save
in the mere will and purpose Of the trail
tors. The Constitution was made by our
fathers. It had long been interpreted by
Judges who by education and inclination
leaned to the side Of the slavemongers.-I
They had themselves had complete and
absolute control Of the National legisla-
ture. There was no law on the statute
book which they had not either enacted in
their own interest. or might not have re-
pealed il they desired. They still had the
Supreme Court. They had majoritv in
| the Senate at their command. It was inn
possible that any law could be enacted
without their assent. No Interpretation to
Constitution or laws could be given ad
| verse to their peculiar views. Ye. despite
this position of absolute security, the South
rebelled even while the man they had
made President still occupied that post