The Shasta courier., 1864-04-09
NUMBER 6.
Crossed the Rubicon<


In the time of the Roman Republic, it was
the custom to take criminals and traitors to
the Tarpeion Rock aud hurl them headloue
to ignominious death. The thing now called
Democracy has gone to the fatal precipice
voluntarily. In the beginning of the rebell-
ion 1t boldly crossed the boundary of patrio
tsm and became an outlaw it took one step
too far; and in the very desperation of mall
eiactor, II has gone onward and onward, un-
til when 1t would return, the sword of State
revolves before IT in swift circles, and it is
appalled, ly the maledictions of loval peo.
pie. Hell yawns in front, and the Sniais of
popular execration- roll their thunders and
flame In the rear and having committed the
sin objectionable in the gospel Of patriotism,
the guilty wretch becomes animated with sne
desperation of the damned, and leaps down
into the black eternity of infamy, like the
outcast Lucifer from the battlements of heav-
en-.
" am Democratn used to be as proud
an exclamation as was that other, q | am
Roman citizen ~ But. oh how fallen and
to what an unfathomable depth Should
maiied warrior or robed senator rise from
the monumental shadows where Caesar tri-
umphed and Rienzi wept, and exclam .'I
am Roman citizen r the mighty generations
should the glorious old man of the Hermitage
unbar the shrine at which great natioa
worships, rising like Samuel in the dark days
of Israel and exclaming. Il am a Demo-
crat y the hearts of the people would shrink
with shame that hero flushed with the glo-
ries OF Immortality should pronounce name
so infamous. Who will say g | am a DEM
ocrat' when the sun of national glory be-
gins to unfold his dazzling splendors all over
the Great Republic? What hero of this war
will ask the historian to record him a Demo-
crat? Alas, for " hat was once glorious, ma
tional and great! Democracy has become
synonymous with treason it is word con-
traband in the vocabulary of patriotism, and
at which the lip curls in irrepressble scorn
and the nostrils quiver as though tortured
with an intolerable stencil
Oh that brave old party which for more
than half century bore the banner of the
new Republic so proudly, has become infinn
and faltering. When the lightnings of war
began to iaunt the skies, it fell upon its knees
and continued to offer its pitiful intercessions
to naughty rebels who spurned its shivering
carcass with their feet, and spat their secre-
tions in Its blanching face. Nothing can
heat the watery blood Of the importunate das-
tard. The calls of country in distress are
in vain the derision of whole world is i'm
potent-there is Democracy, devoutly down
on its marrow bones, with clasped hand and
upturned eyes, apostrophizing slavery and
watery-eyed peace
And yet this thing Democracy claims to be
the representative OF an aristocracy. An ar
istocracy whose only claim to the title is the
vulgar, sordid one of owning negroes an ar
! istocracy sgniell can barter lis own offspEiug
for gold sell the child from the mother, and
dispose Of female virtue and loyelipess at
anction an aristoeracy whose only appro-
pirate crest is a trembling negro couchant,
bloodhound regardant, CORY lash rampant,''
American Eagle.