Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-11-28
secret PoIltIcaI OrsanIzatIonn.

!
We could not bring ourselves to anything
nors than bare federation Of secret poliu-
cal societies. even under the extraordinary
circumstances of the last two years Of
Republican rule, True, tho open assem-
blage Of American citizens, to exercise
the Constitutional right Of free discussion,
was put under the ban Of An arrogant mil
itary authority, which sometimes dispers-
ed public meetings. and sent our speakers
to prison or to exile. True, the adherents
of Absolutism, the foes of Democracy,
and Or Constitutional Liberty, met ia
"secret, black, and midnight' conspiracy
armed with the bayeneted rifles Of "the
Government" provided with ample sup
plies of ammunition, ball-eartridges inclu.
sive, aud boasted their readiness to "pro-
serve the peace" Ivy the slaughterS Sf cop
porheads There was = seeming juStihca'
ton for the organization known as the
"Sons of Liberty :" but it was snly see"a-
ing, as the event has proven. That or
ganization was futile for the achievement
of any political or party purpose and
manipulated as it was, by mercenary
scoundrels, who were bought up TO betray,
hired to lie, and paid in dollars for every
breach OF faith with men whom they had
lursd into crime, the Sons of Liberty"
proved worse than failure for the accom-
plishment Of what we doubt not were the
lawful and commendable purposes for
which its founders designed it. The
emergency was grsat--the exigency i'm
perative. The dangers, the wrongs, the
outragss, the unprecedented calumniss to
which the Democracy were subject, begot
crisis in the history of the party. 1t is
TO be dsplored that the means adopted were
so inadequate to the occasion, as to impeTii
the organization with utter and irremedia-
BILE wreck, while they obviated none 81
the ills to which it was subjected. The
error, great as it WAS, will not be without
its compensation, if we are wise euoug h to
learn the lesson which it teaches. Consign
secret organizations to the nses of men
with whose political character they are in
harmonious existence. 1t is fitting that
the assassinS of liberty should meet in hid
den chambers, guarded by sontries, and
speak their foil purposes in whispers
SO low that the walls, even if they had
ears, could not hear, and might not divulge
= But let the glorious Democracy, whC
have no purpose that they would hesitate
to confess to their God, no aspiration tha
will not win the applause of the cotempora
ry and on looking world, and of the genera
tions which are to come, meet in the ligh
, Of day, and proclaim their principles
time-honored and historic as they are, il
i, tones so load that all may hear, and il
a terms so explicit, that ali may understand
r Let us be patient. Let us bide our time
Be our trust mistaken in the people
When we cease to trust the people, th
designation Of our party will be miSno
mer, and we ought to abandon the name
and bid tbs organization perish. Trus
the people. They are prejudiced, but the.
mean we'll They are deluded, but the
n are honest in their delusisn. 1t is incOn
+ ceivable that they would knowingly an
l. wilfully sacrifice the freedom which, tho
o inherited, in common with US, from con-
e mon ancestry, and which belongs Of rigl
to their poSterity, as well a. to our
Trust them ; believe in them, though the
are now adverse to us in opinion, or eve
hostile to US. The day is coming. it ma
yet be remote, or it may be very nea
= when the whole people, forgetting anciel
a grudges and animositieS, will join ii
Q. Democracy in demand so loud, SO in
y psrative, SO universal, fer the restoratiO
u of Liberty lost, for the rehabilitation of
Constitution trSmpled under foot, that Il
throne Of despotiSm, how securely so eve
- - its builders may imagine the foundation
er to have been laid, will crumble in utt
and irreparablO ruin.
n The Vote OF Ohio.