Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1864-01-14
Number 8.
TIE DrnocRArrc PARrY,

. 7 NC uASLOIJ Vi buc ucOcLuOCTdltC pATLl
!. Is the history of the Union. Witt
brief interruption, it hashad controi
of the government for fifty years
numbering among its leaders the frs
, ofour statesmen, and embodying il
, its policy the wisdom of the country
| 1t was strong because it appealed tc
the people; they trusted it because il
was pledged to the Union, and long
after 1t had quietly passed into the
: hands of men opposed to the Union
, 1t was believed to be the bulwark
: of the republic. 1t was never
easy to convince Democrat that
his party could be anti-national.
Its Southern leaders made a cruel
use Of the loyalty of its Northern
members, continually assuring them
that compromise with slavery was es-
sential to the Union. Who can meas
ure the devotion of the masses of the
Democracy to the idea of the Union?
1t was devotion carried to an extreme
which was idolatry; it stopped at
nothing. First the Democrats of
the North sacrificed their preferences;
lastly, their principles. They accept
ed even the hateful fugitive slave law
Why? Not because they hated sla-
very the less, but because they loved
the Union. Many partisan Of the
South in the free states writhed un-
der the disgrace of that law, but
submitted in the fond belief that it
was essential to the peace of the I'm
ion. Thus, the sacrifice proceeded
the Shareholders begging and bully
ing, the free man giving aims to the
supplicant, and yielding to the ty-
rant. Thus gradually the aims ofthe
party were distorted its principles
destroyed, its character debased
Every year it became less for the
| Union, and more for a section, until
it retained nothing ofDemocracy but
the hollow name. Then came the
revolution.
1t was a revolution of patriotism.
1t was the triumph of Northern indie
pendance. At once the STAKEHOLDER
took off the mask of loyalty, and re-
vealed the face of the traiter. Where
then stood the masses of the Demo
cracy? In the Republican ranks.
Almost as many Democrats voted
for Mr.. LINCOLN as Republicans; and
after his election, after the rebellion,
the best part of the Democracy, in
the noblest spirit, fully sustained his
administration. Even of those who
voted for Mr.. BRECKENRIDGE were
many who wisely and Loyalty aban-
dUned the name of the party, and
clung to its principles. If there is
any Democrat who regrets that his
party is no longer powerful and re-
spected, let him blame its Southern
masters; let him blame the men who
treated it as they did their slaves.
The party was weakened by slavery,
and finaly broken up by traitors.
But not one ofits services is forgot
ten and not one ofits principles is ex-
tinct. Its spirit has passed into
another form. All the good of the
democratic party is now built up
firmly and irremovably in the Ma
tional Union platform. All of its
best men are sustaining the present
Administration. The loyal Demo
Gratis who are prominently before the
country as friends of the Admins
tration are so many that we shall
not even attempt to name them
They are in the Cabinet, in the Sen
ate, in the House of Representatives;
they are generals in the army; they
are Governors of States. More thau
this, they are endorsed and followed
I by the most liberal and intelligent
of the Democratic voters-the mer-
chants, mechanics, farmers aud sol
diers - whose influence is felt,
though their names are unrecorded.
The men who still cling to dead
branch, and wait for miracle to
make It blossom, abuse the loyal
Democrats as apostates. Apostates!
| To what are they false2 Not to the
teaching of Jefferson, not to the ex-
ample of jackson, not to Democratic
devotion to the Union. If they are
false to the Democracy of Jefferson
Davis, Breckenridge. and Vallandig-
ham, they have made apostacy hon
orable; were they true to such leaders
they would show that even fidelity
can be crime. 1-cs1l
The Administration, in recog-
nizing the worth and acknowledging
J the rights of loyal Democrats, has
idoubly earned the trust Of all parties,
J and its example should be followed
| by all its friends. tits significant OF
d nobler policy than America has
known for generations; that none but
Union men are known to the present
4 Government. 1t has never admit
, ted the claim of any man who appeal
{ edto IL as a Republican or as a
Democrat, but has tried all by the
. superior test ofloyalty. 1t has uni
: ted the loyalty Of all parties, and re-
) PEELED factions Of every origin. That
lit has only received enniity and
abuse from the organization now
, calling itself Democratic is inmate
rial, for the true Democracy is with
. it, and will remain with 1t to the
end.APhaa. Press.
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