The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1865-05-27
THE .FU TURE OF POLITICAL
PARTIES.

the sole purpose of supporting the Admins
tFation in the war for the suppression Of
the rebellion. Assuming that the war has
terminated, what becomes of the Union
Party ?"
r The Democratic party during the same
period has steadfastly defended the rights of
the States, and the liberties of the citizen
1t has labored for the restoration and preser.
vaton Of the old nation before the war. In
the new nation that has arisen out of the
war, what is its future?
The Democracy differed in enc material
point from every party that has ever borne
a name in this country. 1t possessed a heart
as well as head. Liberal, generous i'm
pulses and instincts, and strong, far
reaching intellect, blended in its composition,
directed its policy. 1t had warm sympathies
and, as the French express it, {" "a long
eyen It has always been composed of men
who instinctiyely hated every form Of OPP
preston, whether of mind, body or estate !;
who were willing to live and let live; to
attend to their own affairs, and to allow to
all others the like privilege whose sympa-
thies naturally chung to the cause of the
weak, the helpless and suffering of their own
and of every nationality. It's predominant
characteristic as party has always been
ToLERATIoN. In their private capacities, its
adherants were almost universally noted for
their liberality- in their intercourse
with their, fellow men-in thsir religion--in
acts of charity, hospitality andssocial happi-
ness. "The greatest good tosthe greatest
number was the text Of political duties. It
was these broad, humane and social senti-
ments which brought the Democracy together
in the earliest political association. The
desire to be free from. the offcious inter-
meddling of busy-bodies and half-headed
fanatics-the desire to possess and enjoy to
the fullest extent the highest freedom con-
sistent with their duties to God and society,
primarially lead them to adhere to, and
prefer their own local governments to any
other
This unconquerable love Of civil and per-
sonaf liberty was the germ of all the political
heatsland contests which have excited three
generations Of parties. 1t preserved the
sovereignty Of the States, and fortified their
rights with the strongest of Constitutional
provisions, that they might remain the last
land strongest fortresses for human liberty
against the assaults of intolerance and bigot-
ry, whatever form they might take-religious.
political, or social. They knew in local gov
ernments alone could free institutions be
preserved. The history Of the world failed
to show an instance where the Genius of
Liberty had long found place to lay her
head within the limits of vast and consoli-
dated Government. A eepublic might live a
thousand years, as San Merino perched upon
the ridges of the. Alps, bnt the whole world
organized into one. republic would not exist
as such single day, because its interests
could not be Identical, and the will of the
distant majority would be as intolerable a
despot;sm as the will of Single individual.
With the sovereignty Of the States as its
basis, the mind of man could not conceive
the point to which the boundaries of our
country might not expand, will, safety, peace,
freedom andsglory to all its people. Without
these local rights of self-government, expan-
sion was disintegratien. Withoutthe fullest
confidence in this security, the acquisition Of
Louisiana would not have been made by
Jefferson; Florida and Texas would have
still been foreign soil. Through the admirable
distribution of poWersAvpowerS DELEGATED to
the Federal Government, and powers RESERVED
to the States, each working harmoniousy in
! its own assigned sphere, the Government be-
came indeed "the best Governmentthe sun
ever shcne upon; the States became the
cement Of the Union,-and here, too, the
Democracy gained the title with which they
were long derisively tainted" Union Sd
vers."
| Thus, just, liberal and conservative senti-
ments aud sympathies first moulded the
democracy together in joint and hearty
association. Thus State Rights became the
keystone of the temple wherein the. Democ.
racy worshiped. twas the.soul that instilled
life into the party, gave form to its action
furnished tia purpose, that gave " cunning tc
listen fingers, and the strength of Hercules
to it's right arm 1t was this that enabled
it to Vanquish its enemies under the Thousand
/