The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1866-04-10

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harem, the slave-pen, the auction block,
the shambles, the cofae-gang, and the
bloody lash of Ia chivalric Democrat as
he extorted unpaid labor from whipped
and fettered women"
-Four pages of his speech Mr.. Plants
desotos to this subject; putting arguments
into the mouth Of an imaginary autago-
mist and assailing them with the most uu-
ccnquerable determination. He builds
up a straw man, and then fercely attacks
him, tears him to pieces, and stamps him
ia the mud; doubtless feeling proud Of his
great achievement. His valer is equaled
only by that of an I.ishman during the
war.
Alter the battle a group we're Wanting
their exploits When all had spoken but
the Irishman his Captain asked:
"Woll, Pat, what did you do? any
thing2"
aAye that did I, Captain. 1 walked
bowldly up to one Of the inemy aud cut
off his fut."
"But why didn't you cut off his head,
PATTI" g
'0h, be ja5ers, that was cut off afore."
Mr.. Plants combat is precisely SINH
lar: he has vigorously attacked the dead
and rotten carcass of slavery, and bella
bored it most foarfully. But the practi-
cal Importance of his argument is better
illustrated by an extract from the play of
Sour American Cousin" as quoted BY the
Eaeairer: 81
Lord Dundreary-Will you have a
piece of cheese?
Young Lady-No, 1 thank you, 1 new
er eat cheese.
L. D.-Cheese is good; don't you love
cheese?
Y. L.-No. do not.
L. D.--Why don't you love cheese?
Y. LII cant say why I don't love it;
but l don't.
L. Docs your brother love cheese
Y. LII haven't any brother.
L, DIDO you think, if you had a
brother, he would love cheese?
In these four pages Mr.. Plants is sim
ply discussing the important question,
I'sDo you think, if you had a brother, he
would love cheese?"
The four succeeding pages of this har-
angue are simply o TRADE against the
Democratic party. Even in this he is
not original. 1t is simply the scraping
together and polishing up of the ratings
of the Abolition brawlers for the last
four years. He says the Democrats are
the ''accomplices of traitors" and that
u slain soldiers "eyery one of them
owes his murder more to Northern Dem
ocratic ballots than to Southern Demo
cratic bullets" Here is a aweet-scented
extract:
"Who had been the leaders of the par
ty for years? just the leaders of the re-
bellion, whom gentlemen. are clamoring
to admit again to the vacant seats by their
sides, that legislation may be expedited
by the bowie-knife and the bludgeon, as
of old"
Do such statements deserve a reply? If
Mr.. Plants were not a Congressman, what
would be the proper name to give such
assertions? In the school where he learn
ed to make them, is the only place whore
their appropriate names are used.
In his warfare against the Democratic
party, instead of bringing to bear the ar
of logic aud the small arms of
rhetoric, be has adopted the rotten egg
system of bespattering with epithet and
abuse. This may annoy and exasperate
enemy, but it will never defeat or de-
stroy one. But Mr.. Plants knows his
forte. aud has a right to choose weapons
suited to his capacity.
This speech deserves attention only be-
Mr.. Plants will be declaiming it
throughout this District next fall; our
readers will then have an opportunity of
if we have done the author, or
compiler, any injustice. True. we
do not know a Republican in the county
who wants him re-nominated, but they
cannot help themselves; they will make
wry faces at his speech, but they must
swallow it.
The Question Between thc Presi-
dent and the Radicals.