Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-12-05


IF their is one principle more deeply in
terwoven with the fabric of Western De-
mocracy than another,it is that of opposi-
ton to the elevation of the negroes to full
political equality with white men. The leg
islation of all the States in which they have
had majority proves this fact. Nowhere
In the free States have the laws regulating
the negro race been so radical and far-reach-
ing as in the West, and nowhere have they
been so uniformly enforced. While the civ
il rights of thenegro we respected and guard
ed, he has not been permitted to approach
the ballot-box or to become portion of the
governing class. When these facts are ta-
ken into cosideration, it is not wonderful that
the movement of the Chicago Tines should
create decided sensation among the De-
moracy in that section of the Union The
people en- naasse are opposed to the new po-
sition of the Times, and the Democratic
journals are unanimous in theI denuncia-
ton of this abandonment of one of the car
dinal points in the Democratic faith. The
Illinois Democratic country press, in par
ticular, do not sympathize with the Times
since its apostasy from the old land
marks of the party. If Democracy had
any cardinal principle at all, it was unquali-
fed opposition to negro suffrage in all forms
The Times is not going to take any consid-
cradle body of the Democracy into the camp
of the Radicals. The Ottawa Free Trader,
after declaring the Times proposition "bru-
tally insulting" to the Democracy, adds:
We could respect the Times even yet, if it
made professions of an honest conversion ::
but to be tuncoat from no higher motive
than cold, selfish, hypocritical, time-serv-
ing expediency, is more than contemplate.
If the Times has determined to cut loose
from the Democratic party, why, much as
we shall miss the keen, caustic pen of Storey,
we can only say, in the language of the
great Nose, letter went" 1t has said
many good things, and some bad ones Al
| ways pictorial, it as often chilled as it warm
ed the life-blood of the Democracy. We
shall try to survive its loss.
The Cairo Democrat declares that 'the
Times is not a favorite with the Democracy
of Egypt 1t may teach the weak to bend
in Chicago, but it will have no influence to
change the sentiments of the Democrats in
| that partof theState. The Bureau County
Patriot also repudiates the course of the
Times upon the negro-suffrage ISSUE, and
announces the conclusion of the Democracy
of that region to stand on white man S
platform, and fight it out on tllat line, !"
whether victory comes early or late.
7 These expressions of Democratic prinei-
ciples from the West show that the attempt
to fire the camp of the Democracy by the
negro-suffrage torch has failedin that part of
the cunotry. The Democracy will not agree
that the foundations Of the constitutional
party, laid by Jefferson and his illustrious
associates, shall be undermined by the dark
and turbid stream of exdediency on the ne
gro suffrage question. They know the first
surrender of principles will lead to others,
until all the distinctive MAJ ks of the party
viii be destroyed. IF for expediency, for
the poor and beggariy pittance of few off
ces, the Democratic party yield to this fanat-
ical spirit on the negro question, the next
demand will be that they abandon their po-
sition on the tariff issue, on the currency
question, and all others upon which they an
tagonize the ruling aud dominant faction.
| The position of the Times is in advance in
that direction If the Democraticforce are
moved to that point, the transfer can be more
easily made, and union consummated by
which the me-honored flag of the Democ-
racy viii be trailed in the dust, and the ban
ner of bigotry and fanaticism will be raised
in It's place
This movement has been repudiated by
the sterling Democracy of the West in most
unmistakable terms. They viii notabandon
their old principles, orstrike hands with such
men as Butler and Stevens and Sumner and
Wade and Phillips in their efforts to destroy
the Union and the Republic at the same
blow. They viii not sever themselve from
the party of the Union upon this issue. IL
Gnois will not abandon Pennsylvania in the
hour of danger to white men and their lib
critics. The old platform of the Democracy
is still broad and strong enough to hold the
party in all sections of the country. Inthis
State the Democracy are opposed to negro
suffrage and equality. Upon thisissue there
can be no compromise. The tone of the
Western press shows that the same sent;-
ment and spirit of determination prevades
the ranks of our Western brethren. a few
may waver and talk of concession. The
many are as fixed as fate. Thus united the
truth must prevail at last IF the Demo
cratic party remains unit, they can wealth
er the storm of bigotry now howling through
the land, and preserve those liberties which
for more than half a century were guarded
by Democratic men and fostered by Demo