The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-07-04
LANCASTER. OHIO, july 4. 1867.

,
moment II turned its back on It's
own fundamental principles, and
openly and nnequivocaIIy discard
ed the Declaration offndependepce
that great evangel Of American de-
mocracy. the doom of the party
was scaled. As long as it was
possible 20 cover up lie apostacy
or 10 dodge the real Issue, the
masses clung, with the old affec.
tion, 70 the democratic name,
though the democratic spirit had
long departed. To that lingering
delusioh Pierce and Buchanan
owed their election. But wien
perversion and equivocation were
no longer possible when the party
which the people had supposed to
be the party Of equal rights boldly
unfurled the banner Of slavery and
aristocracy, when it preached
political inequality, and even en-
couraged treason in order to de.
feat the very principles to which
it owed its origin ard former power,
its days were numbered, and its
might was gone. Quem, perdere
Uuh Deus, dementdt."
With incomprehensible blind
ness, the Democratic party, un-
taught by sad experience, persists
in its suicidal course. At a time
when democracy and general en-
franchisement seem to be the un.
mistakable drift of the age in
America, as we'll as in Europe, the
Democratic party wages an unre-
lenting war on tho very principles
to which it owes its birth. Instead
of appealing to all that is noble
and generous in human nature
appeals which, almost always,
prove irresistible-it appeals to
the prejudices Of the rabbIe and
to the hatred and passions of the
vulgar and the vile. II has desert
ed its fundamental principles. 1t
has placed itself in direct aniago.
nism to the political history and
cherished traditions of our people.
1t has placed itself in antagonism
to the spirit of the age. 1t has
placed itself in antagonism TO its
very name, 1t has placed itself in
antagonism to the spirit of Chris
tianity, which teaches that all men
are the children of one Heavenly
Father, before whose throne of love
and justice no distinctions are
recognized. 1t has placed itself,
in antagonism to the religious as
well as to the political views and
convictions Of a great majority of
the American people. How, then,
in the name of common sense, can
it ever expect TO succeed2
1 repeat, Mr.. President, the
blindness of the Democratic party
is incomprehensible. The warn |
ing voice of the Chicago Times
was raised in vain. The Democrat.
ic party persists in course which
it must know to be fatal. 1t per-
sists in opposing what it knows
must come, and partly has come
already. 1t must know that i'm
partial suffrage, as matters now
stand, is only question of time
Sooner or later it will come. The
Democratic party knows that it
can not be prevented. Why, then,
does it vainly try TO stem the cur
rent which will sweep it away? :? |
Why does it throw itself under
the wheels of the car the course of |
which can not be arrested ? Why |
does it persist in saddling itself
with the weakness, and in bearing
the odium, of the most palpable
inconsistency Why, knowing the
instincts of our people to be Dem.
ocratic, does tstake its all on the
fruitless attempt to uphold an
aristocracy of racer Why will it
sacrifice it's very existence by
persisting in its appeal to a pre-.
judice which ii knows to be rapidly
wearing away I can account for
it only in one way. 1t is the
lllusory hope of temporary success
that leads it on 10 a wilful destruc-
ton of all its hopes and expecta-
tions for The future. TO the vain
hope of fcarying few local elections
in doubtful districts, it sacrifices
its fundamental principles, its con-
sistency, and its only chance of
partially atoning for its disloyal
record during the war.
But, sir, after all, sit is not my
funeral" on which 1 have been
commenting and 30 I shall leave
the Democratic party to it's fate.
1t need not make us sorry to see
that our opponents are incurably
blind. If the wicked we're not
occasionally struck with want of
foresight, this earth would be a
very comfortable place for the right
eous.
THE PRESENT ATTITUDE OF THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
There is nothing in the present
position of the Democratic party |
calculated to appeal to our sympa-
thy or commisseration, or to make
us forget its wickedness during the
war. 1t persists in urging on the
South to obstinacy and passive ro-
sistance. Ithas not yet repudiatcd
notification and secession. It has
not recognized our existence as a
nation. 1t still clings TO the prin-
ciples that plunged us into civil
war. The men that favored dis
solution Of our country, and during |
tho war sy mpathized With the ene-
my, are still tho leading men Of the
Democratic party. The Nalandig |
hams, the Pendletons, Voorhees,,
.s.s - a L