Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-07-03

10 the political history and enefishe'
traditions of our people. 1t has places
itself in sntagonism to the spirit of tn
age. Ithss placed itself in antagonist
to its very name. 1t has placed itsel
in antagonism 10 the spirit of Christi
anity, which teaches that all men ar
the children of one Heavenly Father
before whose throne of love and justic,
no distinctions are recognized. Il hal
placed itself in sntagonism to the re
ligious as well as to the political view
and convictions of 8 great majority O.
the American people. How then, II
the name of common sense, can it eFel
expect to succeed?
Irepest, Mr.. President, the blindnes:
or the Democratic party is incompre
hensible. The warning voice Of the
Chicago Times was raised in vain. The
Democratic party persists in a course
which it must know to be fatal. II
persists in opposing what 1t knows must
come, and partly has come already. 1t
must know that impartial suffrage, as
matters now stand, is only q question
of time. Sooner or later it will come.
The Democratic party knows that it
cannot be prevented. Why, then, does
it vainly try to stem the current which
will sweep it away? Why does it throw
itself under the wheels of the car the
course of which cannot be arrested ?
Why does it persist in saddling itself
with the weakness, and bearing the
odium of the most palpable inconsisten
cy? Why, knowing the instincts OF
our people to be Democratic, does it
stake its all on the fruitless attempt to
uphold an sristocraey of race? Why
will it sacrifice its very existence by
persisting in its appeal to a prejudice
which it knows to be rapidly wearing
awayf 1 can account for it only in one
way. 1t is the illusory hope of tempo
rary success that leads it on to wilIful
destruction Of all its hopes and expec-
tations for the future. To the vain
hope of carrying q few local elections
in doubtful districts. it sacrifices its
fundamental principles, Its consistency,
and its only chance of partially atoning
for its disloyal record during the war
But, sir, after all sit IS not my funerap
on which have been commenting; and
so shall leave the Democratic party to
its fate. It need not make US sorry TO
see that our opponents are incursbly
blind. If the wicked were not occs-
sionally struck with want of foresight,
this earth would be very comfortable
place for the righteous.
TIE PRESENT ATTITUDE OF THE DENocRAT-
&c PARTY.
There is nothing in the present posi-
ton of the Democratic party calculated
TO appeal to our sympathy or commits
Grafton, or to make Us forget its wicked
ness during the war. 1t persists in urg-
ing on the South to obstinaey, passion
and resistance. 1t still refuses to rec
ognize the results of the war. 1t has
not yet repudisted notification and
secession. It has not recognized our
existence as q nation. 1t still clings to
the principles that plunged US into
civil war. The men that favored dis
of our country, and during the
war sympathized with the enemy. are
still the leading men of the Democratic
party. The Vallandighams, the PEN
dletons, the Vorhees's are still its rep
resentatiVe men, the authors of its plat
forms and the expounders of its doc
trines. They lave not changed their
views. They have retrscted nothing of
their former declarations. Their party |
Is sowing the seeds of reputation and
dishonesty. It carefully nurs-
es q disposition to faithlessness which
would disgrace Us in the eyes of the
civilized world. It still clings to the
barbarous doctrine thst local msjorities
may trample on the rights of individu-
als, and that there is no authority in
The Federal Government to which in
iividuals can appeal for protection
The States, according to the Democrat
c party, must determine the legal status
md the rights of individuals, and may
,urtail them ct pleasure. A man is not
freeman, because he is an American,
mt because theState Of South Carolina,
ieorgia, or Heaven defend u.s. the
tate of Kentucky, graciously doles out
pom which the mob will be encouraged
o trample. The Democratic party, as
low constituted, does not believe in
ights born with the individual; it only
elieves in rights conferred by State.
We say, the American first, and the /
Ientuckian afterwards. The Demo
ratio party says, first the Kentuckian, ,
be Carolinian, the Aiabamian, and last
{ all the American. We say the
.merican has certain rights which |
-entucky must respect. The Demo- !
ratio party calls this Capitalization, /
nd says the American has no rights T
ut those which Kentucky, or Mary J
md, or South Carolina has pleased to {
rant. In this respect our disagreement
ith the Democratic party is radical I
hey say first the rights Of States, and !
len the rights of man. We say first +
le rights of man, and then the rights a
States; because States were made for I
len, not men for States. We are in a
vor of complete local and municipal !
'lf-government, but we claim that fun 4
amental and inalienable rights are 4
ational and must not be interfered I
ith or trampled upon by accidental J
subdivisions or tyrannical 4
cal majorities. What would be the I
'e of having Federal Government, if :
should not, in case of necessity, throw q
Ter the poorest and humblest indi- I
dual the protecting mantle of Ameri- y
N freedomi Indeed, cannot under =
and with what right our opponents r
i'll claim the name of Democrats. They :
q opposed to every fundamental >
-inciple of Democracy. They are
,possd to equality before the law.
ley are opposed to the very theory on
hich our government is based, and =
ey hailed and encouraged the blows q
at were struck at its very existence P
Their leaders are peace-men, when .
e country is at war, and menacing 8
,itstors and seditious instigators, when e
q country seeks to re-establish peace. q
leir subserviency and compliance had a.
ought on secession; they prolonged d
g war by encouraging resistance; they 7,
W endeaYor to prolong the present .
ate of uncertainty and transition by s.
unseling agsinst submission. In theo- o
they are opponents of the sublime o.
ca of q great American nationality c.
sed on liberty and human rights; in o
actice they are disorganizers and Il
archists. Deserters from the pFinci- Al
es of true democracy. they scof at ali K
g noblest impulses of our people, and y
belittle our great nation "
struggle. They keep the wounds of e e
e war from healing by studiously SOW 81
2 discord and fomenting ill-will be- al
een the TWO sections of the country pa