Litchfield enquirer., 1867-03-07
Historical.

Seson'J years ago the naTno DemocIauc "as taken by party which then deserved the title. It was the party of progress, of liberal ideas, above all, the party which trusted the ,rhole people and was trusted by them. Under the leadership of that father of radicalism, Thomas Jefferson 1t succeeded because it deserved to succeed. The head the guiding intellect of that party was then as 1t ever since has been, in the South Such pro- gress, such democracy, therefore, as was consist ent with slave-holding, it was capable of and It was capable of no more. The impetus given 1t by Jefferson died with him. He carried radical ism as far, in fact farther, than shareholders could afford to carry it. After him, Democrats be- gan to degenerate into demagogues, always talk ing of freedom and equality, rarely doing any thing for them So that when at last real freedom and equality began to be talked Of, Democracy" opposed them rebelled against them, and risked it's reputation and existence in the contest which followed. For four years Democracy" fought against freedom with bullets, where it was strong, at the South with ballots, where it was weak, at the North until it's head was finally stricken If at Appomatox Court House. But it is with par ties as with animals-the lower the grade, the longer, in such case the extremities show signs of life. The tail here ill Connecticut wriggles per- haps the more vigorously because there is growing suspicion that it can wriggle but little longer. The composition of the party is exactly what, from circumstances We might expect it to be. It has gradually lost it's best men, and it has gained in their stead the worst men among it's oppo- nents. It has gained ''Old Line Wings who loved slavery, and ''Old Line Wings" who loved rum it has gained mean men who feared the na- >o:- who feared the nation might require their services ill the field it has gained such aristocrats fear the enfranchised negro may prove their superior, and such other aristocrats as desire peasantry to support in Old World style the gentlemen who make the laws; it has, worst of all, gained con- modity of fossils who believe in nothing who con- demn anything like progress, who, from inordinate sef-contemplation, have to think that the world is in the last stages of degeneracy The Democratic party has lost in the meantime host who are to-day numbered among the most earnest, tho most energetic, the most radical of Republicans It is not surprising, therefore, that ship which carries much ballast and so little sail makes no headway, in these tampestuous times.
 l AS is always the case with those who support decaying institutions the party clings tenaciousy to the forms of that Democracy whose practice they have so long neglected and at election times they go through the time-honored motions with a gravity that it is amusing to behold, just as the Pope at stated seasons washes the feet of his Car dinals, with much solemnity as if it meant some thing, as if the empty form established real re semblance between himself and the Master, whose vicegerent he professes to be. Just now the De mocraey are making cheap parade of their affec tion for the working men Of ofConnecticut-d doing un conscious penance for the sin of their opposition to the grand effort Congress is making to raise thu condition of labor from that of dependence oI capital to that of independence, to overthrow completely system which made bodily toll dis reputable throughout one half the national terri tory. Queerly enough, they seem not to notice thu dom in the Carolinas, and yet protesting friend ship for the poor man in Connecticut of thei opposing capitalists, yot nominating none but cap italists to the ost important offices; of their de nouncing the purchase and coercion of poor men votes, while they nominate men whose sole politi cal accomplishment is that of purchasing and co ercing votes.
 For thirteen years, now. in succession, have they expnaad their worn-out political machinery before the public. and every time have the people laughed them to scorn. Yet as each spring comes around they bring out the same venerable shams again unaware, apparently, that there can be such 6 thing genuneness and sincerity in politics, and supposing the time will yet come when their an. oient devices will once more take in an intelligent public.