The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-11-20
The Democratic Party.

The following article from the Charles
ton Aercury contains valuable historical
information:
The vitality of the Democratic party
during the long period of disaster ana ost oe-
feat from which it seems now to De :, 1T ias'
emerging, affords food Tor much phllosoph-
ical reflection and inquiry. In all govern
ments. whether republican OF monarchical'
which are controlled in whole or IN part
bv fhe voice of the people, 1T is usual,
when a party has been beaten at the polls,
~ sock some new issue, to modify or
change the platform, and even to adopt
new name if deemed necessary to success.
Snch has been the history of parties in
France and England, and such the course
of the opponents of the Democratic party
in this country. But through evil and
good repute, the Democratic party has ad-
-hered to its principles and stood by Its
name. The constitution as written, not as
interpreted to suit the views of tickle
and interested majority, is the cardinal
idea and soul of the organization.
From the election of Lincoln in 1860 un-
til this Fall the Democratic party has met
with series of reverses which might nat
ural be expected to destroy it forever asa
political organization, and its enemies have
not been slow to declare that such was the
case but in every election during that
time it has gone to the polls with brave
words and banners flying, and has sus-
tained defeat without Encouragement.
Previous to the war its principal strength
had always been at the South, whose i'm
portance would have been swallowed up
and whose prosperity would have been de-
stroyed by consolidation.
Cut off by the war from this source of
strength, and opposed to the war on prin-
ciple, OF supporting the war only as q
means of restoring the Union as it was, it
became stronger or weaker as the Urion
armies were defeated or victorious. The
final triumph of those armies left it in an
apparently hopeless minority. 1t seemed,
politically, dead. The sympathies of the
vast majority of the voters in the States
to which the politica.. battlefield had been
narrowed, had been carried away by the
success of the Republicans; and that
party seemed to have obtained q perma-
nent title to power, as the party which
had saved the Union from dsmemberment.
Yet, to-day, we see plainly that the Demo
Gratis are rapidly regaining the control of
the government.
The Democratic party is to-day grandly
victorious, while it was for six years re-
peatedly and Overwhelmingly defeated.
What is the explanation of this change !?
The party certainly has no prestige OF sue
cess. 1t has no appeal to the passions of
the people. 1t has had no such prospects
of success as to attract the seekers after
plunder Why then does it succeed ?
Simply because its principles appeal to the
sober second thought and common sense
of the people; because its principles are
those of well-regulated. liberty; and be-
cause, by consistently adhering to these
principles, it is now able TO offer chart to
guide the country amid the dangers into
which it has been led by its opponents,
and which the people begin to see with
their fearful results.