Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-10-21
THE XII KLUX PARTY.

= ALD - IA-Al
A warrior loves a foeman worthy Of
his stefan eagle does not like to fght
a buzzard, nor mastif a whifet The
base character of an opponent may din
the lustre of an otherwise glorious victory,
and in this respect the Republican party
is info rtunate, especially at the present
time Never did party avow its prin-
ciples and policy more openly, and claim
support on the ground of merit alone,
more than the Republican party; and
never did a party resort to low knavery,
trckery and disposition more generally
than does its opponent, the copperhead
party. We do not allude particularly to
such acts as throwing stones at Tanners
and sprinkling hall floors with pepper to
disturb Republican meeting, as occurred
in this city last week, and which are
practiced only too gsneralIy Throughout.
the country, for such acts are deprecated
by the better class Of Democrat but we
refer rather to the manner in which the
campaign is being conducted by the De-
mocracy at the present time: The secret
political organizations Of the South have
extended throughout the whole country,
though of course the violence and blood
shed which characterize them there DO
not exist here in our more settled state
Of society. Yet we consider that the
form of the Ku Klux organization as it
exists at the North, and here in Water.
town, is just as dangerous to nat onal
liberty as that at the South. The secret
oaths and plottings the undetermined means
by which they seek to accomplish polit-
cal ends, and all the hidden machinery
for carrying on the campaign are alto
gether contrary to the genius Of our insti-
buttons. In old times Democrats used to
love to turn out en- masse for the purpose
of hearing the questions Of the day open
ly discussed-but not so now; as night
comes on modern Democrats" sink off
to some hidden retreat, and like band
of counterfeiters, locz the doors behind
them, and hold secret ''political' meet
ing. What policy and plans must those
be which cannot bear the light If they
are right, why should liberty-loving pa
triots engage in a clandes.ine effort to
carry out the principles of the Declara-
ton of Independence or to uphold the
Constitution? If they are wrong no
words OF condemnation are too strong for
such foul conspirators. To what straits is
Democracy reduced How absurd to
imagine Jefferson or Jackson, the great
founders of the party, as engaged in such
proceedings as their so called followers
now delight in, aud stealing furtively
away to some obscure haunt to talk over
national affairs with their disciples. We
almost wonder that the spirits of those
great men and Douglas do not return in
wrath from the other world to haunt these
sacrilegious decorators of their names
and principles.
1t is plain that the end of their organ
ization is at hand-but little more than
the dregs of Democracy now remain.
All purity, patriotism and public spirit
are gone-only the lust of power and
capacity for low chicanery are left. The
debauched, blear-eyed and besotted wreck
of once noble party staggers up to final
judgment, and on the Sd Of November
next will be buried by an indignant and
outraged people beyond all hope Or pos
sibility OF resurrection.