Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-09-26
MATT. CARPENTER ON THE
DEMOCRATIC PARRY.


sues as follows.
"My steady support of the democratic
party ptior to the war was and is well known.
L was educated to believe that true demo.
cracy, taught by Jefferson, consisted in the
greatest good to the greatest number, with.
out regard to nationality, race or color. IN
this belief supported its candidates. If |
was mistaken in this, then was acting un-
der mistake of fact, which would author
ize Court of Equity to relieve me from the
consequence df the votes cast for that par
ty. But however this may have been, the
war raised an issue above patty politics. 1t
was then evident that there Could !.b but
two classes OF American citizens, those who
supported and those who opposed the gov
ernment. AT first it was my hope and ex.
pectatlon that democrats, under tho lead of
Douglas, would esponSe lie side of the gov.
ernment, and unitedly aid in suppressinr
the rebellion. The first speech made was
IN company with out-and out democrats
Az hag-rasing in Milwaukee, in the spring
OF 1851, spoke from the same stand with
lion. James 5. Brown; subsequently, with
Hon. George b. Smith at Elkhorn and af
terward with Hon. ii. l.. Palmer at Fond
Gu Lac. In ihese speeches we all advocated
the old democratic doctrine of STANDING bv
the government and sending armies against
rebels. These meetings were held for tbe
purpose OF encouraging enlistmonts to All
up our regiments.
soon after the meeting at Fond du Lac
however, there was a meeting of a few demo
Gratis in Milwaukee,, to which was not in.
vitcd; where, as | understand it was deter.
mined that some check must be placed up.
on the popular currents which seemed to be
moving in favor of the government, lest
they should lead to support of Mr.. Lin.
coins administration and thus damage the
Interests OF the democratic party. This was
in 1862. Az this meeting It was resolved
to call state convention to show all demo.
Gratis what democracy was, and to call back
Chose whose patriotic impulses had led them
too far in advance. This convention met
and adopted au address, which disclosed
the fact that no man could sympathize
with the government and denounce the re.
bellion without being excluded from the
democratic fold. had then to elect
whether l would abandon the support of
the war or be considered an outsider. J
chose the latter, and thus became separated
from the party.
"ln 1864 we were in the midst of war.
No political issue was under discussion. The
great question of the hour related to the life
of the nation. The democratic party had
gone sadly astray, had dishonored its his
tory and disgraccd its founders by its oppo-
s!tion to the war. Nevertheless, | then
thought it not impossible that when the
war should be ended and slavery abolished,
that party might accept the situation: re-
turn to the practice of its own principles
become once more what it had formerly
been, the progressive party of the country
espouse universal outrage become the
champion of the rights of all without re-
gard to national birthplace, race or color
and thus, by being what it was designed tc
he, ontstrip the Republicans in the race o
radicalism. | believed, too, that the Irish
element which is the old guard of tha
party, would insist upon this course rs thu
best means of exhibiting to the world an ex
! ample OF universal liberty and equal right,
before the law, which might shine acros:
the ocean to ilumine the darkness of down
trodden Ireland. Up to this time, though
was wholly separated from the democratic
party, had not called myself Republican
Indeed, while we were all exhorting demo
Gratis to support the government without re
gard to party ties It would not have beer
in exceeding good taste to have announce,
myself as Republican,. There was grea
force in counsellfug the people to throw of
all party ties and be neither democrats no
Republicans, but patriots, until the wal
should end. There was great force in ap
peal to democrats to desert their party ano
act independently in the support of tn,
government until peace should revive asail
the necessity for parties; this exhortation
employed all through the war; and do no
| thlnk IL would have been strengthened, no
| hnnntlRInnf off 4
| companled it with the announcement that
had lett the democratic party and Joined til,
Republican party.
u waited long for the consolation of Is
rael, but it came not and after the Chicago
Times made its earnest and gallant appea
to the party to plant itself upon the time
honored principles it had professed tc
adopt negro suffrage, and by putting itself
once more in sympathy with true democracy
to retrieve the blunders of the past and
after the party had not only rejected bu
spurned this wise counsel, and even tn
Times, under the lash of Brick Pomeroy
had shrunk back from its suggestions o
truth and wisdom, and returned to its wal
lowings,' 1t became perfectly evident, as
had long before concluded, that the demo
cratic party of Jefferson and Madison haC
ceased to exist, was dead, burned 5eneat
the rubbish OF the past, aud hence fort
there was to be no opportunity for support
ing the great principles had at heart, ex
cept in the Republican party.
"The nomination which declined to b
a candidate for was conferred upon my dis
tin2uished friend, General IIalbert f. Paine
and took the stump for him, and did every
thing in my power to insure his election
Indeed, l have cordially supported ever.
measure and every candidate of the Repub
licsn party, state and national, since 1861
And if man is to be classed 10 politics b!
what he does, not by what he calls himself
if the servant who said he would not go bu
went, is to be approved rather than the on,
who said he would go but went not, then
might reasonably claim to have.been Re
publican since 1851 in everything except the
name. And if calling oneself Republican
is conclusive Of the fact, then Mr.. Doolittle
is the best Republican in the state to-day
indeed, he says he is the only one, the party
having left him standing alone upon its plat
form.
"The issue which will divide the country
for the next twenty-five years haye resulted
from the war, and the position of both par
ties is now firmly aud finally taken. Those
who supported the war will support the
measures the war rendered necessary, and
these measures will be opposed by those who