The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1868-10-08
The Issues Of the Campaign.

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We adverted in our last, to some OF
the principal issues involved in the
Presidential canvass, and recur to the
subject again. The intelligent voter,
who casts his ballot from principal, and
is not controlled by passion, or swayed
by blind party zeal, will take survey
Of the whole subject, and weigh thor
oughly, all the issues presented to pub
lie consideration in the canvass before
him. To such persons weiaddress our
selves, in the remarks we have to sub
nit through this medium. a?ij !. 81
Nearly four years have rolled away
since the close of the unhappy civil
contest which CONFUSED this nation from
centre to circumference. Time enough
has elapsed for the Development Of a
policy, by the, dominant party, calculat-
ed to heal and cure the wounds inflicted
upon the body polite. But what has
been done? So far from making things
better, the Radicals have absolutely
made them worse; and they will con-
tinue to grow worse and worse, if that
marty is entrusted with fresh lease of
power, at the ensuing election. Dis
content and distrust will spread, North
and South; the burdens of the people
will grow heavier; taxation will be in
creased while the means to pay the taxes
will be diminished. The South, har-
raised and disquieted by turbulent,
demoralised, and non-productive popu-
latiod, will be unable to build up her
waste places, and contribute her wonted
share to the national wealth, casting an
increased burden upon the Northern
States, which will have to sustain, it if
it be sustained at ALL se9t 5s9'-
The reconstruction policy of Con-
gress, is Pandora box, full of all i'm
aginable evils. 1t has so demoralized
the negro that he will not work, and he
has become charge upon the national
treasury, through the contrivance of a
Freedman's Bureau. 1t has made me-
cessary standing army in the South, 10
keep the peace between the two races;
but, Notwithstanding the presence of the
military, murder and rapine are daily
occurrences, all over that section of our
country. Millions o. the public money
are expended to support this army, and
this Bureau; all of which would be saved
to the country, in the event of the cleo
tion of Seymour and Blair. For we
stake it for granted, that the Congress
ienal policy would be changed, sooner
or later, should the Democrats be REIN
stated in power. Congress would be
held in check by Democratic Execu-
tive, until the people could cleanse the
Augean stable of that corrupt and fecu-
lent body, and thus redeem the country
from under the curse which its domi-
nation has imposed upon it. General
Grant, if elected, would not do this.
He has told the country SO, in effect;
by saying that he would have no policy
of his own, to interfere with the will OF
Congress; and we have seen that the
aoiu of that body is the only charter by
which it is governed. The Constitution
is disregarded and trampled under foot
by it, and its defunct leader, Thaddeus
Stevens. had the hardihood to avow it,
publicly, on the floor Of the House.
Now, let the intelligent voter ask
himself, whether he wants this state Of
things. continued? Does he want Ito
see murder, arson, rape, and every inn
aginable i'll, inflicted upon the Southern
people? Does he want a standing army
maintained in the South, at the cost of
millions of dollars to the public treasu-i
ry? Does he want the Freedmen's Bu-
reau, at the cost of millions more, to
feed, clothe and educate the negro at
the public expense? Does he want to
give the negro full power with himself,
and make him his equal, by clothing
him with all the privileges and immu-
mites of citizenship? Nay, more, does
he wish to see the negro a preferred
class, petted, pampered, fed, clothed and
educated, at the public expense? Does
he wish to see the heel of the negro
upon the necks Of the white citizens of
the South Does be wish to see that
tair portion of our country laid waste,