The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-06-04
From the United Irishman.
The Position of the Democratic
Party.

However anxious we may be, in accord
ance with the principles and policy of this
journal, to avoid the discussion of questions
that would be likely to lead US into the field
where party politics are in conflict, we, nev-
ertheless, deem it duty to cause dearer to
us than that of the American politician, to
speak our mind freely as to the present atti-
tude of the Democratic party, on the ques-
tions in dispute between this country and
England. Let us, then, at once, state the
plain truth, that the Democratic party, as at
present managed and led, is pro-English in
tensely, or, at least, is rapidly becoming
such. Not a Democratic organ can we pick
up without finding evidence to that effect
From the day that the Senate rejected the
Clarendon-J ohnson treaty, the entire press of
that party have been denouncihg all who dis
played the least spirit of hostility to Eng
land, and all their effects are devoted to the
denunciation of any position looking to-
wards bold and resolute policy in dealing
with the British Government. The New
York WORLD, the leading Democratic paper
of the land, has used all ITS great ability in
writing down the American view of the Ala
bama claim-and the COURIER of this city
has been no less industrious in the same di
rection. And such has been the key in
which have sung nearly all other journals of
the same complexion. Sumner, since he
proclaimed the crimes of England, has been
argued against day by day, and Chandler, for
having proposed speedy satisfaction or fight,
has been blackguarded and rdiculed without
mercy or cessation. They have denounced
And why they should specially single him
out for their wit and their anathemas, we
know no other reason than that he is a bit
ter enemy of England, and believes in the
annexation. or, if necessary, the conquest of
Canada. When we remember that it is the
Irish people who gave to Democracy its
strength and its solidity, its pro-English
tendencies strike one, at first view, as almost
ineXplicable, and lead inevitably to the con-
clusion that the leaders have profound con-
tempt for those from whom they have ever
demanded support, and been able to place
reliance.
We would like to ask the leaders and the
organs of the Democratic party if they are
resolved to pursue their present course? If
so, we can tell them that they may count up.
on the active and bitter hostility of the
Irich citizen, instead of his support. The
ties that formerly bound him, as with bands
Of steel, to the Democracy, have been great
ly loosened; it would only require little
longer continuance in a pro-English policy
on its part, to induce him to throw them of
altogether, and forever. The COURIER Of
this city must be aware that it is crossing
the path and decrying the aims of the Irish
people in its policy at the present time, Ire
lands friends and that they care little
whether such friends are Abolitionists o.
not? If it does not know this, it is mex
cusably ignorant of the feelings and wishes
of very large and vitally necessary element
in its party; and if it does know it, what ex
cuse dare it offer for the disdain and contempt
implied by its course? 1t would be well not
only for the COURIER to consider the above
: questions; but for all other Democratic jour
nails, to do likewise. The sooner they un
derstand that the Irish citizen believes tha
a war with England would be blessing botl
for America and for ireland, the sooner they
will cease to champion England in our pres
ent dispute, and the better twill be for the
party, and for humanity One of the rea
sons why the Irish people in this land hav
so generally attached themselves to the Dem
ocratic party has been that it was boldl,
American, and openly anti-English. This i
seems is no longer the case. The time
change. Let Belmont and the Democratic
leaders believe that the Irish are disposed
and fully prepared to change with them.
"Whom the gcds wish to destroy the
first deprive of reason"--QUEM DEUS vUL
: PERDERE PRIUs pEMENTAT, is proverb striE
g ingly illustrated by the present attitude an
tendencies of the Democracy as evidence b
3 its oracles. We know the masses are righ
s and will remain right can the leaders an
wlre-pullers afford to be wrong? Let theI
: look to it as they hope for, and desire futur
s success.