The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-09-08
Emeraen EtheridSe and Democracy.

SneFsoni AstneTAuBo End DemOcrncy.
There Is not, says the Mobile Reaister,
a citizen in Alabama who once belonged
to the noble Old Wbig Party, in whose
ears the name Of Emerson Etheridge
does notsouhd as household word. In
his recent great speech in Haywood
County, Tennessee. he thus addressed
himself to people of every political COM
plexioh, and especially to the Old Line
Wings, who were present:
He called for gentleman (NIr. Cole)
not then present, who said he hated the
word Democrat. He, the speaker, was
no apologist for the Democrats. But
what is in a name?' In this progressive
age, names soon lose their party signifi-
canoe, and mean anything or nothing.
Let us not now be looking to the past.
In the name of heaven let us look to the
future. The Democratic party has pre-
served its identity in the Pacific States,
New York, Kentucky, Maryland and
Delaware only, but grant that it had pre-
served its organization entire, it shows
that it was better organized and has more
vitality than the Wing party, which was
dead years ago. But let me tell you now
that if you find an old Democrat out in
the woods behind log praying for the
return OF the Democratic party to power,
You will find an old Whig close by pat
ting him on the back. Talk of not being
able-as some of you do-to join ''the
old, efete, corrupt and rotten Democra-
cy"-why, anything is preferable to Ten
nessee radicaism-a thing sm qene,ts,
q monstrosity that had no progenitors.
and pray heaven that it leave no posteri-
ty! Applause. Grant you that the
Democratic party, during its long and
sometimes brilliant executive reign in
power, was jstained with crimes of its
leaders, too often unscrupulous in their
efforts to maintain that power; to its
honor and glory be it said that it de-
spoiled no man of his liberties without
trial by his peers. It robbed no man
of the franchise; it was not in favor of
great monopolies; it was not the cham
pion of high taxes; it was not guilty of
that stupendous piece of folly-the boast
that 50 public debt is public blessing;"
1T imprisoned no man; tried and punished
no man without due process of law; it
established no drumhead courts-martial
IN time of peace; finding no bastiles to
pull down, it erected none as n monu-
ment OF its existence, it was not guilty
OF that most Infamous of rallying cries,
"salus popMi suprema le.c." To the
complete organization of the Democrats
of the North; to their heroic manner of
resisting alike all threats and blandish-
ments; to their watchword, "The Union
as it was-the Constitution as it is''-to
them alone we owe it that tile bond.
holders dream of imperialism is not m
accomplished fact. Grant that the De.
mocrats were all rebels. For the four
years that they held sway in Richmond,
they never passed law disfranchising an
old Union for loving the old flag, or
praying for the safe return of the boy
who went to fight for it. These things
that the rebel Democrat didn't do in
time of war, the radical camp followers
did when the war was over, and in time
OF peace. Talk of rotten Democracy,
indeed. Tennessee radicalism makes the
meanest Wing or. Democratic regime
seem bright.