The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-08-24
Important Questions,


q speech to the late Democratic State
Convention, held at SacraniGhto, which
abounds in political wisdom. He reviews
the two great parties Of the country ,and
| by the acts of each holds them up to
public Judgment. SO great is the infu-
ence Of prejudice and habit, that it re-
quires q frequent recurrence of facts,and
renewed observation Of established po-
litlcal landmarks, to arrest the tendency
to stray from safe precedents and com
nit the public destinies to the keeping
of those who defy constitutional re-
straints and govern by their own will
In running a parallel between the two
parties and contrasting their principles,
Gov. Haight says:
The fundamental difference between
the Republican party and the Democratic
party is that the latter manifests jeal-
Gus regard for those personal rights so
highly valued by Americans and so care
fully guaranteed in the organic laws of
the States, while the Republican party
seems to lose SIGHT of these and trample
them under foot in pursuit of centralized
power. As al illustration Of this, in
brief, the. Democratic party has never
sanctioned or tolerated the suspension
of the writ of habeas corpus in States
! Of ,ot,Jn1 hn,
tilities, nor has it ever justified or tolera
tied the fOrcible seizure of citizens not
lin arms. and their trial before military
commissions for otfenses cognizable by
Icivil tribunals. The Democratic party
|mav have committed errors in the past,
but it never has, in this manner, hsre-
garded the most sacred principles of
Icivil liberty-nor has it,ever justified the
exercise by the President or Congress
of powers not entrusted to them by the
Constitution from which alone any pow
er is derived That this cannot be said
of the Republican party is notorious,
and the point is not so much past acts as
that this is still the spirit and policy of
the organization. The Republican party
regard the temporary and spasmodic
ebulitions of popular passion as entitled
to override law, Constitution, justice, ,and
right, while. the Democratic party regard
the fundamental law, until it is changed,
as the highest and most authoritative
expression of the popular will. \ \
i The Democratic party has never sane
toned the notification of acts of Con-
gress passed in pursuance Of the Con-
stitution. The Republican party in
eleven of the Northern States, delibe-
rately and persistently ntllitied an act of
Congress held valid by the Courts,
thereby aiding to bring upon the coun-
try the civ: war which those so-called
liberty bills aided largely to provoke
The Democratic party has never, in any
peaceful State, deprived majority of
the white voters of all voice in the cleo
tons, and governed the majority by the
minority in States protesting to be
subject to republican government, as has
been done by the Republicans since
the close of the war in Tennessee, Mis-
souri,, and other States. The Demo.
cratic party has never sought to remove
from Office the Chief Magistrate of the
Nation by intimidating and corrupting
the highest judicial tribunal known to
the laws. What the Republican party
sought to do in this regard was too dis
reputable to be tolerated by the most re-
spectacle of its own partisans. 1t would
be tedious to enlimerate the sins OF the
Republican party-such ignorance of
elementary principles of political econ
omv and the laws Of trade and currency,
such contempt Of constitutional obliga-
tions, even under the sanction of official
oaths, such disregard of personal rights
and personal liberty, such a manifest ten
dency to centralized, irresponsible and
unlimited power, such perversion OF
the functions of government to base par
tisan ends, such undisguised corruption
| in office, have certainly never been man
ifested by any political party in this
country.
So odious, and justly odious, had its
g leaders become in the estimation OF the
public before the last Presidential CAM
paion that it did not venture to go into
the field with one of its representative
men of experience in civil affairs, but
selected successful General (who has
}sincc made conspicuous the impolicy OF
such selections and sought in this way
by military prestige to divert public at
tention from their pernicious measures
and principles. 1t was common remarh
by the Republicans that it WIS neces
. sary to nominate Gen. Grant, Tot tina
ANYTHING definite was known of his opin
ions, nor indeed whether he had anl
opinions, but it was necessary to nomi
nate military man in ordei that the
prestige of his military success nigh
enable them to avoid discussion o
their past acts and their present and fiji
ture policy. This, of course, was tanta
+ mount to admitting that their past con
duct and their present policy was moi
such as to command or deserve the ap
$ probation of the people. Such an eva
sion of the issues on the day may serve
Il temporary purpose, but the ultimate
result must he that the people will sit IL
Judgment upon the record of the party
t. in power and render an impartial verde
. upon their measures.
x X *
An oath to support the Constitution
!, !, is as sacred an obligation as can be as
lsumed, and . if a man, after volrntaril,
l. taking such an oath, will, upon grounds
. of expediency, proceed to violate it
what guaranty is there for his fidelity t.
o any obligation, and what right has AM
/ one to expect from such man any kinC
S of integrity or morality, either privat
l. or public? If man has no conscienc,
n in such matters, he will not be likely tt
d manifest any in reference to any trust re
/ posed in him. Why, then, does any MAJ
support the Republican party? If h
II does not do it for its purity, its admins
/ tration, nor for its high tariff, nor for it
Y paper money, nor for its Chinese ant
S negro suffrage tendencies, nor for an,
d reverence shown for constitutional obi
cations, nor for any disposition to pre-
) serve the right of local goternment,w whicl
Il is but another name for liberty. If b