Middletown transcript., 1869-09-11
~rhe Deaf, PAST.

Let the dead past bury its dead" is
sentiment which has been iterated and
reiterated, many time and oft, by GER
tain class Of politicians who seem but too
willing to sacrifice principle to erpedien-
cy. II first began to be heard about the
time Of the assembling of the Philadelphia
Conservative Convention of 1865, and
since then it has been oft repeated by
certain class of pseddo-democratic journals
Of the expediency school, and echoed and
rc-echoed by those whose views take form
and color from the journals aforesaid.
There always was class of men whose
principles we're worn so loosely that they
could cast them off as easily as they could
lay aside worn-out garment. In poll
tics, as in morals, there are men who are
blown about by every wind of doctrine,
and who are ready to desert all doctrine
and all principles for expediency sake. Such
men have crept into the democratic party,
and their numbers have become SO great
that they aspire to controlling influence,
and seek to shape the policy of the party,
at the expense of its long established and
acknowledged principles.
Men change, but principles never; they
are as immutable as the eternal hills.
What was truth at the foundation of the
world, is truth still What was democrat
ic truth at the foundation of the democrat
ic party, is democratic truth still; the
only difference is, that political time-serv-
ers and expediency mongcrs are afraid to
avow the truth, and to stand up for the
faith Of the fathers, the time-honored prin-
ciples Of the democratic party, which are
as essential to our well-being in the living
present, as they were in the dead past. :"
The principles of the democratic party are
not among the ''dead" of the ''dead past, F"
there is therefore no need of burial and Mr..
Manton Marble, Of the New York World,
and Mr.. John Quincy Adams, democratic
candidate for Governor of Massachusetts,,
SAuu ObuCt CutCl AhoJ SCdoC tuCii
jercmiads and stay their flowing lachryma.
The last named gentleman at the close of
his speech accepting the nomination, be-
sought his hearers to
Let the dead past bury its dead.
Act-act in the living present,
Heart within and God o'erhead"
He had previously advised them to mind
the advice of DIR. Holmes:
"Yet in opinions look not always back.
The past is nothing, mind your coming track"
And yet, in subsequent part of his ad-
dress, he himself disregards the advice he
gave to his hearers, and looks back to
the days of Jefferson, Madison, Monroe,
Gallatin, Jackson and Benton, the men
who laid broad and deep the foundations
of our government, upreared the beautiful
superstructure of the constitution, and
supported its massive pillars when rocked
by the tempest of faction. Depicting the
operations of an unjust and unequal tarif
upon day laborers and those living upon
fixed incomes, and who are borne down by
grinding taxation, Mr.. Adams says:-
"What can we do for the laboring man
Why do what Andrew jackson would have
done; give him hard money and an open market
Take off your weights from him and let hin
alone. What is needed then TO restore prosperit,
to labor and satisfactory relations to capital wh
Is necessary to alleviate the pressure of the pub
lie burdens and dispel the odium of the debt ant
Hat ha had hafa l,,,.a II
sional welfare, is return to a gold and silve
ecurnepcy and reduction of the mposts upon i'm
ports TO the lowest point which our need for
large revenue will permit. The prosecution q
'tlhs demand is not alone theoretically the pecu
liar province OF the Democratic party; it is il
traditional and immemorial policy To it tn
Imen who marched before US baye been in sue
.ceeding lustres solemply dedicated by the utteI
ances Of their great statesmen. The giant form
.of Jefferson, Madison Monroe Gallatin jackson
Eenton and Webster, all marshal the way for us
rall in majestic accents cheer us onward to homes
,ty and prosperity"
The tariff is living principle of tn
present. Its odious exactions are now a
much at war with public prosperity an
the principles of sound political eeonc
my, as when the American System,
with all its fallaeies. was upheld by th
genius and eloquence of Clay. The cul
rency stands as much in need of reform
to-day, as when Jackson bore down col
rupt National Bank and Benton substitr
ted silver and gold for rags. These issue
.-of the past are the issues of the " livin
present" So are the relative rights
.our National and State Governments. B,
cause military despotism triumphed for
brief hour, shall we give up the contest
No!
''Truth crushed to earth shall rise again.
The etenrnal years Of God hers.''
Say not, then, that we must ''accept IL
situation" "take things as we find them