The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-10-14
a,

Ia. 1869.
| Democracy and Republican
| ism.
From the Adams (Nfass.) Transcript
Vermont did her duty last week
She defeated the "Sham Democra
cy," and elected General Peter L
Washburn Governor, and the Stat,
ticket by somo 10000 majority. TIL,
vote was light, but the old proper
tions are preserved and the Republic
can sentiment and supremacy main
tanned. 1t is significant fact, ane
one which illustrates the character
and tendency Of the two parties, thai
Vermont always goes Republican
while New York city as invariably
votes the Democratic ticket. Yer.
mont is an agricultural state, pcopled
with farmers, whose intelligence, in.
dustry, morality and love of freedom
are as capacious as their fidelity to
tho Republican cause. Why is i,
that modern Democracy is SO pro-
foundly condemned and so constant
~ repudiated by such . pcople?-
Here are schools and churches and
culture here are bravo mon, the ho.
roic sons of the mountains-in all
lands the peculiar dcvotees and de-
Tenders Of liberty here arc few cities
and fcw of the vices and corruptions
of aristocracics and despot,sms here,
in word, is mountain ycomanry,
where the principles Of real Democ.
racy are embodied in constitutional
forms and practiced and illustrated in
everyday life, and yet hero is the
most intense ard unconqucrable hos.
tility to the Democratic party Of
America. What is tho explanation
of this phenomenon! Here are gen.
uinc Democrats, living in the most
democratic state of the Union, con-
stantly voting against the Democrat
ic party. In the state of Vermont
to-day is illustrated and realized more
perfectly than over before, tho Dem.
ocratic ideal Of government, and yet
in this state exists the most general
and immovable opposition to the par
ty called Democratic. Can this be
explained except upon tho ground
that modern Democracy is q sham, or
that the people of Vermont are either
ignorant or dishonest? A correla-
tive fact Of equal significance and
force is the Overwhelming and grow
ing Democratic n ajority in the city
OF New York. This is q commercial
center, the gateway of the old world,
through which its sediment and filth
flows and is deposited !; a city full of
greatness and abounding in noble
men and women, but whore base and
corrupt MEN rule, where vice is ram
pant, the courts q scandal, and justice
bought and sold where millionsupon
millions of the public money are no.
toriously stolen every year, and poll
tics have become . selfish scramble
for pelf and power; where fraudulent
voting, bribery, violence and rufiian-
ism control the polls; where are
found in their worst forms the condi-
tions and tendencies incompatible
with democratic government; her
modern democracy fourishes and
wakes fat and plethoric with victo.
ries and spoils; here the "Tammany
Ring" is omnipotent, Sweeney and
Tweed controlling spirits, and here is
established the most unscrupulous,
selfish and revolving engine of per-
sonal and political tyranny and cor
ruption ever known in our history
And this is the stronghold of Democ-
racy. Out Of the cities the Republi-
cans Of New York are largely in the
majority. But tho Democrats Of the
"modcrn Babylon" are able to cast
al any election a majority sufficient
to overbalance the country. Why
is it that the rotten and ignorant ele-
ments of this great city instinctively
and constantly seek the Democratic
party, and why do the large majority
of industrious, intelligent and honest
people of Vermont, New England
and the West as instinctively and
constantly oppose this party? The
reason is obvious. It is because the
party calling itself Democratic is not
really and truly so; because it is a
party Of pretense, Of fraudulent pro-
tessions; because it is, in fact, a par
ty of reaction and not of progress, q
party of the past and not of the fu-
ture, aud party Of material;sm and
not of ideas, party which, for the
last thirty years, has fought evcry
popular movement and defended and
espoascd every conspicuous abuse
and crime of the nation. This is the
explanation. 1t is no accident which
produces this result, but a law of the
political and social world 40 resist
loss as the law Of gravitation. The
vile denizcns of the city, the enemies
of the Union, the Southern traitors,
tho Northern Copperhead and repa-
diators-all fly to this party because
it's leaders and its journals advocate
their ideas, appeal to their passions
and stimulate their hopes and aspira-
-tions. The law of affinitics is per
feet. As the friendship Of those cle-
ments constitutes the exposure and
condemnation Of sham Democracy,
SO their hatred Of the Republican
party is its vindication and glory. If
a great party is denounced because
it liberated the oppressed, because it
conquered rebellion Of slave mas
tcrs, because it would keep the ma
tional promise and pay the public
debt, because it gives the slave cdu-
cation and the ballot, because it adyo-
Gates the principles of 'llberty,
equality and fraternity"-such de-
nunciation is sufficient to establish
their claim to the gratitude and
thanks of patriots and Christians.-
As long as the yeomen of Vermont,
New England aud the great West
sustain the Republican party, as long
as the scum of the great cities and
the great body Of traitors hate and
oppose it, while they follow the Dem.
ocratic standard--so long, there can
be no doubt which party represents
The intelligence, tho patriotism and
Democracy Of tho nation.
Two brothers named Richard and
Michael Wantrion We're drowned in