The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-09-29
Political Issues.

|
By the election of Mr. Lincoln in
1860 the Radical party succeeded to
the control Of the national government.
Il found no questions Of political or
spsial Significance, that could not have
been adjusted on the basis of national
| Justice and constitutional law. The
country was prosperous taxation com
paratiscly light; the national faith
strong in the unity Of its federal rcla-
tons and the people justly proud of a
government which diffuscd It's bene6.
ccnee from The frozen North to the Gulf
Of Mexico; from the Pacific to the
Atlantic Ocean. It assumed the rcins
Of government as tbeavowed exponent
Of sectional antagonism; and, in its
method of treating the issues that arose
from its own principles, forced the
country into civil strife; severed the
bonds Of affection by which the states
were held to the national union and
bardeaed the people with weight of
taxation that is oppressive, and which
promises to be durable Under the
ploa Of political necessity, the restraints
imposed upon the government by the
constitution, were set aside, disrupted
and disregardcd. They were brushed
away Ike eebwebs, and supplemented
By usurpation which practically sub.
jected the people Of free government
70 tyranny as oppressive aud ire.
sponsible as ever fell to the lot of aLieet
slaves. States and individuals alike,
were crushed by the mailed hand Of
this military despotism. 1t seemed
igdsed that the human race, in its last
hold upon civil liberty, was about to
abdicate its claim to freedom and pro.
gress, aud yield itself, on its fairest
field Of trial, to the most contemplate
and dcbasing individual and nationa
subsection. The war was forced upor
an unwilling people. The uecessitie,
It was supposed to create, presented thu
opportunity Of omaneipatiug the Jlacl
Stare, aud Of binding the lrhitc trccma,
in the mauacles Of political seryitude
All this was done with the most selfsl
Of cnds-thc perpetuation Of power il
the Radical party. Moving on tn,
same plane with arbitrary power, aDd
recognising common impulse, there
was engendered a degree of social and
political corruption which has nc
parallel in the history Of national profit
gacy So deep and pcrvading was this
proaigaey; SO intimate and binding
the eounexion between the government
which upheld it aud the individuals
who iat,encd o. it, that many good men
began to fear that the pallny days Of
the republic were over; and that its
decadencc, however interrupted by
casual arrest Of the processes Of disin-
fesratiou, must Inevitably proceed
through the historic gradations Of in
trinity and decrepitude, to fnal and
early dissolution. Suel, apprehcnsious
were not gruundlcss They derived
cogency and force, frem the fact that
Congress had absorbed all the powers
Of tho government had violated the
most sacred rights secured TO frecinen
BY the constitution; and had made Of
tho national legislation the instrument
'-ef tyranny, and the avenue, through
which robbery Of che national treasury
passed into shameless and legalized
IMMUNITY. Aod even now, If moro
hopeful anticipation can DO INDUCED
10, Y spriags ffom the principle, that
the evils resulting from mal.adminisrra-
ton Of government, win sometimes cure
themselyaa BY their very excesses, In
ordinate ambition, combined with the
paltrg seifsbaoss Of a corrupt party,
mast confront whatever of virtue aud
patriotism may yet be left in tho hearts