The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-02
DISTRUST OF THE
PEOPLE.
DEMOCRATIC

From Harper's Weekly Edited by Geo. Wne cWrtis)
One of the most suggestive facts in our po-
litical history is that the Democratic party has
been for many years the organization of all
the sristooratic and apti-American elements
of our society, Twenty years ago the sole
great policy of that party was the extension
and confirmation of slavery. The slave-hold-
ing class was as naughty, although not as re-
fined and educated, an aristocracy as any in
the world. In circles where the Southern"
influence was supreme the political and social
sentiment was purely medieval. Under the
dominance of this sentiment in the Southern
States all the guarantees of liberty were de-
spised, and its express constitutional stipula-
tions were disregarded. Yet this aristocratic
class and this sentiment called themselves
Democratic, and absolutely controlled the
Democratic party. At the same time every
young man becoming interested in politics
observed that if any body had cynical con-
tempt for the people, or disdained their capa-
city to govern themselves wisely, and ex-
tolled strong" psternal government, like
that of Austria, he was sure to be Demo-
crat. And at length, when the aristocratic
interest, fearing to lose control OF the Govern
ment, attempted its destruction in order to
found new system upon the worst form of
human slavery, the conspiracy was perfected
in Democratic cabinet and Congress, was
maintained in the field by Democrats, and
was morally sustained by the Democratic
party.
The attempt to destroy q free popular
government by those who called themselves
Democrats having failed, the restoration of
the Union followed. Against the protesta-
tions of the Democratic party emancipation
had been effected, and the disturbed States
were full of two elasses-the freedmen and
the late rebels. True to its aristocratc in
stinct, the Democratic party struggled to re-
tain all that could be saved of slavery, and
established black codes, introducing among
freemen a system of caste. The mischiefs
were evident, and the scheme was defeated.
Equal civil rights were secured by the equal
ballot, and this also against the most
strenuous hostility of the party called
Democratic Throughout the epoch of
reconstruction the policy of equal rights
among American citizens, which is the
distinction of the American system, was dog
gedly resisted by the anti-American and aris-
tocratic spirit which inspired the Democrats
and the party which had attempted the over
throw Of the Government because its lawful
tendency seemed to be adverse to the extern
sion OF slavery, and which sullenly demanded
that those whom it could not keep slaves
should not be made equal citizens, denounced
| the party OF liberty and union as despotic
because 1t would not Immediately deliver the
freedmen to the mercies of those whose
bands were yet dripping with the blood of
! loyal citizens
1t is not less observable that the tone Of the
Democratic press, as it is called is in har
mony with this tendency to distrust the
people. Through the war it alluded gently
} to the British Tories who favored the rebel