Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1871-11-21
"What are We Going to do
NOW!v

"What is the Democratic party GO
Ing to do now ?" asks the Buffalo E.r-
press, while exulting over the result in
New York State.
What is the Democratic party going
to do now? is the bark Of every Rad
ical journal in the country, imagining
that victory for the Radical party
has completely killed the principles in
corporated into Democracy more than
century ago. If local issues gave
the State Of New York to the Radi-
Gals, it does not follow that the Dem
ocratic party is dead in that State. If
local issues gave the Radical party an
unimportant victory in Illinois, it does
not follow that our strength in that
State has been crippled beyond recu-
pcration. If fayonets, money, threats
and fraud have given the Radical par
ty victories elsewhere, will the bark
ings and cxultings of Radical journals
change the vote of a single Democrat
ic elector who knows the corrupt ca
reer of the Radical party all through
the decade just ending?
There is no appeal from the ballot
box, unless the appealing party has
government behind its back to count
over the votes and declare that this
man or that one is elected against the
story of the fairly cast ballots. The
Democrats have no bayonets, no Pres
ident to order their use, no millions of
money to assist this or that State to
carry ticket. To the victor in bat
tie belongs the right of waving his
flags and uttering shouts of exulta-
ton. To the defeated belongs the
right Of looking over the field and pre-
pairing for another combat. A politi-
cal defeat cannot kill party which
has reason, principle, liberty and con-
stitutional law the corner-stores of its
edifce. 1t but shows that fraud, de.
ccit and wrong have been used to
break down the reasoning powers
which every elector has or should
have. No one, simply because his
house been burned down in some con
fagration, is going to sit down with
folded hands for the year to come, moi
is he going to give away the site of hi
burned dwelling that he may flee from
the town.
What is the Democratic party 90
ing to do now9 1t is going to keel
right on, upholding the Constitution
framed by men who had no fears o
bayonets to swerve them from making
Constitution which gave oil meg tn
right to believe as they wish-gave al
men the freedom Of the ballot-gav
no President the power of altering
result attained by the ballot. 1t
going to keep before the people tina
the party in power has sedulousl
sought to keep down laboring me-
while it built up moncyed aristocracy
that it has abridged the rights of cit
zcns, held that personal power wa
above law and Constitution, tore dow
barriers built up by men who had tn
good of a whole nation at heart, AM
who had no thought of political tyran
ny-that it has produced rotten cor
ruption and fraud in every branch o
the government since the first montl
Of the new reign. it is going to keel
right on exposing the un6tRess of thu
President apd of bis tools; it is goini
to keep. on unearthing government
frauds, showing up the defalcations o
Radical officials, proving to the masses
that more money is avery year stoler
by the Radical party than was used
for the current expenses Of any -four
years of Democratic administration