Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-05-12
The Democratic Appeal.

The Democratic Appeal.
| THE Democratic members of Congress
| following an ancient custom, which, oil
late, has fallen into disuse, have issued an
address to their political friends with a
view to strengthen and reassure them in
future political contests. This address is
remarkable for its dolorous funereal tone,
and, indeed, is more like the wall of a
band of professional mOurners than a
| trumpet blast from political chieftains
rousing their armed hosts to battle. It
complains of General Grant for being a
candidate for reelection, as if no Demo.
cratic President had ever dreamed of sub
mitting to the self sacrifice of renomina-
tion. 1t complains of Republicans for
holding caucuses to agree upon party
measures, as If Democrats were utter
strangers to the manipulations of caucus
management. But the saddest feature of
the address is the labored argument it
contains to show that the country is in q
deplorable financial condition. 1t por-
trays our labor depressed" and our
every material interest palsied by oppres-
sive taxation" 1t is hard to convince
men with their debts all paid that they
are becoming bankrupt, and quite as hard
to convince labOring men that they arc
starving as at every meal they sit down to
fpll board, with more remunerative en-
ployment offered them than their own
hands can do. 1t is hard to convince la
boring men that they are out of employ
ment when landowners and manufacture
ers are at their doors before six o'clock in
the morning to ask them to work for
them at the wages they choose to stip-
ulate.
Instead of laborers seeking "leave to
toll" standing before their employers
with tears in their eyes, asking for work
to keep bread in their children's mouths,
we have the better sight of our farmers
and manufacturers sending across the seas
for laborers to gather their crops and keep
their factories in motion. These repre-
sentations are about as ridiculous as it, in
a time of general health, a convention of
quack doctors should proclaim that fear.
full pestilence was raging, and that it was
all owing to the incapacity of the recog-
nized medical profession to protect the
sanitary welfare of the community. Such
a manifesto would excite laughter rather
than alarm.
But these grave statesmen have discov-
cred that men calling themselves Repub-
licans have turned ont to be defaulters,
peculators and thieves. What Demo
cratic administration has been free
from these? Is it in the power of any
party, in country so large as ours, to
avoid mistakes and to prevent official un-
faithfulness in every case?
These politicians affect great horror that
the party in power should adopt any
measures with reference to the perpetua-
ton of its own power. If we have not
mis-read or forgotten history the Demo-
cratic party has set us the copy for all that
we are doing in that direction. Was it not
Andrew Jackson who first acted on the
principle: "To the victors belong the
spoils?" What Democratic Administra-
ton ever departed from that cardinal prin-
cipleg Dare these men say that if they
succeed to power they will appoint men to
Office, without reference to partisan ser
vice, or party relations? viii they turn
no man out of office who is fit for it, be-
cause he is a Republican, in order to make
room for Democrat?
But the real effort of this labored appeal
is to convince the old oligarchy Of the
South that the Republican party has not
been good 10 them, but that the Demo
cracy will give them comfort and deliver
ance In this we have no doubt they will
be entirely successful. 1t will not take
much logical skill to convince rebels just
we'll rested from the fields of strife that
the Federal Government is an Oppressor
and prone to exceed its constitutional
powers. But the patriotic men whose
scars from rebel sabre cuts are yet visible
will be slow to believe that those who
starved four brave men in Libby and in
Salisbury are good hands in which To en-
trust this government with view to
greater moderation in the use of its
powers.
1t will be remembered that the leglsla-
ton complained of is an attempt, by the
government, to suppress by the terror of
law, armed and lawless bands of assassins
who murder men for holding Republican
opinions in politics and voting for Repub-
lican candidates Because the national
government has attempted to provide that
Republican prosecuting attorneys shall
not be- dragged out of their beds by masked
assassins and slain in their own door-yards
for doing their duty in bringing criminals
to Justice, the Administration is pro-
nounced as being despotic and high hand
ed 1t is sad thing when members of
great political party are persuaded to be-
come the defenders of guerillas and muir
derous outlaws. To sustain lynch laws
and riotous mobs would be tender mercy
compared with the cruelty OF apoligizing
for disguised and masked Williams who mob
and plunder only in the night A lynch
court at least would confront its victim
without mask, and make show of prov
ing its victim Of some admitted crime
against his fellow man. But with the
Southern assasins, the case is different. Re-
publican officials, for doing their duty, as
they have been sworn TO do it, are way
laid by masked murderers and ruthless
ly murdered. And it is called a stretch of
power for the government of the nation
to put its foot on such Williams as these
This document processes to appeal to
"the calm, good sense, and sober, second
thought, of the American people," To
that august umpirage we are agreed to
submit our cause, and to it we shall make
our argument in due time. So far the
verdict of that court has been in favor OF
Justice and the cause of patriotism, and we
are not afraid of the issue, SO long as armed
bands of midnight assassins are not al
lowed to murder men for opinions sake
I0kd0 Blade.