The Van Buren press., 1871-04-18
New Departure.

"SW OSPoAeuis'
A short time ago the leaders p ofthe DEM
ocratic party, in Little Rock, without previous
notice, gratuitiously organized II Central Com
mittee and District Committees. We pur-
posely refrained from any extended notice of
this movement, because we thought it was a
merely formal proceeding. intended simply
ane solely for the purpose of begetting new
interest in the breasts of our friends and to
assure them that the party was not abandon
ed, or its organization broken up. 1t now
seems that the intention of the movement
was to organize Central and District Commit
tees. whose peculiar province is to teach
Democracy to Democrats of Arkansas. We
are told by the organ of this movement, that
1--WE have nothing to do with the Democratic
party of a past age;" in word, we are to
abandon the time-honored principles upon
which our federal system was organized; we
are to cut loose from the moorings OF A Con-
stitation. .Jramed upon purely Democratic princi-
pies. If such Is the desire of the Democracy
of Arkansas, we confess we have failed to dis
cover 1t before. The principles of the Demo-
cratic party are still alive! We are too apt to
confound the sectional features Of the Demo-
cratic party of past age, with the true
principles OF that great National party that
welded the destinies of this country for years.
Slavery was an incident of Southern politics
and was not maintained, as tenet, any more
by the Democracy than by the Wings. Seccs-
sion was doctrine engrafted upon the
principles Of the party, by a few hot-headed
politicians, and never was legitimately a
principle Of the party. The mass of the De-
mocracy of the South, never held to it as a
principle OF political faith-the Democracy of
the North never endorsed it. IL i too often
confounded with the doctrine of State soyer-
eighty, or, as commonly known, State
Rights" The latter by no means necessarily
comprehends the former. State Rights +"
means only the claim of such rights as are
guaranteed by the States to each other, in the
Federal Constitution. If those rights are de-
MED by majority in power, then the theory
of our Federal Government is changed The
question of slavery being side-ssue, so to
speak, Is forever settled by the adoption of
the 18th amendment. The doctrine of seces
sion having been carried to its legitimate
consequence, has brought about an armed
collision between the States, and the result
has been unfavorable to the doctrine, and il
can nerer be repeated Some other remedy
must be resortcd to, in case of insutlerable
tyranny ON the part of majorties. As we
have said, however these are no part of the
grand principles of fDemocracy-pasto or pres
ent. And when those, who pretend to be the
Al ~ ..t.. Al. l.. 4
to abandon the true and genuine principles
OF Democracy, because the plunderers now in
power brand the party as Shareholders and
secessionists, WE MUST EARNESTLY AND RES
PEcrFuLLY PROTEST. If we are to abandon
the rights Of States to manage their own do
mestic affairs with what show of consistency
can we protest against the action ofthc Radi
cal party, In authorizing the President to in
wade the States and control the ballot-box by
on armed force. The immediate results ofthe
Military or Reconstruction Acts have passed,
but the fruits Of the ideas born of their adop
tion, are only just beginning to rpen. We
see the General Government, known nolc as
Congress" presuming to admit States and
for alleged causes, unfouaded in truth, summa
out the least regard to the Constitution. We
see, by strained Interpretation Of that Con-
stituton. the late consummation ofall villain
les, the Ku-klux Bill, made a law upon our
Statute Books. These are but the legitimate
consequences of an abdndorsnent Of the rights
of States as asserted ia the Constitution. Ana
are VIC now to stultfy ourselves by opposing
Al, hon tha ri,vbt
doctrine, as taught by the sages of the past
All the rights claimed by the Democracy for
the States, are those rights guaranteed to each
State by her sister States in Convention, and
nominated In that bond called the Federal
Constitution. We demand q strict construc-
ton Of that bond, and we ask no more. Let
those who call themselves Democrats have
the manllness to stand out boldly for the true
principles ofthe party. And while we gladly
join hands with those Republicans, who hon
estly desire the needed reforms in State and
Federal policy, let us not render ourselves
contemplate in their eyes by fawningy pro-
Tossing to hold the same political faith they
teach. Those who think they cannot work
with republicans to do away with our heavy
taxes, supcrhuous officers, enormous salaries,
etc. without abandoning the fundamental
principles Of democracy, let them come up
boldly and join the Republican party. We
feel, one can labor zealously and honestly
with republicans to effect these reforms, and
yet do not feel called upon to abandon our
political faith.
rE On the 9th inst. IL. w. Flick was ap-