Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-08-08
81 UOr,l to Young Men"

~ U0rd to Young Men,"
4 late number of the oxford Register
deyoteS about three columns 10 COM
munication purporting to emanate from
maay Of its subscribers. young men. who
want to know If all the virtue" and all
the Temperance" is outside Of the demo-
Cratic party. Among the points made IN
reply, is thiS-''that radical rule tends TO
uafaithfulneSS in official duties, TO corrup-
ton and fraud. That there are many
dclalcationS and breaches of trust among
republican office holders. in these times,
is true. but no more than have occurred
under democratic Enthusiastically no
means so many n occurred under the last
two years of Andrew Johnson, whose
app0inteeS were principally democrats.
The evil referred to Is traceable to other
than political causes, and 1t is SIMPLY
ridiculous TO say that radical rule tends
10 it," Deialcations are rs common IN
commercial life, but they are not coniin-
ed to men of any particular political as
sociatiouS or to defects in the commercial
Systcm-but simply to the men them
selves. Men lacking principle, integrity,
and frmnesS 10 resist temptation are
found among all classes. When money
is rs plenty as it was during the war. eX-
trsvagance abounds, aud many fall vic
TINS to false desires TO occupy positions
in society above their means.
The writer then tries to show that the
democratic party has not been untaithiul
in defending the unity and highest ma
tional interests Of the country. The az
gument is, that because Mcclellan, Han
cock, and other general officers aud ma
ny priyates were democrats and fought
well, that the party has done IFS whole
dnty. But what VAS the general dryt Of
the democratic party throughout the war.
Was it not to fight easy" and not hurt
the South-to clog the wheels OF govern
ment, underrate union efforts, aud Of
fcerS. rejoice over rebel victories and de.
nounce all efforts to carry on vigorous
war-to talk treason at home and vote
the war failure in their conventions-to
resist drafts and encourage "skedadling"
10 Canada, and the like. The democratic
party stands on the record convicted OF
one of the most suicidal acts a party can
be guilty of, viz: opposing trar to sas-
tam he reYy Ire and integrity Of The
etRtry. 1t can never recover from pub
lie condemnation for It's course in this par
ticulay, alone, until it makes such a de-
pariurt as will leave no veStigo of is
former self.
The Register then deyotes considerable
space to clear the democratic party from
the charge of having supported Slavery.
tho the institution is dcad. The record
ct the party on this subject being bad, ii
is desirable to clear it up little for the
benefit OF young democrats who are \
little ''shaky' on the subject, and not i'm
bued with the old hunkerish, pro. slavery
doctrines Of their fathers. It's argument
is that slavery was not a mere political
or party institution" and il AYERS that
1.-the democratic party has never favored
slavery in the abstract, and it is no more
responsible for the institution in this
country than christianity"
We admit that the democratic party
kept aloof from the slavery question,
until Slavery agitation took political
form, and disturbed the political rela-
tons Of the two sections Of the cOun-
try. The CID whig. as well as the demo-
cratic party tried hard enough to "reso-
loot il out Of their Conventions. but it
would come in, and finally the democrat.
ie party, whose strength was largely in
the Southern States. became the great
defender Of the institution of Slavery.
Tho this course rent the party in the
North. it gave rise TO the great republic
IN party, which soon gained power, the
democrats adhered to their pro-slavery
views, and but for their sympathy aud
support Of the Institution, the war OF the
rebellion, got up by democrats TO sustain
il, never would have been started. 1t is
worse than folly. in the light of history,
20 attempt to show that the democratic
party was not the main stay and support
of the Institution oE Slavery in this cOun-
try. The record cannot be blotted out.
The party may take rs many ''new de-
partures' as it pleases. it can never get
the cold man. off It's back-it has got
firmly fastened there and nothing but
new generation of men can depdrt and
run clear of the incubus that weighs
down the modern democracy.