Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-05-19
Democratic Distrust Of the People.

ONE of the most suggestive facts in our
political history is that the Democratic
party has been for many years the organi-
zatiOn of all the aristocratic and anti
American elements of our society. Twen-
ty years ago the sole great policy of that
party was the extension and confirmation
of slavery. The slave holding class was
as naughty, although not as refined and edu
Gated, an aristocracy as any in the world.
In circles where the Southern" influence
was supreme the political and social senti-
ment was purely medieval. Under the
dominance of this sentiment in the South
ern States all the guarantees of liberty
were despised, and its express constitu-
tional stipulations were disregarded. Yet
this aristocratic class and this sentiment
called themselves Democratic, and abso-
lutely controlled the Democratic party.
At the same time every young man becom-
ing interested in politics observed that if
any body had cynical contempt for the
people, or disdained their capacity to gov.
ern themselves wisely, and extolled a
strong" paternal government, like that
of Austria, he was sure to be Democrat
And at length, when the aristocratic in.
terest, fearing to lose control of the gov.
ernment, attempted its destruction in order
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 free popular
government by those who called them
selves Democrats having failed, the restor-
alton of the Union followed. Against the
| protestations Of the Democratic party
emancipation had been effected, and the
disturbed States were full of two classes
the freedmen and the late rebels. True to
! its aristocratic instinct, the Democratic
party struggled to retain all that could be
saved of slavery, and established black
codes, introducing among freemen a sys-
TEN 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 8
hostility of the party called Democratic.
Throughout the epoch of reconstruction
the policy of equal rights among Ameri-
can citizens, which is the distinction of
the American system, was doggedly re-
sisted by the anti-American and aristo-
cratic spirit which inspired the Demo
Gratis; and the party which had attempted
the overthrow of the government because
its lawful tendency seemed to be adverse
to the extension 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 ii
would not Immediately deliver the freed
men to the mercies of those whose hands
were yet dripping with the blood of loyal
citizens.
1t is not less observable that the tone OF
the Democratic press, as II is called, is in
harmony with this tendency to distrust
the people. Through the war 1t alluded
gently to the British Tories who favored
the rebellion, and sneered at the English
liberals. When Goodwin Smith, one OF
our best friends, came to this country in
1864, this press steadily deprecated him
and his work influencing English opin'
ion. Meanwhile, true to the same in
stinct, the most servile lackeys Of the
French Emperor were to be found in the
American Democratic press Abroad II
toadied Louis Napoleon and patronized
John Bright, while at home 1t steadily
ridiculed the unfortunate colored citizens
sneered at the Southern leaders who hon
orably accepted the results of the war, an6
heaped the most ftllsome ad0lation upoI
! those who did not. The first Democratic