The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-07-20
The .ouestion al Issue.

2
The creed of the Democratic party was and is
that government shall act as little upon the in
dividual as possible. 5-zs3s.
ed an exception to the rule. As the l,arty
would not admit that even the anomaly Of slav-
cry justified q departure from the rule, that
and worked out its viii.
Those men yearn for the old faith; they want
to come back, but they ask as a preliminary
that the past be buried and that the future be
If we think those men unwise and; selfish in
sacrificing the rule to the exception, how much
flee the rule to resentmentia 30 aQf fa=sifss5
Revenge is not a very sensible luxury if at
tainable without cost to ones self, but if at
tainabie only at our own expense it is serving
the devil not only without wages but on paying
8 premium +ess.s5 9
aim at the possession of power for the sake of
power or profit. but for the sake of progress.
there have been really but two parties-the one
which sought to extend the sphere of Federal
government. the other which sough. to contine'
We ali agree, said Webster in subssancel, that
the Federal government is q limited Coy
ment, but we differ as to the limits. We
Democrats have always held that there could
be no doubt as to limits; that every "neces-
few specific grants in the Constitution was
proper, and none other. Wehave held that who
extent and how its specific powers We're to be
employed were alone the proper subjects OF Fed
Therefore when a Democrat spoke of progress
he meant progress in the development of indi-
viduality, in diminishing the tax which gov
ducing their burdens Some Of the Southern
tween the Democratic and the Republican par
ty IL the former accepts the results of the civil
war. 1t seems to us impossible to be more IL
logical and unjust. The Democratic party of
the North defended in former times the rights
| of the Southern States, not because it loved
stitution property in slaves was entitled to the
protection Of the Federal government just as
the Federal sy stem ought not to be nsed except
for its legitimate purposes. le held, Just as
proposed to abuse constitationa} power for an
Unconstitutional purpose; but it held, in oppo-
sition to Southern Democrats, that the attempt
| must necessarily prove failure; that only af-
ter q clear demonstration Of the impossibility
! of maintaining under the Constitution the re-
considered broken. But If the Democratic par
ty had admitted to the fullest extent the South
consistent. The majority in South Carolina de,
termined that the free States had broken the
therefore the Federal tie was dissolved. The
minority obeyed. The majority in New York
decided that the free States had not broken the
Why should the minority in New York not do
just as the minority in South CarolinaP That
| Legislation were the legitimate consequences of
the war we deny, but that they are consequent
\ ces no one can deny more than the existence of
the SUM-. To the ineyitable q sensible man sub
mits with grace, and If he fancies that q bitter
pill is administered In malice denies his enemy
the qualification of seeing grimace. ~ Il
| While the Democratic party makes no former
opinions . reason for notwelcoming to It's ranks
any friend of liberty. it secs nothing in its past
/ TO regret. 1t never could have caused war,
| for ifnever proposed 70 give to Or take anything
citizens Of the United States. Now that the fof-
equal citizens it likewise neither proposes to
give to or take anything from therh.- World -