The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-09-08
THE NEW DEPARTURE AGAIN,
LIE
WALLA WALLA, w. 4.

Editor State kights Democrdt:
! have witnessed with no little in.
terest and some anxiety the discussion
going on through the Democratic
press of Oregon on the subject OF the
so-called sNew Departure"
Having resided for period Of six
teen years in the Willamette Valley,
and participated in the struggles Of
the Democracy in its dark hours, and
knowing full well the political integ-
rity Of those who oppose the Ohio
propositions in your Stste, und knew,
ing that they stood shoulder to shoul-
der, without waver, while the dark
wave of Radicalism swept over the
land, ! naturally feel solicitude in the
result of the controversy. Ny De.
mocracy goes just this far: Should
those propositions fail to find alodg-
ment in the national platform, l am
for the Democracy; Should they be
endorsed, / am no less content until
the matter is settled by the adoption
of q National Platform. Discussion
is proper. Discussion in the right
spirit can do no harm, and it is BY o
full interchange of ideas that satistac-
tory conclusions must flow, il at all.
/ propose, therefore, in spirit that
shall stir up no i'll blood or beget any
ill-tempered speech, to give my own
reasons for acquiescing in the Ohio
propositions-the cham of thought
that induced me to believe that the
same was the true position for the
Democracy at the present crisis of
political affairs. ! saw, or thought l
could see, three separate and distinct
groups of facts that should be cousid.
cred with relation 10 themselves and
to each other. The first Of these l
arranged and classified thus:
/. The several amendments of the
past ten years effect radical changes
in the original form of government.
and are infamous in character and were
passed by imposition, brute force and
shameless fraud.
2. The radical party are alone re-
sponsible for their passage.
3. They were each declared ratified
by the requisite number of States.
and as consequence declared to be
part and parcel OF the original Con-
stitution, and are therefore not at this
time before the people of the various
States for ratification or rejection.
4. That one method. at least, of
reaching improper and impolitic
amendments Is by action of Congress
in the mode prescribed. and ratified
by three-fourths OF the States repeal
ing the same.
3. That it is at least thought impos-
sible by the best legal minds to have
adjudication by the Supreme Court
OF the Uu.ted States upon the legality
of their adoption.
6. That there is no other peaceable
manner of reaching them.
Ii, then, the amendments are de-
clared ratified, and there is no other
method of reaching them save by
congressional action or revolution
good or bad, as they may be, they
must be endured until the wisdom of
the future shall remove them from the
statutes of the land. No amount of
discussion, no complaining, however
great, will reach the case. Ii you
present q proposition looking to their
repeal, you concede at once that they
are laws; and this, as understand it,
is all that Mr.. yallandigham proposed
IT any time to do. No endorsement
whatever, but simply an acceptance
thereof as laws. No endorsement
whatever of the means but q recogni-
ton OF an accomplished fact.
The second group of facts are n
follows:
1. The Democratic party have ever
regarded strict construction of the
fundamental law of the land as car.
dinal doctrine in their political creed.
2. The Democratic party has ever
been, and now is, a party Of law and
order.
8. The Democratic party has ever
been opposed to revolution within our
own territorial limits.
4. The Democratic party has al
ways favored the correction of error
and the redress Of wrong in legiti-
mate way only.
These facts are all akin to one an
other, and each and every one OF them,
or at least the greater number, show
if admitted as facts, that the Democ-
racy are unalterrbly committed to the
acceptance of law as such, or the re.
moyal OF Objectionable law in a legal
way only. Revolution, then. is out Of
the question. Adjudication by the
Supreme Court is thought impossible
There is then but one legitimate
course left. Agitation looking to re-
peal. To agitate there must be an is.
sue. And how is that issue to bs
formed. By . declaration Of some
sort put forth in the platform oi
the party, and by such declaration
you at once concede the ground o1
Mr.. Vallandigham, viz, that tht
amendments are laws. If they ars
not why offer to repeal, and if they
are laws, would it not be manly K
concede the fact and meet it accord
ingly.
Admitting then for the sake Of pass
ling rapidly over the question tha
agitation will be necessary, and tha
this cannot be had save by ths pre-