Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-08-29
The Earnest Man" and the New
Departure.


The old strongholds, fortiications,
platforms and principles Of the Dcm-
ocratic party have been deserted and
abandoned and the valiant occupants
have departed AS the old Helve-
tians left their barren mountain sides
and icy glaciers, with wives, cattle
and children, and rolled like their
native torrents over the inviting
plains Of Italy, 80 the Democratic
multitude, moved by common i'm
pulse, have broken into the Republ-
can territory and enclosure in such
numbers and with such vast moment.
um that it is impossible to restrain
them. Not that they love Republi-
canism, not that they are converted,
but like the old Swiss, they shy they
are in y condition of starvation, Of
famiao, cramped for want of room,
and they must migrate or perish
In 1868, such was their fea'ty to
the Constitution that they opposed
the glory aud browning provisions Of
that instrument the provisions that
reanzed the Declaration Of Independ-
ence, and guaranteed equal rights to
all men, till forfeited for crime or
treason this especial portion of the
Constitution, in 1868, that party de-
clared was revolutionary and void.
Now they say that the people and
the official authorities have sanction
cd these revolutionary amendments,
and therefore they are a part of the
Constitution and valid. We have
not sufficient astuteness to under
stand this logic. The Constitution
has been enlarged by the Radicals in
manner unknown to that instru-
meut, and the Democratic party,
aware Of the fraud, are ready to
sanction it it the people will only
forgive them for their past taithful-
ness and scruples The possibility
Of satiating their hunger after the
public pap, has overcome ell squeam-
ishness. They have, despite their
professions, barterod away the Con-
stituton itself and are willing to ac-
cept these modern Republican abor-
tons in its place. But when they
tell us that they are going to apply
the rule of strict construction TO
these recent amendments, we suspect
the sincerity Of their late conversion.
We suspect it is mincng way Of
expressing the idea Of Alex. II. Ste.
yens, who proposes to nullify these
articles by the hocus pocus Of exscu-
two and judicial construction.
IA a necessary sequence Of this
grand political summersault, the
Democratic managers have thought
advisable TO invite the renowned per
former, known As the earnest man :"
to take tho leading part in the pub
lic exhibitions in the ensuing canvas
in the new departure circus.
Like the Paddy who was fast in
the pil.ory, and who had como from
every place except that, and hoped
to leave it as soon as possible. the
earnest man" has been departing
all his political lifs. He departed
from the Tammany RiSg in New
York, blowed on General Cass, fol-
lowed the false flag Of Martin Van
Baron, then returned to Hunkerdom,
departed from Nsw York, came to
Wisconsin where be found three par
ties. lie took central position so
that he could jump in any direction.
a few days after the Hunkcr Con-
ventlonhn his District refused to nom
mate him for Congress, be became 8
blatant Republican, and in 1857 he
demanded of n Republican Legisla-
ture a seat in the u. s. Senate as
compensation for recent services and
to confirm his recent conversion.
Understanding we'll the arts of a
demagogue, he succeeded in beating
Timothy Q. Howe, whose defeat was
far more honorable than the victory
Of his competitor. OF course, the