The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-10-21
Rot Safe to Change.

whatever wrongs she may have COM t
mitted, there is nothing in the char t
acter, or rather the faith and prac '
tice of the Democratic party of to-
day, that would justify a change.
The picture presented by that party
to-day, is one of disorganization and
unscrupulous demagoguery. Piac- {
ing the administrative affairs OF the
Government into such hands, would
be taking it from an administration
based upon settled principles OF pol
icy and order, and giving it into the
hands of fortuitous policy of dis
order. But it may not be amiss to
trace back the history of this party
a little. \ few years ago the Dem
ocratic party was in power. 1t was
more united then, and its faith
more uniform, ard its purposes more
clearly understood. Slavery was
then its food and drink, its life. The
body polite was infused with the
deadly virus of slavery. The Dem
ocratic party then struggled hard to
wipe out constitutional liberty in
this nation in the name of the con-
stitution. In the name of the
Savior of mankind, it endeavored
to forge newer chains of oppression
with which to weigh down the
weak and the poor. In the view of
the southern Democracy, which
gave platforms to the party, and
ruled the nation, poor white man
was a criminal, 'swhite trash,"
while the negro was mere chattel,
on par with beasts of burden.
Thus it endeavored to crush out the
semblance of humanity from souls
bearing the impress of Gods impair
tial finger. Then arose the Repub-
lican party. 1t resisted this power.
Its ideas were based upon moral
convictions. Under the leadership
of Fremont, it failed; but did not
despair. Prosecuted, mobbed and
driven from the South, subjected to
the severest abuse and odium in tile
North, it continued it's struggle, in
til, under the leadership of Lincoln,
it gained most signal triumph
The Democratic slave power then
demanded, under the most terrible
threats, that the chains of oppres-
sion should be more efectuallyplaced
on the limbs of the colored man
They contended that slavery by right
of the Constitution was admissible
into every foot Of territory in tht
United States. The Republican
party, disclaiming any right or in
tention of interfering with the in
stitution where it then existed, es
teeming it local institution, main
tanned that Congress had control O
the Territories, and could legislat
it out of them, if so inclined; tina
the founders of the Constitution
never intended its extension, believ
ing it great evil, which woul'
ultimately become extinct. Thes
just and human, principles made
possible for the slave to become
free man. Rather than submit t
an Administrator based upon thes
views, the Democratic party OF tn
South determined to ruin the unio
of States which their policy coul
10 longer rule. The principle tha
a majority should rule, was n
longer ALI accepted plank in tn
Democratic platform and ignoring
and spurning beneath their unha
lowed feet every right of the majo'
ity, and Constitutional obligation
maintain intact the integrity of til
States; against individual oath
and solemn obligations, they thre7
down the gauntlet of war with a
Of its terrible consequences of bloot
treasure and tears, at the feet of tt
General Government. The Repul
lican party, headed by Abrahal
lincoln, determined that Constit,
tional liberty, and human freedom
which were involved in the unie
Of States, should not die on til