Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-07-01
The Position of the M6aine Demo.
RraeV.

GE8Cy.
The Maine democracy have wheeled into
line most handsomely, IS will be seen from
the following speech, delivered by Mr.. Mn.
a. Clifford, of Portland, in the State Con
v%ention, at Augusta, and which wss unani-
mously endorsed by the entire convention.
Mr.. Clifford spoke Is follows
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION When
we reflect upon the ~fortdnes of the Demo
cratic party in Mains for the pas. twelve
years : when we consider that q depression
Of the material interests of the country and
a widespread distrust of the existing sd-
ministration seen alike to invite and fscili-
tate q re establishment of Democratic policy,
but can discern no signs of the coming con-
vulsion, no deep, distant, but threatening
indictions Of the coming upheavsl, bot be
hold only she tokens of listlessness and
apathy, with defeat in the past and gloom
aud doubt overspreading the future, We may
sometimes feel like adopting the language
Of despair and exclaiming, Why this barren
pageant Of any more Democratic conven-
lions in Maine We are but organizing for
an additional defeat. Why perish in a vain
and Intellectual struggle? Gentlemen, if
the success Of q mere organization of indi-
viduAls were the only sctusting motive Of
the Democracy you would neither have sur
vived 80 many defeats nor brAved so many
dangers. Long, long ere this the Democracy
would have been among the fugitive things
that were. Neither could you so hopefully
cast behind you what is past or have nerve
to press forward into that unknown province
that contains the yet undeveloped future Of
n. lnat.-- an .~N kara 90 latu,
for the Democracy immunity from error or
from evil, With shame and sbAsement it
must be confessed that our glorious and reN
splendent record is stil stained with many
q divergence from the pathway OF principle,
With many . disregard of principle and
houored tradition but this do claim for
our revered Democracy, that in the main 1t
has steadily olaAved to its primitive maxims
through all the storms and straits, aud even
among the visible reefs that have threat
ened and DISTRACTED its progress down
to to-day. Mutilsted aud dismAutled Is the
bark Of Democracy may be we have this
cousolstion-thAt we may sscribe 1t ali to
adherence 10 principle and constitutions
obligations, from the dictates of which we
seek no sbsolution, but prefer rather as q
party to perish than grope for success amid
the darkness of political heresy. II is no
vain boast for the Democracy to speak Of
their sacrifice of temporary advantage for
the sake of maintenance of principle. There
is something in human nature that pays
ready Difference to that spirit that de6es al
danger in it's conscientious grasp OF e chosen
creed. The Democracy hAve suffered polit
icsl msrtyrdom for their principles, but
were never more stubbornly loyal to them
than at any time now past when 1t was
almost q crime to be q Democrat. They
have followed their principles to their legiti
mate conclusions aud were covered with
obloquy and defeat. Regarding the sacred
compact of the Constitution, the Democracy
unfslIeringly resisted any encroachment'
upon the legal constitutions rights o.
slavery. Let US not attempt to deny its pc
sision formerly upon the question of slavery
1t is folly to attempt to smother the facts Of
history, but while we admit the former stti
tude of the Democratic party, let US not TAI
TO discern the cause Of that attitude. Il
was because slavery had guarantees in the
Constitution of the United States that The
Democracy dared not lay hands upon it
and so the slavery agitation overlook them
aud in the turbulence of that great emotion
the Democracy went down not because i
was reoreant to principle, not because it had
cut from its ancient mOoring, but because ii
was mistaken and lmmoysble, and would
not soud before the hurricane that swep;
slavery from the land. It's foundationa'
principle deep buried and underlying g.
the superstructure oflts beliefs adherence &C
constitutional obligations, and so the same
spirit. that nerved its arm and
fred its soul to resistance to Re
publican sggressions upon the insti
tuition of slavery, OdiouI and unpopular ut
that attitude was, ia the same, the very ssms
that under the late amend meuts to our Con.
s]titutiOn Rctuates the Democracy 10 take the
former child OF slavery by the hard and bid
him enter the great household of Americsr
citizenship. We should he something less
than Democrats did We fail to recognize the
new obligations which the Constitution ss
amended imposes upon us. This has been
called the new departure Of the Democracy
With US it only signslizes a return 10 &C
knovledged and ancient principles. l sm
sverse 10 the mention OF these subjects. |
am not and was not an spologist of the in
s~,itution of slavery, bat ! am proud of tina,
uuwaveriug devotion TO principle and con
stituuonal DUTY that led the Democracy into
the position of answering support Of the
slavery of man for the sake of continuing in
the real support Of the constitutions com
pact of the States. Time wAs when Democ-
racy represented the whole North at the
close of the slavery agitation they had lost
every Northern stronghold-still they wa
vered not. They travelled in the pathway Of
principle and sought no evasion of conse
quence. History, rctrospeotion, truthful,
impartial will set the Democracy right upon
the record. He who chronicles the events
of the time before the war will name the
Northern Democracy mott pro-slavery party,
but a party that eomprehended the true
spirit and theory of heConstitution 1t may
be that the historian ofthe events of which
we are speaking may muse upon these times
amid the dssolAts and eloquent runs OF
American liberty and hope. Let US believe
he will read them in the bright light of q
more Respondent day OF American civilizs-
ton and development. But, however re
parded, when the final verdict of history ID
rendered and recorded, it will be that the
Northern Democracy was q party that hac
borne from the days OF primitive
virtue and patriotism the benehcen
philosophy of our Constitution, un
contaminated by success, unyleidet
IN defeat, throuRh 81 ING counA''S VI Ou
history down to to day. But, gentlemen
these things are over. The rough colllsioi
of the war mas thrown from our shoulder
forever the burden of that great sin sgains
the light of modern civilization. Than
heaven the burden is lifted q little. ReheG
ton will convince any one, / thiHk that W
are little likely to agsin espouse an institu
ton from self interest, if no higher motive
from whose destructive effects upon GU
political " we are but just recovering
No, it may serve for the entertainment o
our foes to attempt to 6x upon US the stai
and arouse the prejudice that formerly ez
listed against MS a pro-slavery party, but W
look only to the Constitution for the obligI
tious we are now called upon to ASSUME
We read in that Constitution to-day that th
former slave is as free as you or I, an
haaua1 knowa that tha raoanorata Damn