The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-03-02
For n. Democratic Adv,cu,e. 3


have not obiterated the recollection Of old |
and hallOwed associations. Nor do forget |
the zeal and efficiency with which you labored |
In the cause Of Democracy here in old Cecil in |
the years agonc. | remember many a holly |
contested fight, and il Is but Just 10 say that |
you were always In the front, and fought val |
lianuy upon every field. Aud nO~, upon look |
ing over the Advocate, | rejoice to know that
the sacred flame of patriotism still Eliminates
your hearts. Yet, il is sad 70 reflect, that
many Of those who labored with US then, have
deserted the faith i--forsaken the old land
marks Of liberty, aud gone after the phantom |
OF despotiSm IL Is Notifying, IL Is distress
ing aud appalling to think Of the changes
which have come over 80 many OF the people
Of this once prosperous, free aud happy con-
federation. In so short timO, the history Of
the world gives no parallel To what has
happened here. few years ago we felt not
the pressure Of government, because 1t was
self imposed, aud because the trihing taxation
necessary 10 meet the current expenses OF Nat
ional and State governments, was equal. The
General Government, as the appointed agent
Of the States, attended to its own legitimate
business as defined by the Constitution and
the States, exercising their sovereign rights
without question from any quarter, moved
majestieally and hArmOniously IN their orbits.
But what do we see now Great Heaven the
brain reels aud the tongue refuses 20 utter
words sufficiently expressive 10 portray the
appalling spectacle 1 The people bend aud
groAn under a load Of debt for which the blood
OF unborn millions 10 mortgagsd. The scanty
earnings of toll are wrung from the poor to
swell the plrthOric Golfers Of bOnd-holding
Rristocracy which is exempt from taxation,
and 10 enrich host OF public thieves and plum
derers. The General Government has become
a great central despotism, and by system Of
espionage, onuawry and tyranny, has crushed
the spirit Of people once free, proud and he
role. The States of tho great American Union,
instead Of remaining al free and in dependent"
having been first jostled from their orbits by
the bloody god Of an unnatural and diaboiical
wsr,-were then dragged down. and are now
chained at the feet OF the dcspotl But 1t is
painful to pursue this theme 1t is too sad to
dwell upon. Aud yet how can we leave il?
The awful reality Is wh ~, and We can neither
turn from II, OF run from Il. Ii, therefore, be.
eooies our duty To face and hght II az long rs
can raise an arm and strike a bluw. Aud
now, we may ask, who Is on our side2 The
Democracy All ! once 1t was, that the Dem
Ocracy was united to n man Tor juTdce. liberty
aud independence. Once it was, that the
slightest jar ia our system brought millions of
Democrats to their feet Once il was, that
the first overt act Of Federal usurpation would
have 50 aroused the Democracy, that the very
earth ould have trembled beneath the tramp
OF her ayenglng hosts but alas alasl how
the mighty have fallenl Amid the gloom Of
universal discomfort and nisrulc, and upon the
very verge Of irretrievable rnin, we hear no
Dukle note Gaming tut Democracy 10 aCtlOn.
We look to the hill tops 10 vain for some bea-
Con light to guide US to camp where we
might organize and prepare for defence. In
this dilemma is there no hope? In this dark
hour, is there to be put forth no determined
effort To saref IL our iaiT goddess of'liberty
to be dragged In the dirt, and BE- strangled be-
fore our eyes, aud we make no movement TO
deliver her Alas! slasl
| am aware that we have what Is called, a
" Democratic Patty" and am glad to believe
that there are millions Of Dcmocrats, true and
brave, who, II properly called, would spring
To their feet to rescue liberty from the grasp
OF tyrants. But, "a We now stand, what can
they dor They are scattered and demOraliIed.
And whether by neglect or design, the demur-
sliEation is chafgeable to the men who have
assumed the control Gf the Democracy. In-
stead Of adheriDg to the PENclPLgs OF Democ-
rAcy,-instcad OF clinging to the Constitution,
instead of prOclaiming war,-sternal war,
against Capitalization and tyranny, they have
backed down, and backed down, ahtil We find
them at the WALL Valiant enough in meaning.
less and impOtent words, and snmetim $ yen-
turing sickly protest, they have never failed
to fall back at the advance of the enemy with
out striking a blow Measures, which for
tyranny and brutality, would disgrace the
most calling despotlsm On earth, they have
quietly acquiesced in, and have advised the
Democracy to accept Aud this slavish and
cuwardly submission, has, from time to time
To all Of which they have submitted.
but aside Il om thsir naked cowardice, they
have been guilty OF the most mean duplicity.
BY the invention Of the " New Departure"
they designed To cheat Democrats aud Repub-
lieans alike. They thought to catch shad' and
behring's in the same net and they bring the
esi., designed To gHt all They now advise Us
to take what they call the "passiys policy !"
and their doctrine 10 this; eli We will only sit
It'll, and be perfectly qaist, We shall so territy
the tyrants that they will hy Tor their lives T.
That is the end to which all their argument
leads, and 10 sophistry can explain il away.
But, for one, | will not take this policy"
Aud for this reason, there /. grsdi wORK TO
BIZ DONE. This, all admit And all admit
(eyen the Headers" themselves that 1t will
require the most herculean labor, as well as
the most active and well calculated strategy,
to do it, How, then. is this work to be "done,"
II every one rrho Is TO DO il, sits down and does
not 'ieorkP' The proposition is too absurd to
discuss.
There vas time when Democracy had a
policy If its otpH. But II was not passive"
policy, nor did it depend upon the sicissitudes
OF the policy Of any other party. Under that
policy, We did not have to wait to sec how
somebody else's cat would jump before we
yentured 20 move. Then, DemocCacy fought
under its own banners, and FOR its ow n prinei
pies, regardless Of what other parties did or
did not do. But now, "passiYism," IS the
icy" Now, whatever We do IF we do any
thing, must be in subnrdiuation to sons prob
lemsgcal act OF the Republican pariyi II the
Radicals shall happen to quarrel among them
selves 'omstme IN the future, and before they
shall have completed the overthrow Of ur free
Institutions, then, it our leaders hiRk IL not
too tais,- they "feel WELL" and come to
know exactly, how 1t is, they may, possibly,
recommend that somebody will do soHsthingi
Mean tune, corruption stalks forth in open
A.Nl Lob a -. a
US, link by link
VI course it would be wrong to do anything
rash or Inconsistent However, this is no Tea.
son Why we should do nothing. BY reason Of
the perbdy Of its "leaders," the Democracy
has been disgrsced and demoralized. All adj
mt THIS. Aud Is 1t requisite that we shall
wait and see what the Radicals will do" be-
fore We proceed 10 reorganize and purge Dur
partyf Is d not plain that Decentralization
aud disintegration will become worse, aud
worse, exactly in proportion to our delay Ia
reorganization and publication
1t Is said by some OF our "leaders," that "oar
prospects are Frightening every day" IL this
seem TO be so, why Is IL? Certainly It docs
not come from The zeal aud patriotism dis
played By our Headers" in the cause of liberty.
am not sure, however, that "our pospects
are Frightening To such an extent that they
may not be blasted any day. There are favor
able indications, but this is not the result Of
unity in the Democratic party. The bright
spots we see are the manifestations Of pHbiic
dlspleasure at the corruption, tyranny aud ras-
eality in general OF the Radical managers.
Against oiheiai corruption, aud the usurpAiiUns
ol orant ana MS supporters, many honest and
patriotic Republicans have revoited. This, il
the revolt shall go on, may help 10 produce a
reaction which will eyentuate in good. But
what claim can the Democracy put in for
share Of any credit in this? ii sumner and
Mo1y Morton shall kill each other, will that
theirs be " Democratic funeral 20 Unaues-
tionably, 1t is hopeful sign To see the Radical
hight among themselves, go on. But is that a
reason why we should stand, gaping, like
tools, with arms in our pockets to our elbowsP
Is that reason why we should not reorp aniEe
our party and kick out of il the traitnrs and