The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1872-08-08

NOW LONG.
We ask the question how long the
rank and file of the Democratic party
are to be hawked about by tho leaders
of that party as mere chattles, 70 fol-
low the bell weathers like flock Of
sheep. w
Many an excellent citizen, through
the force Of circumstances, through
the influence Of surrounding political
friends, was led into the dark and ac-
cursed abyss of opposition to the gov
eminent in its great struggle for life.
Again, once into it. they, through
pride of heart, would not acknowledge
their error, but kept drifting ON and
on until they were SO completely en-
coiled in the disreputable chains of
the disloyal deeds of the party that
they felt there was no chance for them
to retract. All this has been the sad
experience of tens of thousands of
democrats whose whole hearts inward
ly revolted at the position they occu-
pied; men whose political Affiliations
have been for eleven years past, be-
cause of want of resolution to break
away from them, in direct violation of
their consciences.
After the war had closed Democracy
tried next the ruin of the country by
attempting to beguile the people into
reputation and SO destroy the nation.
al credit, which had they accomplished
by appealing to the weakness Of men
viz: their love of money, they would
have as effectually ruined this grand
Republic as though they had borne
down the old flag upon the field OF
battle. For this purpose they seduced
from their natural political alliances
former good and faithful soldiers and
civilians, with the promise of Office
they took departure after departure
and still the rank and file Of Democ.
racy including the tens of thousands
we have before referred to
reluctantly and sort of help.
lessly drifted along with the rot.
ten old hulk into which they had EN-.
barked in an evil hour against theil
own good Judgment and sense o,
Justice and right.
Now, finally the innate rebels Of the
party, and rotten swindling Tammany
with its thousands of off-shoots, have
adopted the platform and nominee o.
q new party, and have, to very large
degree, acknowledged that, for ths
long eventfnl years past, they have
been wrong, and that the republican
party has been, and is right. while they
have done this, 1t is true we have M
confidence in their professions, be-
cause their character and their pas,
conduct viii not warrant US in bestow.
ing confidence upon them it is against
all the dictates of common sense that
we should rely upon them. But here
and now we put the question 10 thu
tens ofthousands of democrats all over
this goodly land of ours, since the
party leaders, or q majority Of them,
have taken this step only to get
back into power, and have acknowl-
edged the justice of the republican
cause, how long are you to be led viii.
lingly and blindly in the tortuous dis.
graceful ways Of these old party lead
ers? 1.-THE party takes asits candidase
for President man foreign to it, whal
party tie is left to bind you to your old
affiliations which you SO long have de.
tested? If your party now adopts the
principles of the republican party why
longer train in the company you have
in reality been, and now are, ashamed
of? If republican principles are &c.
knowledged to be correct, why not ally
yourselves with those who inaugurateG
them, and carried them forward thus
far to contamination? In other words
why not do in fact now what You have
time and again wished you had done
long since, viz: ally yourself with the
great party of progress, and shake of
the spell that has bound you agains,
your better Judgment?