The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-02-10
Correspondence.
Arc we or Are We Not:

.a,,;r,snt with which I cannot wholly agree.
For TIN, reason have concluded to pen few
lines expressive of my belief that important
tonic therein discussed. 1t is true that an ex-
pres,ion of nv ideas will amount to very little,
hut "a I have heretofore nothing in the
the columns Of your valuable paper indicative OF
nv thoughts ON this subject, think passing
remark "ou tho other side of the question
would not be entirely amiss, as it may have
tendency 70 stimulate inquiry and, perhaps
awaken true political " sensation.' The poll
tics of our country are indeed at present at q
very low standard, consiier in a moral point
of view. and SO are they likely to remain until
the people arise en- 'nssse and scatter /" to the
four Winds The corrupt and vitiated clements
controlling them. This and this alone will rid
Us of our political evils and this and this alone,
we may be assured, must and will ere long be
the iual result. Under our form of goysrnment
opposing political parties necessary for its
preservation but honesty and candOr should be
the prevailing principles in each-then will the
truo ends of its establishment sought by the
governed be attained Pure motives must rule
and unless it possesses such attributes, it need
not expect the support of AN enlightened and in
teligent people True it Is, that corrupt and
unprincipled party predominates IN the United
States today bnt this is necessary consequence
and offspring of the late war between the states.
from such Il source nothing better coul be ex-
Yected, and clearly is It demonstrated to the
most superficial observer, that the dishonesty,
corruption and venality, which prevailed in cab
met ana camp during the civil war finds
counterpart only in the double-dealing, triokery
and fraud ex.ant in the civil services OF the
United States at the present time. But the days
of this dominant party numbered. Born in
infamy, iOstered and nourished by treachery
and treason, it has performed we'll the appointed
mission in its corrupt sphere; 1t is now with
ing in its dying agonies, and, unless aid soon
arrives, the hour of it's burial is not far distant
The only assistance it can hope to receive is
through the weakness of its enemy allowing
itself to be betrayed by false prophets and by
false theories. The question then for democrats
u.s. Will the democratic party thus betray her.
self On the eve of final victoryr This is the
the problem TO be solved, and upon a correct 90.
luton may depend the future veal or woe Of the
party. The democratic party ruled the country
upwards ot fifty years. and the same fundamen.
tai principles naugurated by its founder-Jef-
ferson-have remained UNMARRIED through the
lapse of years. Rerospsctr : its past prosperity
and success, does it not lo.k unstatesman ike
yea, worse-unpr'ncplsCtUEe, to attempt now a
degradstiup of Its structure2 And is this not
attempted by the projectors of tn proposition
stated in tho article above mentioned? 1t Ger.
tany csn be nothing else. A want of courage
to hoist the standard of true aud genuine de-
mocrscy hiss led those unprineipled political
demagOgaes to construct q fabric Of their ewn,
characterized by bsseness and pusilan unity.
This they bsseech the democratic party to sup.
port, knowing we'll that, without its cc-opera.
tiou their fate is inevitable defeat and tho cen.
seguent downfall Of their dsstsrdly construction.
A number Of po,itioal men and journals, pro-
fessedly Democratic hsve, We regret to say, on.
listed under the banners Of these scspegoats,
and are Row using their influence and means to
procure tho sanction Of democracy to their DO.
meaning of this ao-caled "passive policy? ~ Is
it, indeed, true policy deserving tho encourage.
men' OF the democratic partyf We answer,
most unquivocslly, no and believe the facts
of the case will substantiAte our conclusion. It
requires that the democratic party shall "forego
its own name aud prestige and support and en-.
dorss doctrines dramatically opposed to tho
most sacred precepts Of it's party organization.
These are the prerequisites necessary for ad.
mission into the "passive policy" fold, as will
be admitted DO both advocate and oppoaent.
Then, "s party, honorable, upright and con.
sciontious, which has heretofore bowed the knee
to no supp!'ant policies and heresias, can it
forego is name and prestige" with dignity to
itself and justice to its sdherents! Itis pro-
posed 10 degrade tho party, merely on the SUP.
position that at tho coming presidential election
it may be unsuccessful. This hypothesos may
be wholly untcunded and proven to be ground.
less; time alone can verify tho conf lecture, The
presidential campaigns within the last ten years.
furnish no proof on which to ground such a SUP.
petition; for, whilst policy" dictated at the
Chicago convention in 1864, thereby causing a
"tull-hedVsd policy" candidate TO 10 nominated,
the ticket selected nj New York in 1868 wa, de
feated by the scs!sw.g which policy" hung to
his tsil. On the other hand, the fact, nrove
most conclu'iyely the such candidates have re.
ducec ita stroGgth numerically, and caused do.
feat only to crown It's attempts 1hi. ia the