The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-09-12
TIE N,GZS.
BEL AIR, Md. SEPTEMBER, 1eth is 70.
The Democratic Party. ~

From its Organization in 1S00-when by
il Mr.. Jefferson was elected President, and
the Infamous Alien and Sedition laws We're
swept from the statute books-to the pres
ent time, the Democratic party has been the
true party of Reform Whatever measure
has tended to destroy or curtail the reserved
constitutional rights of the States or people
whatever tended to subordinate the public
veal to private gain; whatever scheme that
had for its object the creation of unnecessary
burdens OF taXation whatever form class
legislation assumed-whereby special advan-
tages were sought for the few at the expense
otthe many; whatever disguise the advocates
OF Capitalization put on, they have met with
an lmplacable foe in the organized Democ-
racy. sH.
The Democratic party was born of reform
1t was called into existence to protect consti-
tutional freedom and the rights of the people
against the aggressions of despotism, and the
inquities OF class legislation. Its motto has
always been THE greatest good to the great
est number" 1t has constantly defended the
constitutional and inalienabe rights of the
people. Honesty and capability have been
the qualifications which it required of public
servants. 1t has always advocated an eco
nomical administration of public affairs. 1t
has always opposed high and unequal taxa
ton. 1t has advocated the payment of only
adequate salaries to public officers. During
the sixty years that it was under control of
public affairs, the entire annual expenses of
the government were not equal to that
now paid as salaries to Grant and his subor-
dinates in the Executive Department. IN
der Democratic rule no citizen ever heard of
Federal TaX-gatherer, Internal Revenue
Assessors, collectors and spies, stamp duties,
or assessments upon the labor and commerce
t1.u tl,,n
-er, the Constitution of the United States was
universally recognized as the supreme law of
the land-binding alike upon officials and pri
Vate citizens, the General and the State Gov
ernments The grants of power in that in
strument- which was regarded as simply
the bond of union between the States-were
strictly construed and in all its limitations
regarded as binding upon every citizen, Of
licer and department of the Confederation
IL was not until, unhappily, the government
passed out OF Democratic hands that the ''re-
construction" OF State governments by the
power OF Federal bayonets was invented.-
In the good old Democratic days, if Fed
eral judge had undertaken by his writ to GUST
the Governor ola State, duly elected, and in
stall graceless prctcnder, he would have
found his official head in the waste basket as
soon as 1t could, by lawful process, be taken
OIL. There were no DulTes, and War
mouths, and kelloggs, and Pmchbacks, and
Bullocks, and Shermans, and Pomeroys, and
Carpenters, and Towards in office in the
Tunes when the Democracy guided the shin
OF State. In those days there was no neces-
slty tor farmers oranges to resist the oppres-
SONS OF mammoth railroad and other mo.
hophes. Then the public domain was
sacredly set apart ass homesteads for our
growing population, or sold, and the money
tn hf laori
ment-and any surplus distributed among the
ntates-and not, as now squandcred by the
millions OF acres on monster railroad COM
panles, to form the basis of Credit Mobiliers
Syndicates, and all manner of schemes of
robbery. There were no back-pay steals in
Democratic times. All these things, and
many more, like them and of kin to them,
have grown up under the fostering care of
Radicahsm and its tender, Liberalism -
which occupies its abandoned camps in the
march otprogress against Constitutional free
dom. The difference between the two has
puzzled many TO discover. Really, there is
no difference but this the first is in power
and the second out Liberalism is Radical
Ism out OF office and consequently with a
sore head. The latter clamors for "reform"
throughout the United States, because it is
out OF power everywhere. The former wants
to reform Kentucky, and one or two other
States where it has failed to secure foot
hold. The handspring of the motive is the
same in both-a desire to get place for the
sake Of power and pelf.
1t is the mission Of the Democratic party,
to-day, as it was at its organization, to res
cue the Government from the hands of such
spoilers to bring back the administration
OF public affairs 10 a constitutional basis to
save the people from the despotism of rings,
and cliques, and jobs of all sorts to preserve
Wfat is LETT OF constitutional liberty on this
continent Ours is the party of true reform,
and about its standard the people must orally
once again" if our union of co-equal States
is to continue-if the people are to remain
rec.-L0uiScae, (Hy) Ledger.