Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1873-08-06
WILMINGTON, DEL.
wednesday Afternoon, August g.
WHATS THE MATTER WITH THE DEMO
era TIC PARTYf

A very simple and very bad disease. Any po-
litical DOCTOR who has read history, or is compe-
tent to Judge of probable results, will tell you
that party which once contracts it is sure to be
laid on bed of sickness, and most probably
nailed in it's coffin.
This disease is infdeliy to Liberty and Union
"a principle and method of government, which
in the United States are truly 'inseparable," and
to which unfaithfulness is punished by death.
Look you; the downfall OF the Democratic
party has proceeded steadily, since 1861. The
attack on Fort Sumter threw large majority Of
the Northern people into solid column unsel-
ishly devoted to the country, and resolved to
maintain its majority. If the Northern Demo-
cratic leaders had been the men they ought to
have been, they would have seen that their de-
liberate choice of sympathy with the Rebellion
was mistake which would drag their party
down, as sure as Time went on. But they took
that side they put the faint of Slavery, of Re-
bellion. of Caste Prejudice-all Of which are poi
Hon to true Democracy-on the garments of
their organization, and they gave it disease
that has not actually killed it, perhaps but
winch has brought it down to be poor, decrep-
it, haggard, shambling, shackling old wreck.
And now those same leaders seem surprised and
sad, and are trying every sort OF quack medicine
to "build up" its ''system."
We are not going to blanc the Southern peo.
pie. in this connection. They have had their
burdens ard tribulations, and most Of them will
agree with us in condemDing the Northern DEM
ccratic leaders as bad lot. But the great
mistake of the Democracy was that which we
have indicated. 1t inoculated itself with the
virus that killed Arnold, and Aaron Burr, that
left bad Smell about the Hartford Convention,
and clings to the memory Of Qualification" Cal
houn-namely, infidelity to its own country.
And since that time-since Vallandigham, and
Pugh, and the Seymours, and Woodward, and
other prominent Northern Democrats. put their
party in position sympathetic with the dissolu-
ton of the Union, on account Of THAR attach
ment to the institution of Slavery-since the
year 1861, it has never had a real chance Of per-
manent success. Just think of the burdens the
Republican party staggered under, during the
war 1t swept the couotry by CONSUMPTION. it
laid heavy taxes, it piled up a prodigious debt.
1t touched the pocket nerve of the people till
they howled, and the desolations OF war made
monrners in every village Of the North. But
the majority of the people stood up in its sup
port, because it represented patriotism, and
they would not be traitors to their country.
OF course, there is not much comfort to the
doctors who are trying all sorts of pills and tom
les to strengthen the Democratic invalid, in this
little retrospect, but it ia we'll that they should
look to the origin of their patient disease. They
gave it to him they put the faint in his blood ;
and it will take a great deal more skill and
sense than they have ever yet shown, to take it
out.
And to the future their experience should be
valuable. Every manor woman-iu the years
to come, who has the power to influence the
public acts of Others should know that the pc
litical organization which proves unfaithful t.
LIBERTY and UNION will be stricken with disease
and daatb