Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-10-09
Historic Principles Of the old DenaOc.
fNcY.sH

We never expect to see on earth another
organization that can equal the old Democ-
racy for pious precept and iniquitous ex-
ample And its impudence takes the
breath away. Take the gathering Of EN-
balmed warriors at Utica, N. Y, on Thurs
day. The convention resolved that gin the
midst of this general distress we scout the
Presidents pill for panic, and point the
country to the true remedy and cure in the
tried and historic principles Of the old De.
mocracy." Now let the reader calmly lean
back in his chair for a few moments and
think of that. 1.-THE historic principles Of
the old Democracy What these princi-
Piles are the convention explains by de-
handing the rights Of the States" the
overthrow of the Kellogg government in
Louisiana, ETC., but this was all unneces-
sary. The "historic principles of the De-
mocracy" are familiar to every schoolboy,
and they are a bad lot altogether, There
never was more graceless association
What they have done that was bad is known
Of all men. WHAT they have done that
was good nobody can find out. It is sell
dom that a party out Of power is able.to do
enough to make it obnoxious to the coun.
try, but the Democracy has been equal to
this feat. Without having place in the
nation it has had its fingers deeper in every
steal than anybody else. Kicked out OF
nearly every respectable land responsible
position in State and municipal govern
men,s, it has nevertheless managed to be-
come interested in every "job,' and has sold
out faster and oftener than any other party
in christendom. Its record is so entirely
bad that tbs hard to discuss any Of its
claims soberly; but it is passed beyond re-
call that it will figure in history as the foe
OF the nation and lie regarded rs that mean
est Of all allies to the rebels, an apostate too
penurious to give and too cowardly to fight
for its principles. This is the main historic
incident in the life Of the Democratic party.
For the rest its precedent and subsequent
history are nnimportant. 1t was distin-
guished formerly for weakness for Wild
cat banking and a passion for human sla.
very. and latterly for the magnitude of its
stealingsin Ney York and Brooklyn; but
thesc are only apois leet in che world oil
darkness that enslirouds the whole party,
and need not be dwelt upon. That organ
Nation has been for years wholly and ire
claimably bad, without 3 feature that we
can now recall to commend it to the coun.
try, and yet, mysterious and Incompetent
sib!e as it is, the thing still lives, wiggling
how and then to show that life yet remains.
1t will die finally and absolutely in all its
parts and members when the last old man
Of the present generation gives up the
ghost. 1t never gains u convert, and of
young men belong to it, but the man who
is still voting for General jackson, and has
been doing SO for tire last quarter Of a CEN
fury, will continue to doit till it dies
There is no help for that, and we do not
know that there should be. Aud this par
ty proposes to take charge of the affairs of
eminent in this year 1873! People can az
ford to laugh at the proposition because
there is no possibility of its succeeding; but
what would become Of us if it should OBJ
tain the ascendancy.can be easily conjec-
tured. II it can gain such gigantic repu-
tation for corruption and theft with its
present limited opportunities, what wonld
it do if turned loose upon the government
Without even the merits of being faithful to
itself; selling the party name to lot on
Liberal hucksters for glimpse of the
promised laud and chance of reaching it
more uncertain Than Moses experienced,
what would these ancient Pistols do il their
hands were united in the vaults of the
United States Treasury and every man
given an opportunity of displaying his re-
markable genius for appropriating personal
property without let or hindrance2
In spite Of allfhis, however, there was
one thing about the Utica Convention that
we can commend. 1t resolved that 1--WE
recognize in the liberal Republicans worthy
coadjators." So they are. They have
proven it. II there is set of men on the
globe who can dive into rascality deeper and
stay under Longer than the "historic De-
mocracy" it is 'the worthy coadjutors'-
the Liberal Repiblicans. Together they
make up patty such as the world has
never seen beforehand it is not likely to
see again. The "worthy coadjutors' OK
hibit a paucity d numbers that may be
rather discouragng, but they make up in
agility what the, lack in multiplicity, and
deserve this marx Of recognition. The
union is eminentE proper one.-Inter-
Ocean