, 1873-08-13
Is THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY DEAD Or ALIVE I

Is THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY DEAD OR ALIVE I |
7b the Editor ef The Chicago Tribune:
It is very singular fact that parties III tho |
Upitod StatoB, ovor since tho foundation Of our |
National Government, have had nancs which did |
not e1proBs at all their aims and tendencies.
Fcderalists In every other country aro those who
profcr union or federation Of quasi-soGeroign
statos, in contradistinction to Contralists,
whether tho latter arc monarchists, aratocrats'
or republicans. In our party Language, low
ovor It rather meant ContralistH. Tho anti-
Foloralists adopted in carly times tho namo
Of Republicans, which, in republic, Is an un-
meaning term. Later, the name Of Democrats
was substituted. For some twenty yeass-from
1900 to 1s2+wo hardly find any distinctive par-
tics, with tho exception of tho var and anti-war
mop in our troubles with England, torni-
mating in 1916. Andrew Jaeksona opposi-
tion to tho renewal OF tho United
States Bank chRrter and to protective
tariff called party into life, which baptized
itsolf worry incorrectly, tho Whg party, and tried
In vain to attach tho narno Of Tory party to tho
| jackson men but tho latter revivng old Jeffor-
| soninn traditions, called themselves Democrats.
WHAT'S IN NAME
| Now, both appollations wore really unmeaninG.
| Tho Democrats, finding their mnin support in
| the 9outh, for REASONS which NO will presently
show, wero worry far from claiming larger share
| Of rights for tho masses Of tho poople, which
should bo the main tendency OF party calling
itself Democratic. 80 far from it, the most
| Democratic States in this country were highly
conservative in their institutions. In the Wing,
or in tho doubtful Statos the HouBe Of Represent
atiyos was usually much larger, tho elections
of Governors and other officers wore moro fro-
quont, thor municipal corporations much loan
centralized, than they wore in tho so-callod Dom
ocratic States. Tho elootivo judiciary is d con-
triyanco Of Northern Wing origin Tho institu-
tion of slavery compelled, to certain extont,
tyrannical government, and tho grcat princi-
pies Of human right and equality, as proclaimed
in tile Declaration OF Independence, could not
10 practically carried out in section Of country
ono-half Of whoBo people lived in absolute bond
ago, That human equality Was q seR-oyident lie
and not self-ovidont truth, was tho expression
OF q Democratic leador, md another lendor Of
that party in tho North called the Declaration Of
Independence bundlo Of glittoriug goneral-
tioa.
TWO SECTIONAL PARTIES.
Tho truth ia, ii 1t nust bo told, that almost
from tho beginning Of our Government our
partios were sectional, but We did not want to
proclaim them such We know tho danger OF
such pnrtioa md weTo afraid to admit their
existence. There is 10 doubt that, at least sinco
tho famous Missouri Compromise, tile proper
appclation of parties would havo been Pro-
s1avory aud Anti-slavory. Yet these terms wore
carefully avoided. With tho exception Of the
Aboltionists, which party dtsdainod cireu1nlocu-
tion, tho Northern party called itsolf Free Soil ;
later In tho day Anti-Nobraska, and at last, hnv-
iug embodied In itsolf tho moro rational
Abolitioniste, that is to say, those who were op-
posed to dissolution Of tho Union, adopted
again the utterly meaningless namo Of Republi-
cans. Tie Southern, or Pro-slavory party, stuck
to tho name Of DomocratB.
But It may bo asked, How did 1t hnppon TIM!
there was 10 large portion OF tho
NORTHERN MEN
In the Democratic party, while, excepting 4 cor
tain mercantile interest in tho larger cities iii the
, North, which traded largely with tho south
they wore certainly not in favor Of slavery
Tho answor is, TINT in tho first place grea
many Northern uen aaw lAngor to the Uniol
| il tho anti-alayory feoling became prevalent i.
tho nation, and that they thought 1t bettor tt
nut up with tho institution than have the Unior
dissolved and in the second place, tho politi
ciaug au1iouB to secure power and satisfy thei
I ambition in tho National Government, looket
0 to d party wllicl, could always coun
a upon largo number Of States, PARTICULAR,
= after Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas I'M
boon admitted, aa absolutely certain in thoi
favor In all national elections. All that wa
necessary for euccesn in political contosta WAS t.
secure fow Of tho Northern States.
n souruEnN INTERESTS.
r When wo look at tho distinctive features O
i, tho Democratic creed, VIC lnd thom altogothe
omboaying Southern continents. or, to spoa
3 perhaps moro properly, as being prodicated upo
D Houthern irtoroBta. Tho Southern States, OWN
to the institutlon Of slaVory, wore not adapted
n manufacturing, but wero by nature destined
q produce certain ataplo articles, to which Blavs
;. labor could DO most protitably devoted. Hont
- yo find thom from interest (not from any CO
'' rect Wow of national economy IN favor OF Frs
10 Trade Wo say from interest, because Louis
T. ana, for the Bake Of protection for hor sugs
10 ntorostB, often voted the WhIg ticket, and vi
III considered gonorally as. d doubtful State. To'
nessoe, to protect hor iron intorests, showed Il
~ game wayering disposition. Mr. Calhoun WAS
u protoctloniBt before cotton bocamo King.
10 HTArE RIGHTS.
30 tile poople In tho slave atstea wore Rtri
oonstruutionists, carrying their asate-Righ
n doctrines finally to secession. In thoiz 6ta
t. sovereignty thoy sought protection agalnat n
~ tional onoroacllments, which thoy foarol abo
all thlngs ns Affecting tholr domestic instlt
~ tions. In denying to tho dcnoral dovornme
Oh all powers which were not expronaly granite
lin .t+hourh recasaarily imn]io and couHtrutnQ Il