The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1874-08-13
OF inestimable value, the Demo

of inestimable value, the Demo
cratic party found that covert, mar
row, and devious way which Law 5e.
tween loyalty and treason, and they
pursued that way from the middle
of the year 1862 to the end of the
war, always avoiding the rebuke of
their country's laws and also the re-
proach OF their country's foes.
But even for this stinted measure
OF loyalty there may have been some
excuse. 1t may have sprung from
lack OF faith and not from want of
love. They professed to believe
the rebellion invincible, and, if they
really believed so, they could hardly
be expected to evince much zeal in =
struggle they believed to be hone.
less. The spirits are rare and very
choice who lead a forlorn hope with
anything like gayety. But those
who lead real hope, no matter how
forlorn, and do not merely follow a
dread, are not apt to look so dismal
as these Democrats did when the
rebellion was finally crushed.
Possibly, however, even that sing.
ular detection was but the effect of
modification at their own misiudg-
ment and want Of provision. But
when the rebellion was crushed and
they were invited to aid in removing
its cause, as we'll as a cause for fu-
ture rebellions, by abolishing slavery,
they refused to do that How can
that refusal be excused or forgiven?
The great act of emancipation, while
it is the grandest in history, is also
the least expensive. 1t cost nothing
but vote, yet even this they refus-
ed to give. By simply writing "yes"
upon their ballots, instead of "no,"
they knew they could give freedom
to four millions of human beings
They were sure of victory if they
said Eyes" they could only hope
for victory if they said "no." 1t
was mere question of volition.-
The question was squarely put to
them after they had been led shud.
dering through the Red sea and
stood dry on the other shore-stood
too, in that marvellous blaze which
irriadiates the nineteenth century as
it sinks into the twentieth-they
were plainly asked, "Are you willing
the bond should be free ?' and they
said "no." When is that generation
coming, that shall excuse or forgive
that impious refusal?
And When, In spite of that resist.
anoe, the freedmen had been made
citizens the Democracy was asked,
"May these citizens, though they be
black, have the protection of the
ballot which the law benignly grants
to all citizens, however humble, of
every other color ?" And again the
answer was "no."
And when the KuKlux, armed
with brand and bludgeon, hunted
the new-made citizen by night, hunt.
ed him through the swamps and pur-
sued him to death-when the local
authorities stood powerless in the
presence of organized murder and
arson, and this opposition was ap-
pealed to to lend the protection of
the national tribunals to the victims
of such incarnate hate, they still
mocked at their calamitles and re-
fused all relief.
II is often flippantly said that all
these crimes and horrors are past,
and it is absurd to attempt to main.
tain political party on memory of
them. Perhaps so. But would it
not be insane to trust a political
party that could so easily forget
them +? 1t is not magnanimous, it is
indeed, hardly manly, to persecute
men for sins of which they have
really repented. But that is not re-
pentance, it is Hypocrisy, which
processes to repent of sins and does
not forsake, but embraces worse
ones. Such is the anomalous repent
ance displayed by the Democratic
party. 1t never ceases to denounce
the Republican party for what 1t has
done or is trying to do, but it straight
way thunders with fercer denuncia-
tions of what the party has not done
and is determined shall not be done.
The moment Democrats forget to
decry Republican policies they be-
gin to belle Republican motives
For twenty years they deemed it
sufficiently opprobrious to call Re-
publicans "Radioals;" )" now they
claim to be radicals themselves and
denounoe Republicans as rascals.
DEMOCRATIC PROMISES.
Since the early part of 1872 they
have been diligently seeking to
suborn renegade Republican
to turn states evidence and to
swear that all political virtue is in
those discomfitted forces which re-
sisted the progress of the last de-
cade, and all villainy- isin the forces
which marshalled that progress. To
suoh witnesses they have lavishly
offered honors, offices, dignities,
presidencies, everything which could
be made the subject of q promise.
To answer to any name; to pro-
fess every creed (; to follow any flag;
to sleep in any bed; to fraternize
with all factions and to offer salve
for every sore-suoh is the mission
of the opposition to-day. Never be-
fore was lie enacted 80 transparent
and 30 audacious as that paraded by
the Democratic party in 1872, when
they gravely introduced Horace
Greeley to the people as their repre-
sentative man. 1t is not possible
such "signs and wonders" can "de-
ceive the elect" So far they have
failed to deceive even the electors.
If that party feel it to be unkind
to remind 1t of its past career, how
must it feel to be reminded of its
present attitude ? Once its members
professed distinct principles all
that could be objected to them was
that they professed the worst princi.
Piles extant. But bad as they were.
they were more becoming than this
utter adjuration of all principles
You may not like to employ, but you
do not wholly despise, the zealot
who consistently asserts that sarsapa-
rilla will cure every disease and SO
urges 1t upon every patient; but who
can respect the charlatan who pre-
sistently cries to the sick, "give me
your money and you may take what
remedies you please"
| When, In 1860, Democrats said,
UContinue us in mower and we will