The Placer herald., 1874-04-11
DEMOCRATS, HARkEN.

For years the corruptions of the Republi-
can party have been pc,3ectly apparent. The
entire disregard of the public interests have
characterized their every official act since the
close of the war. The Republican party
has brought curses on the country that years
of the best management cannot efface. All
their extravagant, corrupt, and thievlng
acts have been promptly exposed and justly
rebuked by the HERALD. In the meantime,
we labored earnestly and increasingly for
better results. We sought and earnestly
hoped that the much desired reform might
be brought about through the Democratic
party. AT various times we have been
panied to see a Democrat fall from grace,
and prove recreant TO his pledges and the
principles of his party. But as long as
such cases were rare, we generously over
looked them, knowing full well there are to
be expected few black sheep in any flock.
But when they began to fall thick and fast
on all sides; turn their backs on the very
principles they had promised to defend, and
give their aid and counsel in furthering the
corruption, extravaganza and Infamous
measures we so much deplored and so Bit
terly denounced the Republican party for,
how, we ask in the name of God, could we
stand by them longer? We couldnot-we
wi!ln OF. Though our patronage should be en-
tirely Withdrawn and we reduced to starva-
toin, so long as we have voice in directing
the public veal, that voice shall express our
heartfelt convictions And in thus expressing
ourselves to-day, we hesitate not to de-
nounco the Democratic party hopeiess y cor
rupt;-not the Democratic party either, but
the leaders of party which is known by
that name, but from which, we might add,
the last vistage of true Democracy has fled.
We wish to be known among them no long
er. While they claim the name but ignore
the principles, we hold to the live principles
of Democracy in its true sense, and cast the
name to the four winds. Since we called
upon the honest men in Placer county, re-
gardless of party, to come forward and take
the reins of government in their own hands
and run it as it should be rum in the inter
est of the masses, we have held allegiance
strictly to no party, further than to advocate
the best principles and the election of the
best men. And only advocate the Inde-
pendent cause to-day, because we believe The
only way good can ever be brought from the
present state of corruption will be by a rally
ing of the people, regardless of party
you may call them Independents, or some
thing else, if you please, it makes no diff
\ erence-for that purpose. We. had hoped
the Democrats would discover the errors into
which they were falling, aad turn again unto
lis; but alas their recent acts have blasted all
hopes, and disgusted us quite. We have
not changed. Read the HERALD five or ten,
or even twenty years ago, and you will find
the same doctrines enunciated on the same
issues that you find to-day. As true ad-
vocate of the peoples interests, we have op-
posed monopolies-we oppose them still; but
the Democrats in the National Congress
have gone, body and breeches. with very
few honorable exceptions, over to the enc
my. As friend Of the peoples, we have
advocated return to specie payment-a
majority of the Democrats in Congress have
recently voted for the issuance of $44 900,
900 more greenbacks AS friend of the
peoples, we favored reduction of freights
and fares-Nearly all the Democrats in the
recent State Legislature joined with the
friends of the monopoly, and opposed every
measure tending to that eff, ct. In short,
the leaders of the Democratic party, if they
are not already, are becoming as corrupt as
the Republicans ever were. We, for one,
will not follow them, nor any other party
that is not sincere; and how other honest
journals can, in the light of their present
acts, is more than we can understand. Our
greatest anxiety is for the masses of the
party We know how 10th voters are to
desert the men and party name they have
followed for years, and we know, too, how
deplorable are the results of clinging to and
supporting name when the substance is
gone, We have a striking illustration Of
the results of blindly adhering to a name, ii
the ease of the Repu blican party. Wher
the last particle of good had been extracted
from it, men still clung to the name, and
under the name gave their support to the
vi!est wretches who ever plotted against the
interests Of a free people, or planned the
downfall Of great nation. Whether the
honest men of the rank and file of the dem
Ocratic party will be deceived by buncombe
addresses, gotten up by men whose hands
are stained with traitorous deeds and deceit
full acts, and follow them on and on, as Re-
nuhlicans have done unto their own down.