The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-10-14
GERRIT SMITH,
TO Restore the nenlOcrotle Party 10
Power Is e Raln the Coantry.
Extracts from letter to the voters
of the State of New York:


of the State Of New York:
~
The Democratic party, organized by
our fathers, was good one. 1t went,
at least in theory and with the honest
purpose Of speedy corresponding
practice. for the equal rights Of all,
men. 1t maintained its honor and its
usefulness, until in an. evil hour it was
tempted to increase its votes and pow
err by taking slavery under its wing,
And now for more than half a centu-
ry this slavery transformed party has
not ceased to pour out upon the coun-
try it has cursed, its demoralizing aud
destructive influences. In fastening
slavery upon us, it quite naturally and
even necessarily. dragged down our
whole national character into cores
pondence with this ruling abomina-
ton. Every valuable interest was
damaged by it. Every virtue was di-
hted by it. Especially did temper
ance suffer from it. Dramshops and
Democrats sprung up together every
where; and Nike Walsh's famous
boast that dram>hops are the nurse
ries, schools and recruiting stations of
the Democracy was verified. every
where, 1t was the grave imperiling
Of slavery and then its abolition, that
caused the Democratic party to lam
aua,h rf0m i It It's iar more g" Vital SUP 3.
port of the dramshop, aud it would be
left dead.stone dead Surely. not
one step should DO taken toward re-
yiving such a party. Surely, the good
men who are so unfortunate as to be
in it.-( no good men can be Of it)-
should hasten to break it up by with
drawing from it. s s
For thirty years before the rebellion
the abolitionists were working for the
overthrow OF slavery. They could
make but little he,dway, however,
Salpst the Democratic party. In the
eyes Of this party, these seii-sacrif ieing
philapthfopists and patriots were fit
only to be mObbed and murdered.
Certainly. there should not be one
finger to help lift up this party from
| prostratiOn to power.
The rebellion would never have bro
ken out but for the encouragement
which this party gave it. 1t promised
the rebels fifty thousand armed allies
from the city of New York alone. 1t
promised through ex- President Pierce
in his letter to Jefferson Davis, that
the fighting will not be along Mason
! and Dixon line merely. 1t will be
within our ewa borders. in our own
streets, between the two classes Of
citizens -Hleaning the abolitionists
! and their pEo-slavery or Democratic
neighbors. 1t opposed with FIRE and
slaughter, as in the instance of the
riot in New York in 1863, the drafting
of men to Fill up our deoimated ar
mics. During the whole OF the rebel
lion. the sympathies of this treas on
able party were ever with the South
and slavery. 1t never reioiced in our
victories, but always in eur defeats.
1t is true that slavery was once the
great curse ofthe country; but, for the
last fifty years, the Democratic party
has been its far greater curse. In all
this time, slavery has been as much
less to be dreaded than the Democrat
ic party, as is the sword less to be
dreaded than the hand that wie!ds ii.
Easily woald the advancing eiyiliza-
ton Of Christeadom have disposed Of
slavery, had not this bad party chung
to it as Its chief means for prepetua-
ting itself. Slavery and rum were its
life; and, to this day, its life is very
! largely ia its hope that either slavery
will reappear. or that some scarcely
less advantageous modification Of it
1 will take its place.
! My old temperance friends complain
| that | do not advocate a temperance
! ticket. Wheneyer there is danger Of
the Democratic party coming again in
to power, as there was in 1872, wher
! it .cupningly nominated Greeley tc
catch reformers with. and as there is
now, when, with hands dipped afresf
| in the blood of Southern Republicans
it is moving earth and hell to regain
its lost ascendency, my first duty
nay, my only political duty-is to OPP
pose the Democratic party. Thi:
abomiaable party is the murderer Of
the colored race. which my guilty
comtry has SO deeply wroDged; and
would let all men become drunkards
ere [ would, directly or indirectly
soin this murderer.
Although the Republican party is
as compared with the Democratic par
ty, Hyperion to Satyr," there Ii
nevertheless somewhat in it to regret
and be ashamed of. If this good par.
ty shall ever fall into minority, il
! will be because of its cowardice-anC
especially its cowardice in not passing
| the civil rights bill Had it, with the
bold face of conscious rectitude
promptly passed this bill, which
| lacked only SO few votes. though ever!
l Democratic vote was against it, these
recent murders at the South would
not have been entered upon. Thi:
wayering in the fidelity OF Republi
cans to their righteous principles In:
its worst effect in encouraging tn,
Democratic party to fresh expressions
of its wickedness. Can our poo
colored brethren forgive this waver
ing, this cruel injustice, this stinginI
ingratitude? | trust they can -ant
will be persuaded that, after one NOR,
triumphant election. this good. blu
not yet good-enough, party, havin!
then enough courage to subdue it.
iaint-heartedness and enough integri
ty to overcome its trucking, will hast
en- to accord equal rights to the color
ed man.
Let me here repeat what | have 81
often said that the excuse offered b.
some Republicans for the failure o
this bill-the excuse that it would b,
contrary to law for Congress to pas
it's as disgraceful as empty. Fudg
for such law, if there is such law
They say that it must be lett to thu
several States to provide for the MA n
tenance OF the colored man manhood
How contemplate is the skulking o
great nation behind one of its State
1t was the nation that was response
BILE for the long and weary years 9th,
colored mans enslavement. 1t wa
to save the nation that he so forgiv