Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-11-14
Democracy and the Chicago "Times.

city, ana fllleu with an active, lnteill-
gent, though visionary people, "who
seemeth to have nothing else 10 do
but run about from place to place and
tell or hear something new" Were
SAINT PAUL now living and on visit
to Chicago, he would probably give
pretty much the same account of that
modern wonder of the Great Lakes.
These reflections are suggested by
reading an elaborate article in the
Chicago Times, in which the writer
gets things terribly mixed and, in our
Judgment, proves but one thing
namely, that he knows very little
about the subject of which he SO flip.
PANTY writes. The gist of the whole
article is broad denunciation of the
Democratic form of Government, as
unsuited to an advanced state of civil
ization, and cites the failure of the
ancient Republic of Greece rs proof
of his position. Had the writer re-
fiected moment he would have dis
covered vast difference between the
political formation of the petty re-
publics of Greece and the one under
which we live. They were temporary
expedients, scarcely rising above til e
dignity of our primary elections
plausible to the superficial under
standing, but wholly impracticable in
their splendid political edi-
fees, without foundation or the
keystone of strength, and generally
tumbled before they were wholly COM
pleted. Whereas, our Republic was
| founded on the Magma Charta enun-
ciated in the Declaration of Inde-
pendence and subsequently reduced to
form and rendered practical and COM
prehensive in its workings by the
| Constitution of the United States; in
| which and by which, we, as States and
individuals, surrender certain Of our
National rights for the benefit of the
whole-thus erecting a grand Repub-
lie, whose base is Democracy and
whose strength and keystone is the
Constitution. We agree with the
Times that the terms Democrat and
"Republican,n as applied to parties,
are generally without significance or
meaning, but not in all cases. AT the
close Of the Revolutionary war, opin-
ions were variant as to the particular
form of government which would be
best adapted to our then condition
finally terminating in three distinct
parties-the Democratic, the Federal
and the Tory, the latter small in num-
bers, but powerful in talent and
wealth-who opposed an entire sepa-
ration from the mother country.
| These parties were marshalled by
powerful leaders and the struggle for
rthe ascendency which ensued was
long and determined, but conducted
with an ability and decency commen-
surate with the great stake at hazard,
and in most favorable contrast with
the political contests of the present
day. Victory, however, finally perch
ed upon the Democratic standard, OF
which the great JEFFERSON was the
bearer, and Democratic form OF
Government was adopted unanimous
ly and finally proclaimed through oul
Constitution. On that day the whole
nation became Democrats and the is-
sues which the struggle engendered
passed away and party names became
comparatively extinct. In 1912, how.
ever, war being proclaimed against
, Great Britain, Il convention was
called by some of the Eastern States
to meet at Hartford-its objects were
unknown TO the public and studiously
kept secret; and it being from the
quarter whence came the most power
full opposition to the established form
of Government, naturally reused The
: fears Of the old Democratic leaders,
who placed themselves on the alert
resurrected the old political slogan
and frightened the Convention int
oliShNc 40 W IIo ACJlidi ttIIIS. ASdllI
in 1924, when the people failed t.
elect President and the choice fel
upon Congress and Mr.. ADAMS wa
elected, though he had received but
plurality of votes before the people
the old Democratic element was again
: alarmed and the election was de
= nounced as an infringement upon tn
fundamental principles of our Govern
ment and the tocsin was again sound
ed and reverberated through the lane
until the supposed wrong had beel
: redressed by the triumphant election
: of JACKSON, who, at the previous elec
ton, had gone before Congress witt
the largest number of electoral votes
: And again, during the present year
and for some time previous, the peopl
began to lose confidence in our presen
: rulers-have seen Cesarism croppiDj
out in many of their political move
: ments and have heard the third tern
: question grayely discussed. Thes
: things have again alarmed the peopl
as innovations upon the Fundamental
: principles of Democratic government
and again we hear the old Democrat
9 slogan resounding through the land
t and the result of the recent election
r sufficiently attest that the people ar