The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-11-18
FIRST PRINCIPLES

In looking over the political situa-
ton, it seems to Us the part of true
wisdom to look at the past. When
our fathers formed the frame work
and adopted the Constitution of our
country, two parties appeared on the
stage of action. One, the old Fed
eral party, was for making a strong
government; the other, the Demo
cratic party, was for making a gov
eminent of the people, for the people
and their posterity forever. The
advocates of a strong government
when in power, enacted the old Alien
and Sedition Laws. The one fore
Swallowed the Know Nothing or Ma
tive American idea; the other pun
ished men by fine and Imprisonment
for supposed "sedition," in the ute
rance Of sentiments obnoxious to the
administration for the time being.
Now we humbly conceive that these
ideas are still the main. spring of
action even at the present time.
Those who constitute the present
Republican party are not bastards,
but the lineal descendants in heart
and mind, in political sentiment OF
their political forefathers. 1t crops
out in a thousand forms. They be-
lieve in a strong government, a gov
eminent not trammeled and restrict
ed by Constitutional ties. They be.
lleve in the Know Nothing, or as
they choose to call it, the American
idea, and would if they dared, modi.
fy the naturalization laws. In pur
suance of their ideas they have re
modelled the Supreme Court of th'
United States, because it resisted
the idea of the constitutionality o
the Legal Tender Act. In the pur
suit of the same ideas some hav,
even advocated the wiping out o
State lines, believing that the sove
reignty of the States interfered will
their idea Of a strong government
This was carried out in part by
recent enactment of Congress, where
by they made a bold assault upoI
the liberty of the press, assumini
that the United States Courts shout,
have the power to try for imaginar
offences citizens of a State in anoth
er and distant State or territory.
These are but a few of the man
festations of the greed of power tbs
are constantly being exhibited on til
t part of the Administration party {
: to day, going to prove the fact tn.
!. the spirit of Federalism is not dea,
nay, that it is alive and active
this time. On the other hand, tt
: Democratic party is the party of tt
people. We believe that govern
ments were instituted by the peop
and for their good, and not for tt
especial benefit of the favored fe
in Office. We believe in the SOY
} reignty and independence of IL
e States in all 10 al matters. and
all things not expressly delegated
the General Government. We b
lieve that the right to speak al
proclaim the truth about and CO
corning all official misconduct al
rascality should not be question:
We believe that the naturalizatic
laws are just and humane. We b
lieve that the naturalized citizen
everywhere the equal of tie natl
American, and we fully sustain al
n cherish the idea that our fathers
g making this country the refuge
the oppressed of every cline, did
|. wise thing. Our unexampled pro
perity in the past is but a foresha
owing of the future, aud that our n
ton is still to be blessed in a liber
policy toward the stranger who com
to our shores for a home. We b
! lieve that there is no party that c.
successfully solve the problems
the future prosperity of our count
so well as the Democratic part
e We believe in one currency for a
for the day laborer and the capt.,
n list; honesty and economy in t
a government, and a careful and wi
P administration of the lawful reven
le of the same, which will bring abo
IS a state of affairs that will make
J sumption possible. To this end t
people can do much in the way
n aid by voting for those who in t
If past have been faithful to the &c
# stitution and the laws of the land.
We notice that several of our OF