The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-08-23

for his choice, as well as to the declaration
of p inciples made by the candidates them
selves and by the parties which they re-
spectivcly represent. 10 making this choice
the people act through party organizations.
Every citizen entitled to the elective fran
chise must make choice between the candi.
dates presented by party nomination or
abandon altogether his duty and privilege
as an elector. While free government
does not Impose pains or penalties on any
citizen for refusing to exercise this right,
proper regard for the duties and oblipa.
tons of citizenship require that none shall
neglect it. The higher his position in intel
ligence and personal independence of the
emoluments and forms of government the
more important Is il that he should exer-
else oil proper influence and control in
the choice of chief magistrate of the ma
ton.
At the beginning Of the second century
of our national existence two great politi-
cal parties present their respective candi-
dates for the offices of president and vice
president. Each has made declaration Of
principles, and upon these and the charac-
ter of their nominees they invoke the judg-
ment of the people. These party organiz-
ations are not now for the first time in the
they now profess should be examined in
the light of the past professions and con-
duct Of each. The republican party claims
the support of the people on the ground
that 1t is still true to the principles which
brought IL into being, and which IL has
steadfasty maintained. At the same time
it processes to be at all times ready TO pro-
gress 10 the science of government and to
deal fairly and courageously with new is
sues as they arise. Ga the other hand the
democratic party claims popular confidence
and support, not on the ground Of adher-
ence to it's own record aud teachings, but
because 1t claims to have cast off its an
cient traditions and to have been regener-
ated and completely metamorphosed. 1t
it important to inquire whether these pro-
LESSONS are sincere, and even If so whether
in view of the past, party which has I'M
dergone so great change can be safely
trusted to protect, defend and preserve the
new order of things which has been estab
lished against it, will and in spite Of it's
fieTcest opposition. The history of the
democratic party is inseperablc from the
defence of human slavery and the most
prominent of its traditions has beea its
readiness to obey the behests of the slave
power which dominated in American poll
tics as long as that party maintained its
ascendency; judged by it's record and po-
litical teachings the chief end of the demo-
cratic party while IL held power was not
only to preserve and perpetuate slavery
where IL existed, but TO give 1t opportunity
for exp insion following the extension OF
our II itional domain. AZ a party organic
alton it should have died when slavery per-
ishei. Entrusted for many years with the
the control of the national government, ii
used without stint the powers of every
department, legislative, executive and judi
c,al for the protection and extension OF
| slavery. Claiming always that the general
government was n mere confederation
of states protesting federal power
and not entitled to be called
a nation or to legisla,c for the protection
of civil rights or personal liberty, it did not
hesitate to enact and enforce tie most strin.
gent and arbitrary statutes for returning to
slavery the few coored people who, in
spired by the natural longing for freedom,
fled from bondage to the tree states of the
north. 1t compelled every man to be
slave catcher or violate the law of the lard
1t denied to men with African blood in
their veins all the rights and pli7i'e5es OF
citizenship, even though they had lceu
lawfully cmaucpatcd from statutory slave
ry. While it excrted the civil and military
power OF the general government in the
streets of Boston for The capture aud re-
turn of single fugitive from bondage,
cargoes of imported slaves were permitted
10 len On our southern coast and he Id
q, ta.tels throughout the south. Under
the dictation of the slave power it adopted
q rule OF construction of the national con-
stitution which led directly and logically to
the right Of the slave states to secedc from
the union at their pleasure In the course
of eveuts this tree, planted and wa,ercd by
the democratic party, bore the bitter fruit OF
accession and disunion. When the political
leaders of the south had sufficiently in
famed the passions and prcjudces of the
people of that unhappy section Of the coun-
try, and led them into open hostility to the
union, the democratic administration then
in power stood miserably weak and imbe.
Gle in the presence of the national danger.
1t announced the monstrous doctrine that
the same government which had but a lit
tie while ago exerted its civil and military
power for the capture and return to slave
ry of single man had, no constitutional
right or power to prevent complete dis.
memberment of the union by violence and
arms. Thus the democratic party held
that there was ample power to defend and
perpetuate slavery, but none TO preserve
the government itself from overthrow and
destruction. The right of one state to
withdraw from the union, or rather the alb
sence of all constitutional power to prevent
its doing SO, necessarily implied the same
right to all the states, and thus, according
to the democratic teaching, the whole
structure could be destroyed aud the
government possessed no inherent or con-
stitutional power of self-preservalion
The rebellion, which cost both sections OF
the country so enormously IN blood and
treasure was the direct and immediate re-
suit of the teaching and practices of the
democratic party. When war became in
evitab!e and an armed foe had expelled
the civil and military power of the gene
raj government from the southern states
and threatened the capital of the nation,
many true men who had hitherto acted
with the democratic party obeyed the be-
hests of patriotism and stood Loyalty by the
government in the hour of danger. But
such action on the paIt of individuals was
in spite of, and not in consequence of the
teachings of their party. As 2 rarly or
ganization the democratic party not only
laid the foundation for the rebellion by it's
false doctrines and teachings, but its re-
cord throughout the war does not show
| single act OF hearty or cheerful support of
the government in its struggle for self-pre-
servation. While the war was flagran. the
democratic party assembled in convention
at Chicago to nominate candidate for the
presidency and there deliberately declared
the war for the Union failure. BY this
act 1t gave encouragement and fresh hope
to the rebels in arms, and so far as its
power and influence extended discouraged
the patriotic purpose of the people to sup
press the rebellion at all hazards and Mt
whatever cost, The fact thBt individuals
performed their duty Loyalty and well, not
outstanding their connection with the par
ty, which gave expression to such unpa-
triotic views, is greatly to the credit of
themselves as citizens, but does not relieve
the party rs such, from the charge of dis
loyalty and false teaching. The leaders of
that party-men who actually did, or by
reason of their position in the party, had