Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1878-10-23
The Mission Of Democracy.

The Mission OF Democracy.
The Hon. j. C. S. Blackburn,
NJ. c., of Kentucky, during his
speech at Detroit, last Thursday,
spoke Of Democracy as follows:
Let it be our proud mission, like
the lofty Cordilleras that stretch
along your narrow isthmus to beat
back from their rocky sides the
dashing of either ocean. 1t is her
mission TO accomplish the recogni-
ton of the rights and liberties and
to restore the prosperity of the
people of this land. She has ever
been the friend of the friendless.
Tell me in the days that have gone
by, when prescription and perse-
cution were raging over your land,
when the hydra-headed monster
appeared among you, that sought
to strike down and fasten brand
of inferiority upon every one born
the victim of foreign despotism,
when it was declared that he who
from choice rather than by acct
dent, became the citizen Of this
great and free republic, should
hold no prerogative and enjoy no
rights, when the thrifty German
sought your shore, and the Irish
exile, tired of persecution and
weary of his sufferings, gathered
his wife and little ones about him
and stood upon the deck of the
outward bound vessel and watched
with tear dmmed eyes the fast re-
ceeding shore around which clus-
tered the fondest memories Of
childhood and of home, tell me /
what it was that buoyed him mp in |
his reverence of ties of kindred 4
and of BIRTH 1t was because he |
knew that across the broad At
antic there was TO be found a
beautiful land where the broad .
Catholic principles of a true De-
nocracy would flourish; where
each and every citizen was made
he equal of his fellow, and it was
beneath the broad agis of Democ-
'acy that he found shelter when
ne reached your hospital shore.
No victim of oppression, either
nome or foreign, has found its safe
~ except beneath the Democratic
shield. True to their interests il
las been their policy in the past to
stand by us faithfully and fearless
y. True to their better judg-
nents, now that the passions Of the
war have passed and prejudice
have subsidized and judgment has
$50 NO. .se1nietl its sway, it is
the party of the Constitution. II
Is as the party Of equal rights, as
IN contra-distinction to the party of
exclusive privilege that it shall re-
,eive the sanction and the endor e.
nent of the intelligent and the
conservative masses. Ii is the first
lime in the history of the world
hat any political organization,
charged with having brought on
civil war, has ontlived the charge
and come back to power. 1t is the
first time that any organization
hat has ever been arraigned and
charged as the instrument for the
of human blood has been
once more taken up and restored
TO its possession Of power. And
Il is because of the immortal and
beautiful and phenix-like princi-
Piles upon which it rests. 1t is be-
cause deep down in the hearts and |
minds and souls Of the American
people it is founded-where alone
there can be found room for free
government to stand-that it still
survives.
1t is not a mushroom organiza-
ton. 1t has not sprung into exis-
tence in a single night. 1t has out.
lested the storm and outlived the
tempest, and upon its sides the
moss and the ivy cling. Around
its lofty spire the storms Of a coun-
try have moaned, while its flag for
an hundred years have braved the
gale and still floats upon the breeze
emblazoned with the great princi-
pies first stamped upon its folds.
1t is the ark of the political coven-
ant in which our hopes, our aspira-
lions and our principles find shell
ter.
1t is in behalf of this grand old
party, with all its clustering men,
cries and grand traditions, proud of
its unclouded aud unspotted past
and prouder still Of its power for
present and future usefulness, that
/ would appeal to Democrats Of
this great State and this city in
this hour of trial.