The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-07-18
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

The record of the Dehocratic party
has been bad enough in t&e past. Be-
fore the war it was the champion of
slavery. During the rebellion it's South
ern forces constituted the armed treason
that sought to strike down the Union,
while it's Northern leadership was in
sympathy with the cause of the So called
Confederacy. The Democrats at the
North who sustained the country were
patriots in spite of their party. But,
after all, there was a degree of boldness
and something of the spirit of courage in
the position assumed by the Democratic
leaders In those days that elected some
respect. All knew where to find that
party it's opinions were pronounced it
could not be accused of timid words or
hating policy bad as it was, the worst
was seen, and known of all men.
Now, while assuming to sustain the
republic in it's integrity, Democratic
leadership is doing it's utmost by sinister
movements, instead of direct blows, to
bring shame and disgrace upon the
country. It makes persistent proclama-
ton that our last national election was
carried by fraud. It rings the changes
in every conceivable form upon this as
sumption. It thus in effect assures the
world that our free institutions have
proved a failure, and that fraud and
usurpation constitute prevailing and sue
cessful forces in our Government. Thus,
while processing Democracy as rule for
it's action, it seeks to bring down upon
our free system of Government the uni
versal reproaches of the civilized world.
The representative opponents and
statesmen Of the Democratic party de-
clare it to be in favor of law and order
and good government. But they have
attempted through Congressional legis-
lation to paralyze the right arm of the
body polite by making war upon the
army-so reorganizing it, in spite of
the protests of Gen. Sherman and other
experienced and able officers, as to
greatly impair it's eff ,iency, while at
the same time the most earnest effort
was made to reduce it's force by several
thousands of men. This, bear in mind,
at a time when Indian wars would be
likely to require the whole force of our
army OF Is, 900 men to put down the up
Communistic and other dangerous ele-
meats are threatening the peace Of the
country and the integrity Of our politi-
cal, social and religious Institutions
During the long session the Demo.
cratic party, through it's repre-
sentatives in Congress, has been
making almost constant war upon the
army. Some went so far as to propose
it's abolition, while nearly all the Demo
cratic members united in the effort to
so weaken it's power that it would be in
capable of preserving the peace and en-
forcing the laws in case of such insur-
rection as has been threatened against
the authority of the Government. We
need to-day an efficient army of at least
$4,000 men to assure safety to the coun-
try against the dangers that menace us.
But for the slight Republican propon-
derance in the Senate, our little army
of $4,000 men would have been still
further reduced to 100000 It is easy to
see that Democratic leadership in the
policy thus marked out for itself means
mischief and danger to the republic
especially so when the fact is borne in
mind that ex-Confederate Southern
Representatives constitute the controll-
ing power of the Democratic majority in
the House of Representatives.
In making war upon our diplomatic
representation in foreign countries the
Democratic leaders and statesmen did all
they could to disgrace us in the eyes of
civilized nations. Legations and Con-
sulates have been abolished at the very
time when the interests Of trade and the
imminence OF general European war re-
quired the strongest representation of
our Government in diplomatic and Con-
su]ar posts. Salaries Of our representa-
tives abroad have been reduced so that
none but those possessed of large pecun-
larry means can hold these places and
maintain that responsibility which should
attach to such positions. In this war
upon an interest so important to our
country, linking us, as it were, to civil
ization throughout the world, the lead
ers of the Democratic party have done
all they could to bring odium upon us as
nation. A good name is everything
for country, as for private indi7id-
ual. Without it, decentralization is sure
to ensue, and, through that process,
comes ultimate ruin. It is these sinister
and wicked methods, pursued by Demo
cratic representatives and statesmen, that
constitute the gloved hand OF malignant
enmity and treason. And so we say
these agencies are far more disreputable,
far more dangerous, than the frank and
openly pronounced hostility that char
acterized Democratic leadership III it's
wars upon the country during the re-
bellion.
II the people of this country shall fail
to see the lurking danger that underlies
the policies of Democratic leadership, If
they shall fail to stamp it out as efectu-
ally as they would crush out openly
avowed treason, the future of our coun-
try must be dark indeed, and that dark
ness will involve free institutions in
eternal night. We have seen what the