American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-12-04
Democratic Vitality.

Democratic party. As this prediction
has been put forth at various times ant
with various degrees of emphasis anC
assurance for the past twenty years, il
may be regarded as somewhat stale
and therefore it is, we presume, thai
none of the more influential Repub
lican organs indulge in a repetition o.
what has been so repeatedly falsified
by the facts. "Oft doomed to death,
yet fated not to die,'' can be said moro
truly of the Democratic party than OF
any other political Organization the
country has ever seen, or is likely to
see. A vitality which has survived
such internal disruption as that OF
1860, such elements of decentralization
as those that prevailed during the war.
six successive Presidential defeats, in
GLIDING tho Presidential fraud, which
was worse than defeat-may be con-
sidered practically invulnerable. If
we add to all these external trials the
severer one of the knaves and fools who
have used and abused the party for
their own purposes-the false friends
infinitely more dangerous than the
most powerful and vIndictive enemies
Democratic life becomes little short
of miracle, and it is difficult to
imagine any combination of circum-
stances which will suspend the miracle.
To those who study politics from
what may be termed the philosophical
standpoint, the secret of this uncon-
querable vitality is easily discovered.
The bedrock upon which the Demo
cratic party rests existed long before
the Federal Constitution was framed. or
even National independence achieved.
I in tho wind of 1hnn,oc loft
and other apostles of human liberty in
Europe as well as America, while En-
gland and her colonies were still united
in apparently indissoluble bonds, and
when popular government was yet only
a bright and seemingly unrealizable
dream. This bedrock is simply the
rights, power and wisdom of the people
in their broadcast and best sense. Lin
coin, though he went-unwillingly,w we
astray in practice,
the Democratic theory with
absolute correctness in the famous
sentence, "a Government of the peo-
pie, by the people, and for the people,"
This is Jeffersonian Democracy OF the
and purest sort. The Hamil-
tonian Federalism-whichM Mr.. Garfield
SO much admires and his party has
adopted-is Government of
radically different character. 1t is a
81 strong Government the strength
coming from those centralizing
which invariably and
diminish and at last
absorb the rights and power of
,he people. 1t is "splendid Govern.
nent;" the splendor being at the ex-
oense of the peoples pocket, and in
ended to blind their eyes to the gradual
oss of their Hberties-a loss for which
here is no remedy save revolution.
IN Republic, therefore. there must
always be Democratic party; that is,
! party which represents the Jeffer-
onian theory of government as OPP
POSED TO the Hamiltonian. When the
Democratic party dies, the Republic
will have ceased to exist. The name
Democratic" is nothing, and another
night be substituted whenever desira-
lie. The Democratic party of Jeffer- |
on's day was called Republican"
SUIT the principles are everything, and |
ghen these are abandoned popular |
government will be in its coffin. If the |
resent Democratic party were to dis
and, as did its gallant rival the Wing.
'ithin six months it would have a sue
essor embodying, no matter how much
isguised, the same essential and funda-
rental ideas. And while Democratic
olicy may be this, that, or the other
ning-and is occasionally something
he reverse of Democratic-thep principle
immutable and immortal; 1.-THE same
esterday, to-day and forever"
1t is easy. therefore, for the dullest of /
ur Republican friends to see that
lough they have beaten the Democratic
for the Presidency for the
xth successive time Gncluding the
audi they are no nearer destroying
lie Democratic party than when FIRE.
ont was nominated. They have mere
thrown down the India-rubber ball
rain, and may now watch it bounce
ice more-as it has bounced nine
mes in the last eighty years. This
bouncingness," if we may coin a
ord, is illustrated in the invincible
,od-nature with which Democrats
I've borne their latest defeat. They
e not sour and sullen as were Repub-
,ans after the Maine surprise. They
ow none of that Republican spirit
hich Grant manifested (before Indiana)
hen he said, in substance, that in
ent of Democratic victory the North
ould watch Congress and the new Adj
inistration jealousy, and if they went
rong Chat is, not to suit Republicans
would rise up and put a stop to it."
lie Democracy, sadly disappointed in
ed. but not in the least disheaftened,
ntemplate the future with perfect f,
able to stand anything J
e rest of the people can stand, and /
owing that the people will as surely I
oner OF later come to them on their '
d-rock principle as the Mississippi r
ws to the sea. Republicans are COM
lied to be always looking round for
IN issue" Democrats have theirs \
Ways at hand; an issue as old as the '
st dawn of popular government. and III
stined to last as long as a vestige OF :.
pular government fingers upon the 70 g
Louis Republican. - co co
The Republicans havas Ward 'N
as AlJtcratic abuse
rasedit.over 1.-The Election with the
,nna 20 q % riff aid G