The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-07-17
BE NOT DECEIVED.

"eoio""o VI NV lpS'hpN' ""S Poi w "A
party is but an aggregation of indiv.
iduals, the general product of whose
characteristics and tendencies appears
in the party. The party should be
Judged as individuals are judged. If
an individual has lead bad life and
mingled with Corrupt associates he
must renounce that life and break off
from his corrupt associates before we
can have confidence in him as a re-
former. Judged by this test, is the
Democratic party worthy of conf
| dence? sI ~ 81 rrf trsh t
Figuratively speaking the Demo-
cratic party has lead very bad life.
1t fostered, encouraged and defended
the great iniquity of slavery. 1t
sought to extend this infamous insti-
tutien throughout the length and
breadth of our land; it made slave
catchers of the freemen of the North;
it defended the auction block and
brought upon our Government the
contempt and execration of the civil
lied world.1t instituted a gigantic re-
belion whose sole object was the per-
petuation of slavery and which cost
the country millions of treasure and
half a million of noble lives. Has
the Democratic party renounced this
record and broken off from the rascal
ly, brutal leaders, who thus disgraced
their country and wronged humanity?
Not at all. Every Democratic orator
in the land boasts of the "good old
days of Democratic supremacy and
prays for return of the same. ag
The old leaders who cracked the
slave whip before the war and rallied
the rebel hosts during the war, and
their Northern sympathiEers and pan
derers are still the idolized leaders of
the Democracy; Toombs, Hampton,
Joe Johnson, Seymour, Bayard, ct
omme genus, still claim and receive
the homage of the Democratic party.
The nomination of General Han
cock, the record of whose life is in
diametric opposition tothe Democratic
party, is simply cowardly trick to
catch the, votes of men who would
revolt from the names Of the real
leaders. m'aeso at
The Democratic party wants power
and there is no humiliation to which
it will not bow, no subterfuge to
which it will not resort to secure this
end. The triumph of the Democratic
party, even with General Hancock at
its head, means simply the restoration
to power of the men who held slaves,
and are not ashamed of it; of the men
who actively engaged in the war Of
the rebellion, or gave aid and comfort
to their country's assailants.
The masses of the Northern people
are not ready for such change. And
between two gallant soldiers, the one
supported by the worst elements Of
American society, by the enemies Of
personal liberty and political equality
by the representatives of fraud and
violence in the South; and the other
by those who opposed and denounced
slavery, by those who followed the
varying fortunes of the glorious ole
flag through every vicissitude-nevel
doubling, never faltering-by free
men from whose limbs the shackles O
bondage have been struck, by the in
telligence, the conscience and the
virtue of the land-between two such
men patriot can make but one
choice.
General James A. Garfield is to-day
tn, representative and standard bear
er of the only party in this country
that deserves the confidence of th'
people--the Republican, party-th'
grand old party of Sumner, Lincolr
and Stevens, of emancipation liberty
and equality.