The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1881-10-26
Can The Democratic Party BE
Trusted?

ofeans nave perslstently declared
that the Democratic party is unwor-
thy the confidence Of the people, and
that TO entrust it with the desti.
MES of the country and its Govern.
ment, would destroy the prosperity
of the one and endanger the exist.
ence of the other. To expose the
hollowness, the falsehood, and the
hypocrisy Of this assertion, a brief
reference 10 the history Of the coun-
try while under the control Of the
Democratic party is all that'is nee
essary.:
Coming into power with the acces.
sion of that great apostle Of liberty
and democracy, Thomas Jefferson, to
the Presidency in 1901, the Demo
cratic party, with the exception of
four brief years Of the administers
ton of John Quincy Adams, four
more under the administration Of
Taylor and Fillmore, and q single
month under William Henry Harris.
on, held undisputed control Of the
Governmentup to the 4th Of March,
1861, when the reins Of power passed
into the hands Of Abraham Lincoln.
How the country prospered, how it's
population increased, how the bless
ings Of liberty, Of law, and of educa-
ton were extended, and the happi-
ness of the people promoted and in
creased under the wise and benign
rule Of the Democratic party during
u period OF more than half century,
is known to every man of intelli.
gence throughout the land. In all
these years the Democratic party
bore sway in the councils Of the
country. Democrats occupied the
Presidential office and held the most
exalted positions known to our Gov
eminent. During that long period
we had two foreign wars, one with
England commencing in 1912, and
closing in blaze Of glory in 1915;
and the second, with Mexico, com.
menced in 1916, and closed in 1S4S.
BY the first we established the i'm.
munity of American ships from the
degrading right of search, and won
imperishable glory for the American
name. By the second we added new
lustre to our flag, and annexed to the
United States territory richer in
all the elements Of wealth than poets
and Missionaries ever dreamed OF. 1t
was the Democratic administration
Of Thomas Jefferson that added Lou
isiana to the constellation of States.
and by single bound extended the
area Of freedom from the Gulf of
Mexico to the Pacific Ocean, secured
the undisputed navigation and con.
troll of the Mississippi, the worlds
greatest river, from its source to the
gulf, carried the flag beyond the
Rocky Mountains, and planted it by
the calm and placid waters of the
Pacific. 1t was the Democratic ad-
ministratioh Of James Monroe that
acquired from Spain the valuable
territory of Florida, extending from
the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississip.
pi river. 1t was the Democratic ad.
mlnistration of James X. Polk that,
added Texas to the Union, and again
the starry banner was borne beyond
the Rocky Mountains and planted
upon the golden shores Of California.
From the organization of the Gov.
eminent, in 1889, down to the pres.
ent hour there has been no single
national achievement that added to
the glory of the country, shed re-.
nown upon the American name, that
was not the direct emanation of Dem
ocratic craftsmanship, courage and
sagacity, save in our recent wretched
civil strife, where brothers. hand
shed brothers blood, no battle has
been fought, no victory won by
American arms, either upon the sea
or upon the land, that was not fought
and won under the auspices Of a
Democratic administration.
During the more than fifty years
of Democratic rule the national hon.
or was maintained, the public credit
preserved, the resources of the coun.
try developed, its wealth and pros.
perity vastly increased, and the con,
sequent happiness of the people as.
sured.
Parties like individuals, may be
safely judged by their record, and a
just estimate Of what men and par
ties will do in the future may be ar.
rived at by a consideration Of what
they have done in the past. Judged
by its past record, the Democratic
party can confidently appeal to the
American people for a favorable yer.
dict. Entrusted with power for more
than half century, no act of dis.
honor or disloyalty stains its bright
escutcheon. In power its rule was
accompanied by unparalleled pros.
perity, by the promotion of agricul.
tural and manufacturing industries,
and the increase Of our commerce.
In war, its success was not less pro.
nounced or. brilliant. Wherever it
floated, the old flag, was the ensign
of victory, and wherever American
soldiers and sailors encountered foe