National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-04-21
Democratic Doctrines.

State Rights Free Trade, and Hard Money are
three dogmas In the Democratic creed from which
every other sound political priucpe can be readily
adduced and applied Washington Post.
Why, cert'nly. From State Rights was
readily adduced the political principle of
unlimited Federal power, which, being
applied TO the enactment of the Fugitive
Slave law, caused the army of the
United States to invade sovereign" free
States at the request of the citizens of
"sovereign" slave States for the capture
of any persons claimed by the latter as
their slaves. From State Rights was also
readily adduced the political principle of
the right of disobedience TO State when
that State commanded adherence to the
Union. This principle was applied when
State Rights Democrats of Maryland,
Delaware, Kentucky, and Missouri re-
fused to ego with their States"
but joined confederacy of other States
to fight against their own.
From the dogma of Free Trade the Penn
Bylvania Democracy have always readily
adduced the sound political principle of
Protective Tariff, and that principle has
been applied by the national Democracy
by the elevation of Hon. Samuel Randall
to the Speaker'sch and the consequent
surrender of the committees of the House
to the high-tarih men. The Free-Trade
principle was at the same time given vent
in the reduction Of the duty on quiaine.
The third dogma of the Democratic
creed, we are told, is Hard Money. Well,
that was so in the oden time. But latter
day Democrats readily adduced from it
oil sorts of wildcat schemes-hrst clamor-
ing for the substitution of greenbacks for
coin in the payment of the public debt,
AID then advocating the repeal of the tax
on State banks of issue in order that those
swindling mills might be again set in
motion.
If there is any principle which prom
ises 10 catch hundred votes to which
the Democratic party cannot prove its
fidelity in the past and promise its undy-
ing devotion in the future, we should
like to have it named. A party which
constantly boasts of having been mainly
instrumental in the suppression of re-
bellion inaugurated by itself; which
claims to have furnished most of
the troops for an abolition war "
against pure and undeiied State
Rights Democracy; which voted for
Mcclellan, who had arrested the
Democratic Legislature of State not
of the confedeNcy; which voted for
Horace Greeley while anathematizing
every political utteance of his life; and
which voted for General Hancock, who
ref sed to obey writ of habeas corpus
IN behalf Of woman sentenced to death
in tme Of peace, while il was still hoarsC
with bawling against the suspension o.
the writ in time Of war--such a party
can readily adduce from its ancient
creed whatever so-caled political pin
cip.es it believes most conducive to sue
cess.
Were we to be called upon to state the
aims and methods Of the Democratic
party We should say that it's Northern
wing was for plumber and its Southern
wing for revenge, As for methods, il il
for whatever will win. If it rises I,
grandeur in any one attitude il is that 0
sublime impudeuce. Its claim TO any
thing like consistency OF opinion i
simply an exhibition of adammtir,
cheek.