The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-10-07


Apoliticsl party in this country is not
flock of sheep or drove of cattle.
led or driven by . master. Nor is it q
church with stercotyped creed. to
which its members must a1here on pain
of communication Nevertheless.
though its composition is more or less
affected by adventitious circumstances,
vet in the large and comprehensive view
it is formed and guided by natural.
philosophical and historical causes, and
is capable of being exhibited in suffi-
GENTLY ineligible and definite manner.
The Democratic party has now existed
nearly century. Its founder, its histo-
nv, and the social and political causes
that give occasion for its existence, are
well known. We have, then, the means
of determining its character and general
purpose in American politics. In the
light, then, of these facts and causes.
what is the just and proper description
of the Democratic partyp
1. 1t is the defender of the political
rights of the many. 1t is the enemy OF
aristocracy.. Its founder was the author
of those immortal sentences of the
Declaration of Independence, IAN men
are created equal" and Governments
derive their Just powers from the con-
sent of the governed" the logical Sc
quence from which is that all men have
right to share of political power.
You will therefore naturally expect that
party having such founder will be
inclined to favor the largest possible
expansion of the basis of suffrage, and
to dislike all restrictions on account of
the want of property or culture, as well
as on account of National origin, race
or complexion. You will naturally ex-
pect it to be the protector of the poor
and the lowly, and that it will stretch
forth its hands to raise up the down
trodden. You will naturally expect it
to insist upon free ballot and q fair
count Both National and State laws
having this object in view (and there is
Constitutional authority for both), will
naturally find watchful guardian in q
party whose founder inculcated ga
jealous care of the right Of. election by
the people," Such, on the whole, is
the character of the Democratic party;
while its political rival has always been
prone TO favor invidious distinction on
account of National origin, pecuniary
condition and educational advantages.
Often has it stihed the political indie
pendence of the poor by intimidation or
overcome their political integrity by the
arts of bribery and corruption.
2. The Democratic party is the guard
ian of the financial and material inter-
ests of the laboring class. 1t knows
that their prosperity and improvement
has much to do with their political in
dependence. 1t has always contended
for ECONOMY in the public expense,
that labor may be lightly burtlened."
Its general financial policy has always
had the same beneficent tendency. It
has been the friend of sound currency.
1t has advocated tariff stripped of all
favoritism to capital at the expense of
labor. 1t has favored free competition,
discouraged monopolies, and restrained
overgrown corporations 1t has en-
couraged foreign commerce, and fos-
tered the growth of our merchant ma
rine. Following in the steps of its
founder. it has sought to divide and re-
strain the banking and money interest,
and to prevent its dangerous consolida-
ton under the authority and patronage
of the National Government. In all
this it is in marked contrast with the
Republican party, which has been the
persistent friend of legal-tender paper
money, and National Banks. and whose
administration has been darkened by
extravagance and corruption. Let re-
formers take notice that in every effect
ual movement to be made for the sup
preston of monopolists and the regula-
ton and control Of overgrown corpora
tons, the Democrats will lead the van.
3. The Democratic party is the cham
pion of the constitutional rights of indi-
viduals. With its great founder, il re-
CARDS freedom of religion, freedom of
the press, freedom of speech, freedom
of person under the protection of habeas
corpus, and trial by juries impartially
selected, as among the essential princi-
pies of our Government. The hills of
rights incorporated in the National and
State Constitutions, have ever been its
peculiar care. Had it not been for the
master spirits of that party, the National
Constitution would not have contained
any bill of rights. In the Administra-
tions of John Adams and Abraham Lin
coin, the constitutional rights of citizens
found in the Democratic party an earnest
and effective defender. Throughout our
history, there has been found this char
acteristic difference between the two
parties. One has been the advocate of
arbitrary Legislation and arbitrary ar
rests and imprisonments, and the other
has been their unrelenting foe.
4. The Democratic party is the guard
ian of the self-government Of the States
and of local communities. 1t guards
with jealous care the political bounda-
ries and landmarks of the Federal Con-
stitution. As jefferson expressed it,
the party favors 1.-The support of the
State Governments in all their rights,
as the most competent administrations
for our domestic affairs, and the surest
bulwarks against anti-republican ten
denotes" The States are mighty po-
litical fortresses of civil and political