Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-09-30
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

p,nce ct power has always assaliea Il
WI h venomous vituperati"n, ana IL Il
assaulted bv IL cla.s of Mahones, wht
h wing tailed to crafty their amoltioi
AT It's hands have turned upon it ant
rend it with their teeth. more bitter II
their denunciations aud more rockies!
IN their statements than the ancieh
enemy. 1t is not the first, nor even TN
second time that democracy has beel
thus bcset, but 1t has lived a potent lac
tor IN our body polite, and %wilfcontlnut
to live while the republic stands, because
it has in it a vital principle.
1t is constantly asserted by the n
.mns of democracy that this is not true
AMI it nray, therefore,: be we'll. to. ask
what 10 the democratic partyF ~
ii there is any. party entitled TO. be
known as national. 1T is the Democratic
party. For over, sixty years of the
short lie of the republic it controlled it,
destiny. Under its benign influence
domestic peace and prosperity prevail
ed the burdens Of taxation were light
our eommerde grew with giant strides
both by sea and land; a merchant ma,
line was buill up which was the pride
of The. nation, and: u surprise to the
world; louisiana, California and
Texas were acquired; Great Britain
was; taught that We: couli MAINTAIN
as ell as gain our Independence; the
permaneucy Of our liberty was assured;
and, against the attacks OF The Know
Nqihings,, our country was made, the
'asylumaor the oppressed of all nations,
Fratricidal strife overlook us; and
upon the passions Of impending ware
new party came iq4o power. 1t is not
now worth while to argue that. this or
that political faction was responsible
!er The existent evils-1ggreat differences
Of opinion prevailed WHICH could only
be. settled-by the arbitrament OF arms.
The war had, to be fought. it was fought.
am. upon its mighty theater was exem:
.plilied the valpr and the.patrioti, N Of
the Amesican1aan, whether born nnrth
OF south OF Mason and Dixon's line.
That the uLidn soldier; was brave none
deny; ). bM he, .conld have. proven his
courage against 40 .craSensfoe, and the
day which we have for ..yye:trs predicted
has already arrived, v hen The. gallant
northern soldier acknowledges. as. well
the. patriotism :s ahe daring ofAis forms
-er enemy. 80 *ts+'fs , ae''S- .
The. war seislafft Two questions and two
questions, onlY-secession and slavery.
They are beth dead ,sand no II desires
to disturb their -corpses. The battle
over, Two great parties once more facet
each other-,he republican party, grown
pow erlul and in>olent by the prestige
oil the war; the democratic party proud
and defiant even as a minority, demand
ing constitutional government and
economy of administration. ~itsfirst idea
being the decentralization Of power, and
the right of the. states TO govern them
selves, except insofar as the states had
delegated certain powers to the gener
al government. From 1861 TO 1872 tho:
republican party had entire control of
the Cover nment; since that lime the
democrats have had. first the house,
then for two. years the house. and sem
ate, with an adverse executive, ovtr
whose veto 10 legislation could pass not
lirs, approved by republican counsels.
What occurred during the years in
which the. republican party had full
sway? A war debt of two billions.
doubled by fraud and thIeyery. was i'm
posed upon the people. The southern
states reduced to NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,
aud then subjected to the horrors of re-
construction, Elections ut The point OF
the bayonet.- 'ihe debt made an engine
of oppression in the interest of-the Hold
ers of the bonds, and against the welfare
Of the people. Silver demonetized. A
robbers protective tariff. imposed.
Whisky rugs. Sanborn contracts. The
n.vy ring. The post: leadership, swim
dies. The public domain squundered to
corporations. The star out frauds.
The H,wgate scandal. But why cor
tinue-lnillions of dollars stolen; and
millions upon millions OF acres diverted
from being made free homesleads for
the people.
The democratic party FACED these evils.
1t fought them at every step. 1T ex-
posed the stealing. Ii demanded lair
ness to the people in the matter OF the
debt, aad deprecated oppression. Ii
forced The removal OF soldiers from the
southern states. 1t remonetized silver.
It. reduced the expenses OF the govern
ment. Il insisted, with Calhoun that the
Mississippi river was an finland sea p
that its porIs and tributaries we're US
justly entitled to be improved as were
the har5ors on the coast, and That its
cities Should be made ports of entry. II
declared that the Union Pacific railway
CON pany, which seemed 10 control the
republican party, should pay its
dues to the governments; and. through
the Thurman bill. fore d it to do SD.
Step by step it. has compelled the re-.
publican party to recognize. the rights
OF the states. Out OF federal Office ior
u years 1t has still been a power In the
land. IL consarvator of the Jeffersonian
idea of government by the people and
Tor t!.e people. rs against the paterual
id Il %! government advoc .ted by Ham.
iiiolr. "
In 1876 it had-a. quarter of a million
popular majority. an | a majority OF the
electoral c,ilege.i'ut it was robbed OF the
fruits OF its vic DRY by perjury and fraud.
In 1880 it sill hal II IN irity OF the PEG
PIE with ii; and, to-day. ths pen Il. are
awaiting 10 return it to power il it can
but wisely maintain its principles. re
press its BourOons who neither forget
nor learn and to whom: progress is oh
noxious. keep down~its. dissensions. anu
he true 10 the greatness of its mission
by lhr"tt'ing its Iactions little politicians.
Advocating. rs, it does, protection OF til {
weak ms'inst the strong 1t is the friend
of tho lahoring man, and its tower
OF great stre 18th Is his safest refuge
All that it needs is organization 81