The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-09-01
A Just rescrir tion Of Democracy.

ilock of sheep or drove of cattle,
led or driven by a master Nor IS 1t 4
church with a stereotyped creed. to
which its members must d lhere on pain
uf excommunieation. Nevertheless,
though its composition is more or less
affected by adventitious circumstances,
yet in the large and comprehensive view
it IS formed and guided by natural.
philosophical and historical causes, and
is capable of being exhibited in suill-
ciently intelligible and definite manner.
The Democratic party has now existed
nearly a century. Its founder, its histo-
ry, 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 aud causes,
what is the Just aud proper description
of the Demoeratie party?
1. 1t is thesdefender of the political
Fights of the many. 1t is the enemy Of
aristocracy. Its founder was the author
of those immortal sentences of the
Declaration of Independence, ''Ail men
are created equal, " and Governments
derive their just powers from the con-
sent of the governed.'' the logical So
queuce from which is that all men nave
Iou will therefore naturally expect that
party having such founder viii 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, a well
as on account of National origin. race
or complexion. You will naturally eN-
pect it to be the protector of the poor
and the loWly, and that il Will stretch
forth its hands TO raise up the down
trodden. You viii naturally expect it
to insist upon free ballot and a fair
count. Both National and State laws
having this object in view (and there is
Constitutional authority for both), Will
naturally find a watchful guardian III q
party whose founder inculcated "a
jealous care of the right of election by
The people, Such, On the whole il
the character of the Democratic party !;
while It's political rival has always been
prone 10 favor invidious distinction on
account of National origin, pecuniary
condition and educational advantages.
Often has it stifled the political indie
pendence of the poor by intimidation or
overcome their political integrity 10y the
arts of bribery and corruption.
?. The Democratic party is the guard
islii VI iilt anu
ests of the laboring class. 1t knows
that their prosperity and improvement
has much to do with their political in
dependence. 1t has always eontended
for economy in the public expense.
that labor may be lightly burdencd." :"
Its general financial policy has always
had the same benefieent tendency. 1t
has been the friend of a sound currency
IL has advocated Il tariff stripped of all
fayOritism TO capital nj the expense OF
labor Ii 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, il has sought TO divide and re-
strain the banking and money interest
and TO prevent its dangerous consolida-
tion under the authority and patronage
of the National Government. In al
this il is in marked contrast with the
Republican party, which has been the
persistent friend of legal-tender paper
money. and Na,ional Banks, and whose
administration has been darkened by
extravaganza and corruption. Let re-
formers take notice that in every effect
ual movement to be made for the suD-
iitHSAtbii III HlouOttOliStS anu lllt EtHAiil-
ton and control of ovcrgrown corpora
tions, the Democrats will lead the van
3. The Democratic party is the cham
pion of the constitutional rights of indi-
viduas. 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 iu-ies impartially
selected, as among the essential princi-
pies of our Government. The bills of
rights Incorporated in the National and
tate 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 government of the States
and of local communities. 1t guards
with jealous care the political bounGa-
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
liberty. The sympathies of the party
are not confined to the self-government
of the States, but embrace that of towns
and cities under State laws and consti-
tutions. Here again we find striking
contrast between the two parties; for the
Republican party has 2 perpetual hank
ering to usrrp the functions of States
and municipalities, now claiming State
powers for the Nation, and again claim
ing municipal powers for the States in
which they happen to have control. Its
reconstruction policy will ever be
remembered as a gigantic crime against
our American system of government.
Its legal-tender paper money, and its
National Banks, belong to the same cat
egory of criminal usurpation.
.. The Democratic party is loyal to
the Union under the authority of the
National Constitution. 1t cordially rec
OPnlIeS the constitution as Jne SUI
preme law of the land' With Jeffer-
son, it is unalterably in favor of =. the
preservation of the General Government
in its whole constitutional vigor, as the
sheet-anchor OF our peace ut home and
safety abroad" A cardinal object of
the Constitution having been to = secure
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and
our posterity, nothing can be more
H
cratic party should be the earnest de-
fender of its authority. The opponents
of the Democracy sustain the Constitu-
ton when it answers their party pur-
poses. When it suited those purposes
to nullify a perfectly constitutional law,
they did not stick at doing it. When
Democrats were pleading in behalf of
measures suited to save the Union with
out bIoodshed. they scoffed at them as