The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-10-27
principles Of the Democratic Party.

The principles of the Democratic party are
the principles enunciated in the Constitution.
The party is founded upon the Constitution,
and must list as long as that covenant shall
exist. IL this fact were better understood, the
Democratic party would be stronger. There
are many men who hold just the same views
and principles the Democratic party contend
for, but vote and work for the opposition under
misapprehension. There are men who be-
came of age during the war and since who
vote with the Republican party just because
they believe the Democratic party tried to
break up the Union and that the Republican
party saved it. They do not know that the
majority of the people of the South were
Wings in ante bellum days, and that the ma
jority Of the people in the North were opposed
to the Republican party. The Democrats
were the most numerous, the Republicans
next and the Wings next. The Democrats
and the Wings combined we're a third more
numerous than the Republicans To main
tain the Union all parties enlisted. General
Butler, himself Democrat, took to the war
from Massachusetts command almost en-
tirely composed of Democrats. Gen. Grant,
Gen. Hancock, Gen. Mcclellan, Gen. Slo-
cum, Gen. Corse and many other Federal
generals were Democrats. Lincoln's Secre-
tary Of War was Democrat. In fact, the
war was prosecuted mainly by Democrats and
Wings, whilst the Republicans held the offices
and grew rich by government contracts. The
war would have been closed in half the time
it lasted but for Republican office-holders and
contractors The former wanted to hold on
and secure election-the latter wanted to in
crease their fortunes by contracts. These are
facts that cannot be successfully denied.
Having disposed of the fallaey that the
Democrats endeavored to break up the Union
and the Republican party preserved it. we
now proceed to state the principles of the
Democratic party Those principles were
commended for when the war of the Revolution
was fought were ountended for when the
Constitution was formed, and we're condensed
from the Constitution by Thomas Jefferson in
his inaugural address upon assuming the
Presidency in 1901. He summed them upas
follows;
Equal and exact justice to all men, of what
ever state persuasion, religious or political
Peace, commerce, and honest friendship
with all nations-entangling alliances with
none;
The support of the state governments in all
their rights, as the most competent admins
trations for our domestic concerns, and the
surest bulwarks against anti-republican ten
denotes;
9he preservation of the general govern
ment in its whole constitutional vigor, as the
sheet anchor of our peace at home and safety
abroad
A jealous care of the right of election by
the people;
Absolute acquiescence in the decisions of
the maiority-the vital principle of republics,
from which there is no appeal but to force,
the vital principle and immediate parent of
despotism
The supremacy of the civil over the mill
tary authority;
Economy in the public expense, that labor
may be lightly burdened;
An honest payment of our debts and sacred
preservation of the public faith
Encouragement of agriculture, and OF com
meree, as its handmade
The diffusion of information, and the ar
raignment of all abuses at the bar Of public
reason;
Freedom of religion
Freedom of the press;
Freedom of person under the protection OF
the habeGs corpus;
And trials by juries impartially selected
''These principles said Mr.. jefferson,
Storm the bright Constitution which has gone
before us, and guided our steps through an
age of revolution and REFORM and Mr.. Gil
let, writer on Democracy, says "a clearer
and more forcible exposition of Democratic
principles is nowhere to be found. They
have ever continued to be the guide of the
party, and he who holds them is Democrat
in principle, if not in action.
The man who votes Democratic ticket votes
for the maintenance of those principles; and
if people would study the objects and aims of
the party, they would care nothing for candi-
dates except to know that they could pass the
] effersonian test-s'is he honest? is he capa
4 ~.