Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-12-04
Aancaster fntelligenrer.
TUESDAY EVENING, DEC. a, 1888.
The Historic Dem ocracy.

recent COnttst lOr sptakcf ah'o"S WY
Democrats, was the novel solicitude OF
their party enemies, lest the selection of
Carlisle should prejudice the now con-
ceded likelihood of the restoration OF the
Democracy to power next November,
Upon this text many and marvellous
things we're preached-the sum of all
being represented in the saying of LEGAL
contemporary that the Democratic party
is timid and has straddled every serious
question for 80 years. Sayings like this
seem to please certain hasty generalizers
among our opponents. No well informed
man, however, would trust himself to
such an assertion. The truth Is the his
tory Of parties In no country contains
more inspiring record Of devotion to
principle and consistency In faith, than
the vicissitudes of the Democracy since
1856. Enervated by too long lease OF
power--a continuance in place which
attracted all the self-seekiDg, as we'll as
most of the intelligence of the country,
the party fell Of its own discordant fac
tors in 1850. 1t was only when its lead
ership fell into the excesses, reproduced
in the Republican party during the last
three administrations, that it came to
defeat Nor was it defeated in 1850, he
cause 1t had lost the majority Of the
voters. Lincoln's vote was hardly a
third OF the electors of the union. 1t
was not, therefore, distrust of Democrat
, ic principles that gave the Republican
,tal lrsk pf q a II lfa
not been popular approval that has kept
1t in place since the close Of the war.
He has read the history of parties in vain
who charges the Democratic party with
faithlessness to its convictions. Inherit.
ing the curse put upon the country by
slavery, the party saw no constitutional
means Of cutting the ulcer out, but all
legislation was uniformly opposed to its
extension, as the measures of 1870 and
1857 testify.
But the Democracy were not alone
in finding slavery beyond consti.
tutional effacement. In no author
rlzsd utterance of the Republi
can party was The purpose of abolition
ever breathed, until Providence opened
way, and when that time came, the
Democrats of the country were not
behind their adversaries in stamping Il
out. Republicans are fond of taking
credit to themselves for defending the
union and putting down the rebellion.
Where would the Lincoln administration
have found the million men who
marched at the call in 1881 il the Demo.
Gratis had not responded ? Examine the
records of the states that sent men TO
the front. Two in every three men, met
under arms between 1861 and 1865, were
Democrats. Nor need better proof be
given of this than the convincing fact
that the states, which in 1856 gave the
largest Democratic vote, during the years
Of The war maintained Republican ma
jorities. Hardly general Of eminence
in the armies of the union had been a
Republican. VeneratiOn for the cous.i-
tuition aud love for the union, az the.
fathers perfected It, distinguished the
Democratic rank and Gle.
a party takes its character from its
leaders. The convictions that they utter
and defend, IL they receive the support
Of the majority Of its votes, are the
principles upon which It asks public con
idence. Who can say, upon this ground
that the Democracy has been lacking ia
fidelity to its vital mission The party
OF the people, the exponent of their will,
it could not be Democratic party and
be unfaithful to its inheritance. That
there grew up schism5 In the party from
time to time, is true that these s3hisms
destroyed unity, and gave the victory in
national contests TO their opponents, was
matter Of course. But no one ever saw
the Democratic party reduced to the con
dition of the Republican organization /;
when, in lieu Of principles or purposes
1t shamelessly took up Grant. IIayes
ora Gartleld-electing them by money
and fraud.
The Democratic party means the gov
ernment Of the people by the people :
the Republican party means the govern e.
ment of the people by monopoly, chi
cane and sham. Let any careful stu
dent examine the mauifestOs Of the
organized Democracy since 1860 and
compare them with the catch penny
expediencies Of the Republican party,
and lie will see that they have been In
variably the utterances of thoughtful
minds and wise craftsmanship. If the
party were not based on eternal prlnci-
pies II would have perished from the ia 90
OF the earth, as the Wings and the Fed
eralists and score more have persisted
leaving no mark to tell that they
ever existed. Examine the work of
the supreme court. 1t has passed the
larger part of its time in sweeping from
the laws, the crude and unconstitutional
legislation of the time servers, who make
laws only for the hour, Timid, the
Democracy may have been and NAV be
still, but time serving or untrue to its
great charter it has never been. 1t Is the
recognition of this which has steadily
brought the majority back to the party
during the last seven years-until now
twenty-six states OF the thirty.eight of
the union are administered by Democrats
Just as year hence Democrats will
resume that enlightened and constitu
tional administration Of the government