Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1883-05-16
Political Prospects.


The Democratic party was never bet
ter. its foes never worse armed for con-
flct. The only advantage its enemies
have consists in their tenure OF plumber
aud power; the first has corrupted the
morals, the latter the forms and facts
of free government. Twenty-Five years
of absolutism has begOtten political
debauchery and the Republic b. comes
a despohsm. A gilded class of pluto
Gratis shapes legislation, sways the
Senate, corrupts the House. polluies
the bench. A richly pensiOned nobility
dances about The White House, while
only subsistence is do;ed cut TO The
true heroes of battles. The public do
main, won by tolls and sacrifices
OF common soldiers in Mexico and by
the siatecraft of Jefferson, Is taken
from the people and transferred TO hall
a hundred HuntlngtoHs and billions,
while revenue and banking systems,
fastened upon popular industry, breed
myrlads of tramps and beggars on the
one hand and gorgeous aristOcracy on
the other. Splendor and orulence
crown the governing class, rags and
penury the toilers 10 mills and mines
ard fields. In twenty years ofabsolu-
tism pseudo Republicanism has institu-
ted in free America every vice OF So
cietv and government that distinguishes
hoariest despotism of The old world
Even Africans, given the ballot that
the supremacy Of the party in power
might be continued and perpetual, con-
fess the vices Of their self-siyled bene-
factors. and white men, as never be-
fore. are aroused 20 sense OF dangers
impending over their liberties and their
rights as Industrial ard political factors.
The pendulum Of popular impulse and
passion. thrust violently toward cen
,ralizatou and lnipenalism by secession
ism, now moves backward toward
federalism, as di>lin. uisLed from con.
soldailou on he ore hand and dis
indignation On tie other, and in the
surely coming triumph Of The Demo-
cracy the original uaion OF free States
as instituted by our fathers, will be re-
produced. Al that point the pendnlnm
Of which we were telling. will stand
still. until, we would lain hope, time
shall be 10 more. IL was peoples
government; it mus. again b. a peo.
ple's government. T. restore it to
them IS the mission of our party. TO
govern themselves is their right. II at
any time they govern themselves un-
wisely It is their misfortune. Their
present task-lnasters must and will he
uucrowned.
With what degree Of earnestaess the
people contemplate these facts and
necessities. and how thoroughly the
spirit and purposes Of our fathers, who,
in fighting Tor colonial independence,
fought for perfect local and individual
freedom is reproduced, Is illustrated 10
the eagerness with which the reproduc'
ton in these pages Of Jefersonian phi
losophy IS accepted by the press Of the
country as represented in the catalogue
ofour exchanges Given in subsequent
pages Of the Register. The press and
people are recurring, as never before in
our time, TO first principles; as never
before, since Jelerson's theories were
moulded into facts and forms of repub-
lican institutions ard republican free
dom, do The people study these facts
and accept this philosophy. To those
who have reached maturity since 1860
it is a new revelation; 10 the aged the
reproduction Of delightful visions Of the
past realize in their youth. Tie
whole country discovers IN propositions
enuuciated by the Democratic party .he
overthrow of detestable Ollgarchy
aud restoration Of the republic Of our
fathers American Register